Visitor attendance is rising above expectations at the Gregg Museum of Art & Design
When you visit the Gregg Museum of Art & Design this summer, you will feel a buzz in the air as curious visitors explore three exhibitions. Museum attendance is growing daily and the energy is apparent. The museum tracks visitorship by fiscal year (the university’s runs July 1–June 30), which closely corresponds with the academic year. Based on current trends, visitorship for fiscal year 2023–24 is projected to be up 63% versus 2022–23.
FY 2023-24 attendance at the Gregg Museum is 89% of pre-pandemic 2018-19 attendance, despite personnel transitions within the university including the retirement of the museum’s previous director in June 2023. The Gregg staff under the leadership of interim director Mary Hauser, have worked diligently to build awareness, increase engagement, and expand their offerings to ensure that the next director has strong momentum to build upon when they arrive on July 1, 2024.
The Museum Ambassadors have noticed the uptick in traffic first hand as they greet visitors when they enter the museum. O’Brien Millard, a Museum Ambassador, shares, “There doesn’t seem to be a pattern to the traffic, but some days we might have up to 70 or 80 people. There is a lot of excitement with the new exhibitions, and people also ask about past exhibitions.”
The museum appeals to the university community and residents of the triangle, but it has also been a draw for tourists visiting from all over the country. “I feel like more people are coming in from outside of North Carolina and from out of the country,” says Museum Ambassador Arwa Jalakh. “ We get a lot of visitors from Florida, New York and California.” The museum has had visitors from all over the world this year, from as far away as India, Taiwan, New Zealand and Croatia.
Diverse programs are another attraction for local visitors to the Museum. From yoga classes in the garden to hands-on art workshops for children and adults to exhibition tours, there is something for everyone at the Gregg Museum. The Gregg education staff have implemented a new Summer Children’s Program that has engaged families with elementary aged children to interact with the museum. During these sessions, children learn about specific art pieces at the museum and use those observations to inspire a creation of their own. This program, which is offered to the community for free, has had 88 families that have signed up to take part, and the sessions filled quickly after registration opened. The Gregg looks forward to growing visitorship over the coming year. Look for fall programs and ways to engage with the Gregg coming soon.
