A decision-making method for programming exhibitions in museums and art organizations

Abstract

This doctoral thesis studies the decision-making process in the planning of temporary exhibitions in museums. The literature reviewed and interviews conducted with museum directors in Spain and the United States reveal that there is not a formal multicriteria method established for programming exhibitions. For this reason, a new method is proposed to support decision-makers when programming exhibitions. This method integrates a methodology and a theoretical framework, respectively, the Multi-Attribute Utility Theory (MAUT) and the Anthropological Model (AM). With the application of this new method, it is possible

to objectify the process of choosing exhibitions, thus minimizing the subjectivity and avoiding depending on the intuition of the decision-maker. This can be achieved by the use of pre-established criteria tailored to each organization. First, the history and definition of the museum, the types of museums, the impact of COVID-19 in Spain and the United States, and also the decision-making process in the programming of exhibitions in museums are briefly analyzed. Next, the new method is presented, first explaining each methodology, MAUT and AM, and then its integration. Secondly, the new method of decision support in exhibition programming is proposed through its practical application to 14 museums, 8 in Barcelona (Spain) and 6 in the Boston area (USA). Then, a comparison of the application of the method in these two countries is made. A generic list of criteria is proposed as a tool to assist museums and art organizations in making programming decisions. Next, a case study of CaixaForum is presented with the new method fully implemented. An objective data set provided by the organization is used in this study, which makes it more concise and realistic. Finally, the study of the literature, the interviews conducted, the initial proposal of the method to 14 museums, and the implementation at CaixaForum conclude with results that suggest this new method as pioneering and innovative in the arts and cultural management sector. Moreover, the results suggest that an application of a formal method would enhance, help, and optimize exhibition programming decisions.