<How a Museum Built Its Buzz: Popcorn, Puppets and Free Tickets — Art News
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article local calendar_today Thursday, April 23, 2026

How a Museum Built Its Buzz: Popcorn, Puppets and Free Tickets

The Museum of the Moving Image in Queens has doubled its attendance by repositioning itself as a community hub, using strategies such as offering free tickets, popcorn, and puppet shows to attract a broader audience beyond traditional cinephiles.

This shift matters because it demonstrates how museums can thrive by prioritizing accessibility and community engagement over exclusivity, offering a potential model for other cultural institutions facing declining attendance.