Please note: Special public hours – 10 AM to 5 PM – on Thursday, May 9
Please note: Special public hours – 10 AM to 5 PM – on Thursday, May 9
May 25, 2016
The Asian Art Museum launches a new membership program for emerging arts-enthusiasts, featuring evening events, artist-led workshops, dynamic tours and lectures and serious fun in a magnificent setting
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SAN FRANCISCO, May 25, 2016 — This week, the Asian Art Museum launches a unique new way for Bay Area young professionals to engage with the museum: Lunar Society, a membership group for Asian art aficionados, lifelong arts-enthusiasts and the newly art-curious, ages 21-45.
Bringing together world-class Asian artworks from Turkey to Thailand, bright ideas from across the globe and young professionals from around the corner, Lunar Society connects members with each other and with a worldwide conversation about art. Through illuminating on-site storytelling tours, behind-the-scenes showcases and exclusive evening workshops and events, members can share their passion for art — and cocktails! — in one of San Francisco’s most iconic settings.
Members love the museum, but young professionals need special access and guaranteed opportunities to socialize
The Asian Art Museum enjoys a particularly loyal fan base. The museum has a 92% retention rate with multi-year members and 87% overall (compared to the national average of 67% for art museums). This devotion indicates that Asian Art Museum members are more than satisfied with their experience — there are even members who have supported the museum since it first opened its doors 50 years ago.
“This level of engagement shows us that our current membership offerings are incredibly appealing with traditional audiences, nurturing affinity and joy for decades,” says Kate Johnson, the museum’s director of membership. “In other words, once you come in the door, you fall in love with the museum’s ability to connect local audiences with the rich history and living traditions of Asian cultures.”
Younger visitors, though, are more pressed for time than ever, with even culturally-attuned audiences finding it hard to secure space in their calendars for work, family and socializing with friends. Research also reveals that simply not having someone to attend a museum or cultural activity with is one of the biggest barriers to showing up.*
“From our research, we discovered that young professionals want three things: to belong to a community of like-minded people, to learn something new in a social setting and to meet artists and make art,” explains Johnson.
With Lunar Society, the museum is creating a curated suite of special programs specifically tailored to meet these needs for social connection combined with meaningful arts participation.
Lunar Society benefits include:
“Lunar Society is the perfect opportunity for younger members looking for the right time and place to connect with their peers,” says Johnson. “We’ve developed exciting events unlike any others in the Bay Area, facilitating connections between Lunar Society members, local artists and the world-class art on view at the Asian Art Museum.”
Lunar Society is a $50 add-on level and can be added to any level of Asian Art Museum membership (which start at $89). Membership can be purchased:
1. Online at: www.asianart.org/lunarsociety
2. By calling 415.581.3740 or visiting the member desk at the museum.
The Asian Art Museum–Chong-Moon Lee Center for Asian Art and Culture is one of San Francisco’s premier arts institutions and home to a world-renowned collection of more than 18,000 Asian art treasures spanning 6,000 years of history. Through rich art experiences, centered on historic and contemporary artworks, the Asian Art Museum unlocks the past for visitors, bringing it to life while serving as a catalyst for new art, new creativity and new thinking.
