Deliver your 2-minute company introduction (or submit a 2-minute recorded video) of your product or service with your slides at the beginning of the webinar. We will add your company logo to course marketing materials via email and our website. For $250, your brand will gain direct visibility with your target audience. If you are interested in learning more, contact education@museumstoreassociation.org

Welcome to the 2026-2027 Webinar Series: Ideas on Loan…
Retail Lessons from Visitor-Focused Industries
Presented by Anne Cecil of ONO.

In this three-part webinar series, we’ll look outside the museum industry and identify proven ideas worth borrowing. We’ll examine what these organizations do well, why it works, and how museum stores can adapt those practices to strengthen customer experience, increase sales, and build stronger relationships with visitors.

Webinar Two: Hotels and Restaurants – Creating an Experience That Brings Visitors Back

Wednesday, October 21, 2026

2:00 – 3:00 PM ET

 LEARN MORE AND REGISTER HERE 

Hotels and restaurants know that success doesn’t end when the bill is paid. The best operators create experiences that encourage guests to return, recommend the business to others, and develop an ongoing relationship with the brand.

This session explores how hospitality businesses design customer experiences, train staff, create memorable moments, and intentionally build the next visit. Museum retailers will learn practical ways to strengthen customer service, improve the physical retail experience, and create conditions that encourage repeat visitation and future purchases.

Webinar Three: Attractions – Turning Stories, Characters, and Experiences into Sale

Wednesday, February 17, 2027

3:00 – 4:00 PM ET

LEARN MORE AND REGISTER HERE 

The most successful attractions understand that visitors don’t just buy products—they buy memories, stories, and emotional connections. From mascots and characters to immersive environments and themed merchandise, attractions excel at extending experiences beyond the ticket purchase.

They create merchandise that reinforces the visit, deepens engagement, and generates revenue long after the experience ends.
This session explores how museum stores can borrow character merchandising, storytelling, experience extension, and emotional branding techniques to strengthen product development and increase sales.

VIRTUAL TALKING SHOP: COMMUNICATION SANDWICH

Build Your Communication Sandwich

November 4th, 2026
3:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Zoom link in confirmation email.

LEARN MORE AND REGISTER HERE. 

Communication is the key to any good relationship – with your staff, colleagues, vendors, or customers. It is important to examine how clearly we have described the desired outcomes. How clearly have we defined our expectations? If we haven’t done a good job of that, how can we expect anyone else to truly understand?

We are going to test our skills with a bit of fun in this session, with the goals being:

1. Identifying communication gaps
2. Examining methods of communication
3. Looking at the task
4. Clarifying the process
5. Analyzing and improving skills
6. Peer-to-peer learning