Fall 2008 - Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum

On the Cover
WaterWays
Fall 2008
Volume 6 Number 2
Editor
Michael Valliant
editor@cbmm.org
Graphic Design/Photography
Rob Brownlee-Tomasso
Contributors
Julie Barnett
Dick Cooper
Robert Forloney
Pete Lesher
Kate Livie
Melissa McLoud
Stuart Parnes
Kate Rattie
Lindsley Rice
Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum
Navy Point, P.O. Box 636
St. Michaels, MD 21663-0636
410-745-2916 Fax 410-745-6088
www.cbmm.org editor@cbmm.org
The Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum is a private
not-for-profit 501(c)(3) educational institution. A
copy of the current financial statement is available
on request by writing the Vice President of Finance,
P.O. Box 636, St. Michaels, MD 21663 or by calling
410-745-2916 ext. 238. Documents and information
submitted under the Maryland Charitable Solicitations
Act are also available, for the cost of postage and
copies, from the Maryland Secretary of State, State
House, Annapolis, MD 21401, 410-974-5534.
WaterWays is printed on 50% recycled
paper (25% post-consumer waste) using
eco-friendly vegetable oil based inks.
Detail of an aerial photograph of Poplar
Island taken by Hunter H. Harris. The work
to rebuild Poplar Island undertaken by the
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers can be seen
prominently from the air. Harris’s photos are
being paired with photos of the Bay from 75
years ago by H. Robins Hollyday as part of
a new exhibit, “The Bay From Above.” For
more information, see pages 14-15.
Summertime, and the livin’ was…
well, interesting
A quick cruise on the Miles River or a walk along St. Michaels’ main
street this summer was all it took to recognize that things were unusually
quiet. “End of Season Sale” signs went up early in the shops, the marinas
had empty slips, and marketing gurus invented new terms like “stay-cation.”
Here at the Museum, we saw a definite slowing of midweek visitors. It’s too
soon to know for sure if this is a temporary reaction to gasoline prices and
the housing slump or the beginning of a real change in American’s traveling
habits, but the situation has certainly gotten our attention.
Museums like CBMM were established as destinations, special places
to visit (by car) and to explore. As museums, we have been the providers of
unique personal experiences, bringing visitors from near and far face-to-face
with the real stuff of history. As businesses, we have been the engines of the
nationwide Heritage Tourism movement and the anchors for our local retail
and hospitality industries.
Now, suddenly, things are changing. I hear my colleagues asking, “What
if the unthinkable happens, and Americans actually decide to drive less?
How will we survive?” I could answer by noting how fortunate we are that
CBMM is located just a tank away from three major metropolitan centers;
but what I really want to say is, “We are asking the wrong question.” The
challenge isn’t what if; it’s what now? And I think the answer is that it depends
on how heavily we rely on tourism.
I am very optimistic about CBMM’s ability not just to survive but to
thrive, because we have an exceptionally well-balanced base of support.
Tourist admissions provide less than 20 percent of our total annual revenue,
compared to 21 percent from endowment and 25 percent from earned income.
The largest single segment of support actually comes from you, our
members: 30 percent from combined membership dues and Annual Fund.
Compared to many of our colleagues, this is a very healthy formula, and it
puts us in a strong position for the future.
In a recent study of historic sites organized by the National Trust for
Historic Preservation, experts suggested that the old business model—based
on revenues from cultural tourism—is no longer valid. The model that needs
to replace it is one based on affinity groups. In other words, we better start
focusing on our members, not our one-time visitors. Are we providing our
members with what they want and need from us? Are we building loyalty
and involvement among our members? The answers better be YES.
This is where you can really help. In October, replacing the long-running
OysterFest, CBMM will be hosting its first Members’ Day. This is an event
designed especially for you—an opportunity to go behind the scenes, meet
with staff and other members, take part in special programs and activities, and
talk with us about the future of your museum. This will be a family affair, with
programs for all ages, and we especially encourage you to bring friends who
might become new members. More details follow
in this issue. Please mark your calendars for
October 18 and come for the day. Rain or shine,
I promise you it will be worth the trip.
Stuart L. Parnes, President
sparnes@cbmm.org