These days, the art at art museums can feel less important than “engagement,” a metric that’s arguably more measurable—from a marketing and budgeting perspective—than beauty or cultural relevance. Indeed, many notable arts institutions across the country have hired engagement officers or directors of engagement in the past few years. Some have even set up entire engagement departments.

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As to what museum engagement actually is, Gamynne Guilotte, chief education and engagement officer at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art since her hiring last year, told Observer that, “there is no simple answer. It means different things at different institutions.”

Engaging with the public and inspiring the public to engage with art museums can involve several different kinds of initiatives and activities, from classic educational programs for children in primary and secondary schools and public lectures for adults to outreach efforts targeting populations without much experience with museums and creative accessibility campaigns. As such, engagement officers at museums work across departments, interacting with staff in a variety of specializations, including curatorial, education, communications, visitor services, volunteer coordination, museum operations and marketing, to “create a space that is welcoming to visitors,” Guilotte said.

She, for instance, conducts visitor surveys, arranges educational programs (some aimed at school-aged children, others for adults in the community, yet others for university classes and museum members), and takes part in curatorial meetings where new exhibitions are planned. “I’ve never said ‘no’ to an exhibition,”........

© Observer