Museum Assessment Report

San Bernardino
County Museum
Organizational
Assessment
Submitted to
San Bernardino County,
California
by
Museum Management
Consultants, Inc.
San Francisco, California
November 2014
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction .................................................................................................................................... 1
Leadership ....................................................................................................................................... 4
Governance ..................................................................................................................................... 7
Finances ........................................................................................................................................ 11
Staffing .......................................................................................................................................... 18
Visitor Experience ......................................................................................................................... 20
Collections ..................................................................................................................................... 25
Closing Remarks ............................................................................................................................ 29
Summary of Recommendations ................................................................................................... 31
Appendices.................................................................................................................................... 37
Appendix A: List of Interviewees ............................................................................................ 38
Appendix B: AAMs Characteristics of Excellence for U.S. Museums ..................................... 39
Museum Management Consultants, Inc.

INTRODUCTION
In June 2014, San Bernardino County retained Museum Management Consultants, Inc. (MMC)
of San Francisco to conduct an organizational assessment of the San Bernardino County
Museum (SBCM), which operates as a department of the County. This report summarizes the
findings from MMCs assessment, which was conducted by Adrienne Horn, MMC President, and
Katie Sevier Potter, MMC Senior Vice President.
Background
Founded in 1952 by the San Bernardino County Museum Association, SBCM opened to the
public in 1957, and was donated to the County in 1961. The Museum opened its current facility
in Redlands in 1974. Today, SBCM includes the main museum in Redlands, the Victor Valley
Museum in Apple Valley, and six historic sites located throughout the County. The Museum is
governed by the Countys Board of Supervisors; in turn, the Board appoints an 11-member
Museum Advisory Commission to advise the Board about Museum issues. The Museum
Association serves as the SBCM membership group and raises additional funds for the Museum.
The retention of MMC followed concerns expressed by County leadership about SBCMs
financial position and operations due to significant challenges with exhibits and contracts;
decreases in revenue, attendance, and staffing; and the departure of the Museums long-time
Director. The assessment was commissioned to evaluate current operations in light of the
challenges facing SBCM, and to make recommendations that will help the Museum prepare for
re-accreditation by the American Alliance of Museums (AAM) in 2017.
Accreditation by AAM is a widely recognized seal of approval that brings national recognition
of a museums commitment to excellence, accountability, high professional standards, and
continued institutional improvement. Beyond that, accreditation opens the door to certain
funding and access to collections from other institutions. SBCM was first accredited by AAM in
1973; its most recent re-accreditation was received in 2003. There is significant concern
amongst SBCM staff, Commissioners, and Association Board members that the Museum will
not be ready for the re-accreditation process, which will take a year to complete. In SBCMs
2003 re-accreditation, the AAM Accreditation Commission cited three concerns:
The overall quality of interpretation and presentation at the main museum, as well
as the interpretation and physical condition of the historic sites;
The need to stabilize the Museums funding, build the endowment, and bring in
funds to supplement the Countys support; and

The lack of attention and oversight provided by SBCMs governing structure,
In its award of re-accreditation in 2003, the Accreditation Commission said of these issues that
it expected to see measureable progress made by the time of the next review. Given these
concerns, MMCs assessment is made with consideration of AAMs standards in order to best
position SBCM for re-accreditation.
Methodology
MMC commenced the assessment by reviewing background documents, including financial
reports, the SBCM Strategic Plan 2004-2008, Association by-laws, MOU between the County
and Association, the 2002 AAM Accreditation Visit Report, and 2003 re-accreditation award
notice.1 The MMC team visited San Bernardino County July 23-25, 2014, toured the main facility
and grounds, and conducted 25 confidential interviews with County leadership, Commissioners,
SBCM staff, and Association Board and staff (see Appendix A for a list of interviewees). In
addition, MMC researched four benchmark museums that range from a city-owned and
operated museum to a museum that evolved from municipal to private non-profit. The full
Benchmark Report was submitted under separate cover, but findings from the study have been
interspersed throughout this Assessment Report, as appropriate. Figure 1 provides an overview
of the Benchmark Museums.
Figure 1. Overview of Benchmark Museums
Operating
PopulationA
Budget
Location
City
County
FY2013
Annual
Attendance
Staff
FTE
$3,081,777
44,172
22B
3,114,363
$5,071,650
150,000
89
998,537
1,862,041
$1,594,219
132,000
20
Riverside, CA
316,619
2,292,507
$1,259,973
40,000
10
Bellingham, WA
82,631
206,353
$2,198,275
73,800
22.5
Organization
San Bernardino County
Museum
Redlands, CA
69,999
2,088,371
Bowers Museum
Santa Ana, CA
334,227
San Jose, CA
History San Jos

Riverside Metropolitan
Museum
Whatcom Museum
A
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2013 Population Estimates, accessed at http://www.census.gov

B
San Bernardino County does not account for FTE staffing levels; this figure represents the number of regular staff.
At the time of SBCMs re-accreditation, the process took over one year to complete. As such, SBCMs reaccreditation was awarded in 2003, but the site visit and resulting report conducted by the Visiting Committee
were completed in October 2002. Most of the citations in MMCs Assessment Report quote from the Visiting
Committees 2002 AAM Accreditation Visit Report.
Overview of MMC Assessment Findings

In their discussions with MMC, interviewees expressed strong affection for the Museum. The
size, capacity, and potential of the main museum facility, as well as SBCMs vast collections
were identified by the majority of interviewees as the Museums greatest strengths. The
Museum was described as having wonderful resources and a great framework. Many
interviewees pointed to SBCMs educational value to the public and its role as a valuable
resource in the community.
Figure 2. SBCM Attendance FY02-FY13
At the same time, interviewees were

120,000
keenly aware of the issues facing the
109,032
100,000
Museum. SBCM has experienced a
80,000
number of setbacks in recent years,
64,708
including the failure to complete a
60,000
44,172
53,530
major new exhibit hall and the loss of
40,000
significant grants and contracts. These
20,000
obstacles have added to already
0
decreasing
revenues
and
membership,
and
have
been
accompanied by cuts in staff. Attendance, a key indicator of health and reach in the community,
has fallen 59% since FY02 (see Figure 2). Together, these challenges and resource depletions
have resulted in major program cutbacks, which only serve to deepen the decreases in revenue,
attendance, and membership. The County has provided additional funding for the current and
recent fiscal years to cover losses, but changes need to be made to stop the downward spiral
taking place at SBCM.
Everyone involved with SBCM expressed the same desire for the Museum to return to good
health and remain an asset in the community. The following pages present further detail on the
key issues facing the Museum and MMCs recommendations to address those issues while
positioning SBCM for re-accreditation.
It is worth noting that many of MMCs recommendations require an outlay of resources, but it
is our belief that several of these steps are necessary not only to ready the Museum for reaccreditation, but also to rebuild the Museum for long-term success. It will fall to the County to
prioritize the solutions to the issues presented in this report and allocate resources accordingly.
Most important, this assessment is just the first step; this information should be used in the
coming months to rethink SBCMs revenue model, revise the organizations Strategic Plan, and
recruit the Museums next Director.
LEADERSHIP
SBCMs Director since 2002, Robert McKernan, stepped down in April 2014, leaving many
advocates of the Museum concerned for SBCMs future without a director during a time of
organizational hardship. This was not the first volatility in SBCM leadership; between 1996 and
2001, SBCM had four different directors before McKernan, a member of the curatorial staff,
was elevated to the interim, and then full-time, Director position. As the AAM Accreditation
Visit Report noted in 2002, This museum has had a very unfortunate history of problematic
leadership. By all measures, McKernan was a stabilizing force after this period of volatility,
having the confidence of both the staff and the County Supervisors, as noted in the AAM
Accreditation Visit Report.
While McKernans tenure was praised by interviewees for its successes, including reaccreditation by AAM, expanded facilities, the addition of new branch museum sites, large
contracts, and a focus on curatorial matters, the majority of interviewees felt the Museum has
lost its focus over the years. Many interviewees described the Museum as curator centric,
focusing more on the role of SBCM curators than on the Museums public or business sides.
According to interviewees, this led to an emphasis on revenue through large research contracts.
These contracts inflated revenues and staffing, but when some were mismanaged and lost,
SBCM was left without a key source of revenue. These losses are at the heart of SBCMs current
financial crisis and reflect what many feel are misplaced organizational priorities.
MMC heard about numerous projects that were started, but never finished over the last few
years. In addition to the loss of contracts, the most notable example is the incomplete Hall of
Geological Wonders. The Hall, a 12,000 square foot, three-story addition to the main museum
facility, is intended to showcase SBCMs collections in new, interactive exhibits. The project
broke ground in 2007, but work on the Hall stopped mid-installation, and the County has filed a
lawsuit against the design studio for breach of project agreements.
The Museum has lacked follow-through on its stated strategic direction as well. The SBCM
Strategic Plan 2004-2008, which was facilitated by MMC and included participation from
various stakeholder groups, lays out a detailed vision and goals for the Museum, along with
measurable steps to achieve those goals. Upon reviewing the Strategic Plan in 2014, it appears
that it could have been written today. The same issues exist today as did ten years ago, with the
addition of new challenges that have brought the Museum to a crisis point.

SBCM needs renewed strategic thinking about the future, including an honest assessment of
what is the right fit for the Museum as it considers its unique value to the County.
Figure 3. Finding the Fit
Forces outside the orgranization:

Needs of "customers" and
other stakeholders
Competitors and allies
Social, economic, political,
technological forces
What is needed
and feasible in your
service area?
Opportunities/
Threats
What do you
intend to do?
THE
FIT
Strenths/Weaknesses
Mission / Purpose/ Goals
Forces inside the

organization:
Resources
Capabilities
What are you

capable of doing?
RECOMMENDATIONS:
Recommendation #1: When hiring SBCMs next Director, prioritize experience with the
business side of operations. While a curatorial background is beneficial, SBCM is in need of
management and business acumen that can provide leadership during a difficult time. SBCMs
next Director will lead an organization with significant challenges and tremendous potential for
growth. It will be crucial to find the right candidate with the expertise and energy required to
take on these challenges and leverage opportunities. As such, MMC strongly recommends
engaging an objective third party with experience in recruiting leaders for cultural organizations
to conduct the search.
Recommendation #2: Prior to updating the SBCM Strategic Plan, there is need for a shortterm action plan to guide the Museum through its current challenges. Toward that end, MMC

recommends a Bridge Plan be developed as a roadmap for the next one to two years, until a
new Director can be hired and a full, long-range planning process can be conducted.
Recommendation #3: Once a new Director is in place, update the SBCM Strategic Plan to
reflect the current environment and provide strategic direction for staff. A Strategic
Institutional Plan is identified by AAM as one of the five core documents 2 deemed
fundamental for basic professional museum operations,3 and will be required for reaccreditation.
The five core documents are: Mission Statement, Institutional Code of Ethics, Strategic Institutional Plan, Disaster
Preparedness/Emergency Response Plan, and Collections Management Policy. With the exception of the Strategic
Institutional Plan, MMC heard that SBCM has current versions of each of these documents.
3
American Alliance of Museums, Introducing the Core Documents, accessed at http://www.aamus.org/resources/assessment-programs/peer-review/peer-review-newsletter/introducing-the-core-documents
GOVERNANCE
SBCM is governed by the Countys five-member Board of Supervisors. The San Bernardino
County Museum Advisory Commission was established as the liaison between the Board of
Supervisors and the Museum to provide advice and assistance to the Board with regard to
museum matters. The Museum Association is an independent 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation
whose purpose is to provide funds to assist with supporting the Museums mission-related
activities.
Board of Supervisors & Advisory Commission
Through its interviews, MMC found that members of the Commission and Association are
passionate about the Museum and feel the importance of serving as advocates for the
Museum. However, the Board of Supervisors, Commission, and Association do not seem to
work towards a common goal in supporting the welfare of the Museum. Interviewees
expressed concern that the Board of Supervisors does not provide the level of oversight
expected or needed and that the Museum is not high on the Boards radar. As one individual
said, The Board of Supervisors is not an oversight Board; they are budgetary only.
While the Board of Supervisors appoints the Commissioners, the Commissioners themselves
told MMC that their role is not clear and several felt they did not have the ear of their
Supervisor. One interviewee said, Roles of the Board of Supervisors and the Commission are
not clarified; each group doesnt know what the other is doing. Many Commissioners said they
do not feel empowered in their role and expressed the opinion that the Commission is without
purpose and should be disbanded.
Association
The Association is governed by a 15-member Board of Directors and employs one full-time
Executive Director and two part-time staff who provide assistance with membership and
administration. The Association operating budget is approximately $250,000 and its
endowment is almost $2 million. The Memorandum of Understanding between the County
Museum and the San Bernardino County Association (2005) articulates the Associations goals in
support of the Museums mission as follows:
Provide annual financial resources and in-kind services to the Museum to maintain
quality service to the community and region;
Maintain restricted fund allocation for programmatic and educational activities to

Divisions within the Museum, with input from the Director;

Provide the vehicle for grants and contracts, which require non-profit status; and
Ensure that Association fiscal campaigns, endowments, and bequests support the
Museums mission-related activities.
MMC heard from interviewees that the Association provides funds to the Museum for special
projects, but not with any consistency. Records show that the Association has provided
$412,238 in cash to the Museum over the last five fiscal years, for both specific projects and
general operating support, and has provided $41,900 this fiscal year. But the Association does
not provide a consistent level of support to the Museum each year, such as an annual donation
based on a percentage of the Associations budget. MMCs interviews revealed that some
Association Board members feel the Associations funds belong to the Association and dont
want to give the money to the Museum. One individual said, The Association Board is here for
themselves, not the good of the Museum. Nobody is working together. Other Association
Board members felt that the Association should provide a consistent level of support, A
portion of the budget that the Museum can count on. This sentiment, that the Association
needs to take a greater role in funding the Museum, was echoed by almost every interviewee
outside the Association as well.
Public-Private Partnership
In 2002, the AAM Accreditation Visit Report recommended that a Board of Directors be
established for oversight of the Museum, but as stated in the report, the County Board of
Supervisors felt reluctant to hand over too much authority to an independent Board. The
SBCM Strategic Plan 2004-2008 also indicated that the governance structure needed
clarification, and articulated strategies to be accomplished over five years to reach that goal; to
date, there has been no change. The MMC Benchmark Report gives examples of Benchmark
Museums with affiliated fundraising entities that not only provide funds to their museums, but
through a contract with the governmental entity, are empowered to provide governance
oversight. It is MMCs belief that the current governing structure of SBCM is ineffective, and
given the current challenges facing the Museum, it is time for the County to reconsider the
Museums governance model. If a public-private partnership is not deemed appropriate,
significant changes to the current governing model must be made to ensure proper oversight of
the Museum.
If a joint governing model is to be established, the County could transfer portions of its
governing authority to the Association. At the same time, the Association must agree to take on
a larger role and build its capacity to meet those requirements. If the County and the
Association are to jointly support the Museum in the future, the Association will need to make
fundamental changes to its operations in order to build its capacity to raise funds that will
support the Museums priorities. If the Association is not able to make these changes, the
County will have to look at other options for the long-term support and operation of the
Museum.
According to AAMs Standards for Museums with Joint Governance,4 there are specific
standards for joint governance, In which the basic responsibilities of governance are shared
between two or more groups. In this governing model:
the standards require that the museum clearly identify all the groups that are
engaged in governance or provision of these vital resources, and the responsibilities of
each group. These relationships should be detailed in formal, written documents (e.g.
memoranda of agreement, memoranda of understanding, operating agreement).
AAM notes that an effective museum is based on good governance authority and a strong
working relationship with the Director. Together the Board and the Director set the future
priorities, manage the resources, and ensure that the museum is accountable to the public.
According to AAM, These expectations apply to all museums regardless of governance type,
structure, or name. If joint governance between the County and Association is pursued, a
written agreement laying out the responsibilities of both sides and the timeline to meet those
responsibilities should be developed.
RECOMMENDATIONS
Recommendation #4: Disband the Commission and recruit members, as appropriate, to join
the Association Board of Directors.
Recommendation #5: Develop a public-private partnership between the County and a reenergized Association, transferring greater governing authority to the Association over time, as
benchmarks are met.
Evaluate and re-write the Memorandum of Understanding between the County and the
Association to be a Management Operating Agreement giving the Association responsibility for
oversight of the Museum. The MOU might include the following responsibilities:
Engage in fundraising activities to raise private funds to support the Museum;
American Alliance of Museums, Leadership and Organizational Structure, accessed at http://www.aamus.org/resources/ethics-standards-and-best-practices/leadership

Receive for the benefit of the Museum grants, contributions, fees, and earned
revenue;
Mange the endowment to support Museum activities;
Offer memberships at various levels with appropriate benefits to members;
Employ staff who provide development, marketing, and other services as needed;
Operate the Museums visitor services: admissions operations, facility rental, etc.
The Association shall retain 100% of the revenue from these activities, for the
benefit of the Museum;
Advise the County CEO in hiring, evaluating, and terminating the Museum Director;
Select directors to the Board; one director will be appointed by the County CEO;
Conduct strategic planning for the Museum in order to improve coordination

between the County and the Association;
Provide oversight of the Museums priorities based on the Strategic Plan;
Consider changing the name from Association to Foundation.
Continue County funding of the Museum; the budget should be determined based on an
agreement with the Association.
Transferring oversight to the Association will require a long-term, phased approach, but
progress on the transition should be evident by the time the AAM Visiting Committee conducts
its review of SBCM.
Recommendation #6: Considering the increased expectations for fundraising and the
infrastructure changes that will be required, the Association should partner with a fundraising
consultant who can help with the transition and position the Association for success.
Recommendation #7: To reflect the increased role of the Association, grow the Association
Board to 25-30 members based on specific criteria for selection including ability to raise funds.

10
FINANCES
What follows is a broad overview of SBCMs financial position, which has weakened significantly
in recent years. The figures used were derived from internal Museum financial records. The
details behind these figures are not as clear, largely because the SBCM staff members with
historical knowledge of these financial records are no longer with the Museum. Despite this,
MMC is confident in the trends detailed below.
Overview
In FY14, the most recently completed fiscal year, SBCM had an operating budget of
approximately $3.1 million. As Figure 4 shows, expenses have remained relatively flat over the
last five years and revenues have decreased since FY12, resulting in rising net cost to the
County since FY11.
Figure 4. SBCM Revenue and Expenses FY10-FY14
$4,000,000
$3,500,000
$3.1M
$3.1M
$3,000,000
$2,500,000
$2,000,000
$2.5M
$1.6M
$1,500,000
$1,000,000
$1.5M
$586K
$500,000
$0
FY10
Revenue
FY11
Expenses
Expenses
SBCM expenses have remained consistent, with
expense is personnel, which has declined from
80% of expenses in FY10 to 48% in FY14 (see
Figure 5). This decline reflects staff cuts, but
also brings SBCMs personnel expenses into
line with industry averages. In most museums,
personnel accounts for approximately 50% of
operating expenses, so the staffing costs
relative to overall operating expenses prior to
FY12 were disproportionately high.
FY12
FY13
FY14
Net Cost to County
the exception of FY12. The largest Museum

Figure 5. SBCM Personnel Expenses
Fiscal
Year
2014
2013
2012
2011
2010
Personnel Expenses Staff Positions

as % of Operating
Limited
Expenses
Regular Term
47.6%
16
6
54.6%
22
8
53.0%
22
8
74.2%
31
13
80.3%
33
22
11
Since FY10, the County has charged all departments, including the Museum, for services and
indirect costs such as administration, overhead, and facility maintenance through the
Countywide Cost Allocation Program (COWCAP). MMC heard that once these overhead charges
are made, SBCM has limited discretionary funds with which to operate the Museum. Some
interviewees believe that if COWCAP charges were not made, the Museums budget would be
healthy. Whether or not this is true, COWCAP is a County-wide practice and the Museum
cannot expect to be exempted. SBCMs financial challenges are systemic and would exist with
or without these charges.
Revenues
The greater challenge for SBCM is not controlling expenses, but rather, growing revenues to
cover the true cost of running the Museum. While it is hoped that the County will continue its
generous support of the Museum, relying so heavily on government income leaves SBCM
vulnerable to the fluctuations of the State budget, which affect County finances; the economic
climate; and the changing priorities of the County Board of Supervisors. The lack of diversity in
SBCMs revenues was identified in the AAM Accreditation Visit Report in 2002:
We also note the museums funding has stabilized in the short run. However, the
museum must realize its plans to build the endowment and continue to bring in funds to
supplement the countys support.
The need for greater income diversity was noted in the SBCM Strategic Plan 2004-2008 as well:
Museums have traditionally received funding
Figure 6. Income by Source SBCM
from three sources: earned, contributed, and
Compared to Benchmark Museums FY13
endowment revenue. There is a need for SBCM to
Benchmark
develop and stabilize all three. Despite these
Museums
SBCM
(Median)
words of advice, the Museum still relies most
Government
73.4%
57.0%
heavily on government funding (see Figure 6).
Contributed
5.9%
15.3%
Compared to the Benchmark Museums, SBCM is
Earned
20.7%
19.8%
considerably weaker in contributed and
Investment
0.0%
3.7%
investment income.
Investment Income
The Museum itself does not have significant investments, but the Association has an
endowment valued at almost $2 million as of June 30, 2014. The majority of these endowment
funds are restricted; about 20% of that amount is unrestricted. The endowment is held for the
benefit of the Association, which in turn, supports the Museum, so growth of the endowment
has been identified as a long-term goal in previous planning exercises, and should remain a goal
moving forward. Raising money for an endowment can be challenging, but with an endowment
12
generating 4-5% interest per year, it could turn into a stable source of operating funds not only
for Association operations, but also for Museum operations.
Contributed Income
SBCMs contributed revenue includes on-site or other donations made directly to the Museum,
and contributions from the Museum Association. Together, this amount is small. There is a
great need for fundraising on behalf of the Museum, and since the Museum, as a County
department, is not allowed to raise funds, it falls to the Association, whose mission is in part to
solicit, receive, manage and distribute funds and gifts for the benefit of the San Bernardino
County Museum system. As the sole vehicle for donations, the time is now to build a strong,
dynamic fundraising program. While it takes time to build such a program and see significant
returns, the foundation is already in place. The Association has a membership base, a Board of
Directors, a history of producing fundraising events, and access to content experts at the
Museum, all of which are fundamental to successful fundraising.
Earned Income
Earned income, which includes admissions, facility rentals, programs, and grants/contracts, has
been on the decline at SBCM as government contracts have been lost. MMC heard repeatedly
from interviewees about the Museums perceived over-reliance on contracts and government
grants. One interviewee said that the Museum built staff by going after contracts and grants,
so the staff got bigger and bigger as a result. At the same time, another interviewee said,
Grant management was an issue and with lost contracts, there is a significant gap in revenues
(see Figure 7). A number of interviewees
Figure 7. SBCM Grants & Contracts FY10-FY14
felt that contracts need to be sought out
once again to revive the Museums $1,000,000
$898,043
$900,000
finances, but MMC also heard that the
$800,000
contracting entities have lost faith in the
$700,000
$669,735
Museum. As one interviewee said, The
$600,000
Museum cant rely on contracts. We
$500,000
$400,000
need to develop private sources of
$300,000
funding. And as previously noted, a
$200,000
number of interviewees felt the focus on
$100,000
$36,619
grants reflected misplaced organizational
$0
priorities. Assuming that many or most
FY10
FY11
FY12
FY13
FY14
of the contracts will not return due to a
lack of faith in SBCM, other sources of revenue need to be found or enhanced to fill the gap.

13
Interviewees expressed concern that the Museum jumps into projects and opportunities
without proper study and has failed to follow through on many occasions. Given the financial
challenges facing the Museum, all current and proposed programs and exhibitions must be
scrutinized for the benefits and costs to the organization.
Other Income Impacting the Museum
While membership and Museum Store revenue are neither derived through SBCM staff efforts,
nor do they directly accrue to SBCM coffers, they impact the Museum financially and as frontline programs that touch visitors. Given their importance to the Museum, they are reviewed
briefly below.
Membership
Membership is one of many indicators of organizational health. In the case of SBCM, one
becomes a member of the Association. Benefits include free admission to the Museum, the
Museums newsletter, a discount at the Museum Store, exhibit previews, and publications.
Figure 8 shows an 11% drop in total memberships between FY06 and FY14, although there has
been a 66% increase in new memberships. More troubling is the 35% decrease in membership
renewals. A certain percentage of new
Figure 8. SBCM Association Memberships
memberships are the result of visitors
FY06-FY14
realizing that a membership is more
1200
1,012
cost-effective than paying the
898
1000
775
admission fee, and this is to be
800
expected, but the decrease in
600
505
renewals shows that visitors are not
400 237
renewing their commitment to SBCM.
393
200
0
The membership program was
FY06 FY07 FY08 FY09 FY10 FY11 FY12 FY13 FY14
recently suspended for a short period
NEW
RENEWALS
TOTAL MEMBERSHIPS
of time; it is MMCs understanding
that the program is being revamped in
terms of pricing and benefits, and during this time, the current program remains open,
although the existing programs details have been removed from the Museum website. While
looking at the new membership pricing, Figure 9 (below) offers a comparison of SBCMs
membership pricing to those of the Benchmark Museums.

14
Figure 9. SBCM Membership Compared to Benchmark Museums (FY13)

Cost Per
Member
Membership (Individual
Revenues
Level)
$47,745
$47.98
Individual
Membership
$30
Family
Membership
$40
Number of
Members
995
Bowers Museum
$40
$90
8,000
$572,024
$71.50
$50
$50
400
$58,590
$146.48
Riverside Metropolitan Museum

Whatcom Museum
$30
$50
$50
$75
400
1,856
$8,473
$124,305
$21.18
$66.97
San Bernardino County Museum

History San Jose
HSJ does not offer individual/family memberships; at the $50 level, members receive admission for two
SBCMs membership pricing at the entry levels (individual and family membership) are the
lowest of the Benchmark Museums, but the cost per member is lower than three of the four
museums. With enticing benefits and more competitive pricing, there is ample room for growth
in revenues. And of equal importance, growth in the membership ranks represents the first
level of donation to the Association. When properly cultivated, members have a strong chance
of becoming donors in the future.
Museum Store
The Museum Store operates as an enterprise fund under the management of the Museum. The
Store offers items that range from books
Figure 10. SBCM Museum Store
to jewelry, toys, and items tied to
Revenues and Expenses FY09-FY13
current exhibitions. The Store is seen as
Fiscal Year
Revenues Expenses Net Revenues
a vital part of the K through 12 visitor
2009
$93,196
$107,599
($14,403)
experience, as written by former
2010
$72,041
$76,997
($4,956)
Director McKernan in the 2013-14
2011
$70,366
$57,711
$12,655
Adopted Budget document. Figure 10
2012
$66,566
$33,664
$32,902
2013
$43,523
$52,083
($8,560)
shows that both revenues and expenses
have been falling over the last five fiscal years. The Store has vacillated between profit and loss,
likely due to a number of factors such as attendance, exhibitions, and inventory, but clearly
operates on a thin margin. MMC assumes that if attendance increases, the Store will see
positive change in its bottom line as well. Having said that, examination of Store operations is
merited to ensure proper expense control and maximization of revenues. The fact that the
Store operates separately from the Museum should be re-examined as well. Operating as a
separate enterprise might be the most beneficial use of current Museum resources, but it is
worth revisiting the arrangement to ensure proper control over Store operations and its
presentation within the Museum. Further, the Museum Store is an important marketing
15
opportunity for the Museum, and regular review of the Store and SBCMs relationship to the
Store is warranted to monitor and refresh the inventory and image presented.
Building a Base
The Museum must build a solid financial base to ensure long-term sustainability. This requires
rethinking the mix of earned income opportunities, creating a dynamic fundraising program,
and building the endowment. By developing this mix of funding while rebuilding the visitor
experience (discussed later in this report), the Museum can also regain the confidence of the
County.
RECOMMENDATIONS
Recommendation #8: Establish internal systems and procedures to ensure detailed financial
recordkeeping.
Recommendation #9: Work with the Association to build a strong fundraising program,
including long-term growth in the endowment, strengthening the membership program,
introducing more cultivation and fundraising events, increasing annual giving, and starting a
planned giving program. While the fundraising program must reside with the Association, these
efforts should be developed in partnership between the Museum and the Association. Planning
should include a Development Plan which outlines both short- and long-term fundraising
actions. Fundraising is built on relationships, and both the Museum and the Association have
work to do to cultivate new and existing relationships that will, over time, result in financial
support for the Museum.
While MMC heard concern from the Association that the organization is not ready to launch
significant fundraising efforts, there are short-term efforts (e.g. Board giving campaign, appeal
letters to current and lapsed donors, membership campaign, events) that can begin while longterm plans are pursued. A thoughtful approach is merited, but time is of the essence as well.
With the assistance of fundraising counsel (see Recommendation #6), a clear action plan should
be developed to ensure that opportunities are not lost.
Recommendation #10: Work with the Association to establish a consistent annual
contribution from the Association to the Museum for general operating support based on a predetermined formula, such as a percentage of the Association budget.

16
Recommendation #11: Ensure that the Museum is maximizing revenues in all earned income
categories. To that end, review the expenses and revenues associated with facility rentals,
admissions, programs, etc. With limited resources at hand, programs that bring in revenue and
people to the Museum should be prioritized. For example, SBCM camps were decreased this
summer due to limitations of staff resources; these programs are not only popular, and
therefore have the potential to be a vibrant revenue source, but also serve as a public relations
tool with the community. Canceling camps loses money and sends the wrong message. Greater
effort should have been made to keep the camps, whether that required volunteers, short-term
employees, or reconfiguring the work of full-time staff.
Recommendation #12: Based on a Strategic Plan that outlines the Museums future direction,
work with the County CEOs office to determine a guaranteed level of funding from the County
to the Museum over the next five years. The Museum has work to do to address its internal
challenges, but losing County funding would only heighten the crisis. The County needs to know
its investment is sound, but if that can be proven, possibly through agreed upon benchmarks, a
guaranteed level of support for SBCM will provide a safety net that is crucial to exiting this
period of financial distress.
Recommendation #13: The Museum needs to do a better job of communicating its value to
the Board of Supervisors. Together with the Association, the Museum should develop stronger
relationships with the Board and cultivate these relationships as they would any major donor.

17
STAFFING
With decreasing revenues, SBCM has dramatically decreased its staffing levels; the number of
regular and limited-term staff has decreased 67% since FY08 (see Figure 11). MMC heard that
staff is bare bones and many are overwhelmed and worry that things might drop through
the cracks as a result. A number of
Figure 11. SBCM Total Staffing Levels
interviewees pointed to open positions in the
FY08-FY14
curatorial ranks (history and biology) as
66
60
potentially detrimental to the collections, and 70
55
60
thus, detrimental to SBCMs chances at re- 50
44
accreditation by AAM. These cuts have 40
30
30
22
impacted SBCMs education programs in 30
particular after the Education Specialist was 20
10
redeployed to care for the Museums live
0
animals.
FY08 FY09 FY10 FY11 FY12 FY13 FY14
It is important to ensure proper coverage of key roles at SBCM, including curatorial and
education, which have a significant impact on visitation and the visitor experience, but as noted
in the Finances section of this report, SBCMs former staffing levels are unsustainable for a
museum of SBCMs budget size.
Organizational Chart
The current organizational chart shows a rather traditional approach to management. The
Director has six direct reports, with departments listed as Curatorial/Exhibits, Education,
Administration, Support Staff, Historic Sites, and Museum Store (see Figure 12). This structure
Figure 12. SBCM Proposed Organizational Chart FY14
Director
Curatorial/Staff/
Exhibits (6)
Education
(2)
Administration
(2)
Support Staff
(5)
Historic Sites
(6)
Museum Store
(1)
reflects divisions between departments that should be intertwined, and too many direct
reports to the Director given the staff size. A more compact structure might reduce to three
divisions: Collections and Exhibits, Education and Programs, and Operations & Finance (see
Figure 13 below). Historic sites would come under Collections and Exhibits to represent their
18
status as part of SBCM collections and the overall visitor experience. The Museum Store would
move under Operations & Finance as a revenue generating entity. Given that the two fiscal
specialists on staff have become involved with facilities, rentals, front-line staff, and other
operational concerns, creating an Operations & Finance Department would reflect the true role
of this department.
Figure 13. Sample Redesign of SBCM Organizational Chart
Museum Director
Collections & Exhibits
Education & Programs
Operations & Finance
(curatorial, historic sites,

object collections,
fabrication, exhibits)
(education and public

programs, front-line staff)
(finance, facilities, HR,

rentals, marketing)
Re-organization of staff roles has already begun under the leadership of Interim Director
Leonard Hernandez. As the Museum conducts this assessment, and prepares to recruit its next
Director, much of the work being done internally focuses on rethinking operations. This
includes questioning the way staff positions are structured, how certain tasks are completed,
and creating new expectations for leadership and staff. These fundamental changes will be
important to establish greater structure and accountability for the staff.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
Recommendation 14: Prioritize the hiring of curators to oversee SBCMs core areas of
collecting and ensure proper staffing to cover education programming. Budgeting for these
positions, as well as a competitive Directors salary, might involve partnering with the
Association to split costs for key roles. This is a relatively common solution utilized in publicprivate partnerships and is worth considering for SBCM.
Recommendation 15: Revisit the organizational chart to evaluate core functions and re-align
staff as necessary. Determine ideal staffing levels, but during this time of crisis, continue to
utilize staff in multiple roles and re-establish organizational structures (e.g. staff meetings,
evaluations, accountability) to rebuild the organizational culture.

19
VISITOR EXPERIENCE
The visitor experience encompasses every interaction a visitor has with a museum; it includes
marketing and outreach messages, website visits, physical navigation to the museum, and
experiences with exhibits, programs, front-line staff, and visitor amenities on-site.
Exhibits
The core of the SBCM visitor experience occurs on-site with permanent exhibits that appear
static and old fashioned in their approach. Museums have experienced a dramatic shift over the
last decade from an academic approach, in which objects are presented in cases with
identifying information, to a more participatory approach. The basic shift is from an experience
in which the visitor is taught to an experience in which the visitor is fully engaged with the
objects and subject-matter. This shift reflects the changing interests and learning styles of
younger generations, and is fundamental to remaining relevant as a community resource.
SBCMs exhibits were described in the 2002 AAM Accreditation Visit Report as outdated and
lacking excitement and appeal. Further, the Museums Strategic Plan 2004-2008 notes the
SBCMs collections are strong, but:
the presentation of the collection has not kept up with changes in the museum exhibit
and interpretive practices. Visitor expectations of museums today are that they be
interactive and experiential to engage the visitor.
Most of the people interviewed by MMC recognized the need to become more participatory
and modern. As one staff member said, We need to become more client-friendly in terms of
the experience people have at the Museum.
SBCM aspires to upgrade its exhibits with the Hall of Geological Wonders, which is intended to
be a showcase for SBCMs collections while integrating participatory tools in the interpretation.
Due to the issues discussed in the Leadership section of this report, the Hall stands incomplete.
MMCs tour of the Hall revealed a promising and dynamic experience and it is a shame that it
has not been completed. MMC heard from a number of interviewees that the money is out
there to finish the Hall, but MMC also heard that a few major solicitations were mishandled or
left unresolved. Interim Director Hernandez has plans for a phased approach in order to open
portions of the Hall and show the community this exciting project. Interviewees were split
about this approach; while some believe it is good to offer something new to entice visitors,
others believe it means the Hall will never be opened in its entirety. While opening the Hall
should remain the ultimate goal, something must be done to regain momentum on this project.
20
Visitors encounter the closed off galleries when they first enter the Museum building, and the
optics alone merit a quick, short-term response to allow visitors to engage with the exhibits and
generate excitement in the community for the project. By showing the Halls potential, the
Museum may be able to leverage donations to complete the project as well.
Temporary exhibitions originating from other museums were presented at SBCM until
sometime around FY02. At that time, the Museum decided to focus on temporary exhibitions
featuring its own collections. MMC heard that traveling exhibitions from outside the Museum
used to cost about $300,000 each, but never made enough money through admissions to cover
these costs. Fundraising for underwriting or sponsorship of exhibitions was not attempted. At
the same time, interviewees agreed that these exhibitions drove repeat visitation and, as stated
in the Museums Strategic Plan 2004-2008, compensated for outdated permanent exhibits. It
is believed that the lack of traveling exhibitions is the main reason behind SBCMs downward
trend in attendance.
Programs and Evaluation
A significant portion of the Museums visitors are children and families, which one interviewee
described as the Museums bread and butter, yet SBCM does not offer much in the way of
interactive exhibitry for this audience. While this audience is the focus of Museum programs,
resource restraints have limited the capacity to carry out these programs. Interim Director
Hernandez explained that the Museum is initiating interactive, intergenerational programs on
weekends. This is a positive step and the Museum should keep moving in this direction.
Many museums in crisis cut programs due to resource limitations, but in fact, this is the last
thing that should be cut as it is the key to engagement with the community, repeat visitation,
ongoing relationships with visitors, and donations. As outlined in AAMs Characteristics of
Excellence for U.S. Museums (see Appendix B for the full document), a core standard for U.S.
museums is that, The museum asserts its public service role and places education at the center
of that role. By cutting programs, the SBCM is sending a message that its educational role is in
jeopardy.
The Museums Strategic Plan 2004-2008 recommended developing a master plan for exhibits,
education programs, and the visitor experience using new interpretive strategies, up-to-date
interpretive methods and technologies, and informing this process with audience research and
evaluation. While the Hall of Geological Wonders incorporates much of this advice, the rest of
the Museum exhibits should as well. In 2002, the AAM Accreditation Visit Report noted the
Museums lack of routine evaluation of programs and exhibitions with users, and
21
recommended that SBCM shift from its internal focus to focus more externally and determine
what the public is most interested in seeing or doing at the museum, and having a role in what
the museum can do for the community. There is an ongoing need to involve the community in
the development of the Museums activities to ensure they incorporate the diverse languages,
learning styles, and expectations of users.
Awareness in the Community
The visitor experience extends to the Museums presence in the community. Although the
Museum is well respected by those who are familiar with it, interviewees said that in general,
SBCM is not well known. Many in the community visited the Museum as children but have not
returned. What was written in the SBCM Strategic Plan 2004-2008 appears to remain true:
there is limited awareness in the community, an unclear message, and lack of brand identity.
The Strategic Plan notes the causes of SBCMs low profile to be limited market research and
external feedback, marketing that focuses on temporary exhibitions rather than on the
Museum as a community resource, and static exhibits that offer few reasons to return for a
repeat visit.
There is a need to market the Museum in the community to raise awareness and increase the
buzz about current activities as well as about the Museum in general. There has been no
marketing budget since FY10; before that, approximately $40,000 to $70,000 was allocated for
marketing and communications. Current marketing is limited to press releases and participation
on Facebook. A number of interviewees expressed concern about the lack of marketing. As one
interviewee said, They are doing some good things at the Museum, but not many people are
hearing about it.
Museum websites today are key entry points to the visitor experience, offering not only
logistical information about ones visit, but also an introduction or follow-up to the collection,
interactive games, videos, and online gift shop sales. The SBCM website is part of the Countys
website and lacks any visual interest. The website is a reflection of the visitor experience and as
it stands today, does not compel an in-person visit.
Facility & Wayfinding
The main museum in Redlands is a tremendous asset. At almost 67,000 square feet, there is
ample room to display collections and conduct programs. The facility was described by most
interviewees as a key strength of the organization. But the utilization of the building is uneven
and somewhat confusing. Certain areas are filled from floor to ceiling with displays, while
others are largely vacant. And as noted in the AAM Accreditation Visit Report, The organization
22
of exhibition halls does not make sense; the exhibit areas become an overwhelming maze
that does not tie together. These issues have not been resolved; there remains a pressing need
for directional signage.
Hours of Operation & Front-Line Staff

Figure 14. Operating Hours of SBCM
and Benchmark Museums
The SBCM main museum is open Tuesday
Hours Open
through Sunday from 9 am until 5 pm. During Museum
Per Week
interviews, MMC heard questions about
San Bernardino County Museum
48
operating hours and if they are appropriate.
Bowers Museum
36
Figure 14 shows that SBCM is open 11 hours
History San Jose
37
longer than the median of the Benchmark
Riverside Metropolitan Museum
45
Museums. It is worth re-examining the hours of
Whatcom Museum
30
operation with target audiences in mind. For
37
example, if children and families are prioritized Benchmark Museums (Median)
audiences, are these hours ideal for those groups? Or, if young professionals are a target
audience, would it be appropriate to be open one evening each week?
Front desk staff were described as hit or miss in terms of quality. Since these individuals are the
first to greet and orient visitors to the Museum, it is important to have consistency in tone and
message. Developing customer service training for all SBCM front-line staff would establish
expectations for visitor interaction.
RECOMMENDATIONS
Recommendation #16: In order to update the SBCM visitor experience, the Hall of Geological
Wonders must be completed. MMC believes the current approach in phases is a realistic
solution in the short-term, but opening the full experience should be a top priority in order to
revive the visitor experience, increase attendance, and to prepare the Museum for reaccreditation. MMC believes that monetary support of the Hall capital campaign would be a
worthy investment for the County to consider, and might instill confidence in other potential
donors to help complete the campaign.
Recommendation #17: Launch an experimental space in the Museum to test new ideas with
visitors. This type of informal audience research at the formative stages of exhibit development
can be valuable to planning new exhibits.

23
Recommendation #18: Once finances are in a more stable state, test out the possibility of
bringing in a temporary exhibition from outside the Museum. Prior to committing to an
exhibition, develop a business plan that outlines the financial requirements to break even,
including staff costs, and potential underwriting and/or sponsorships levels.
Recommendation #19: Reinstate a healthy series of educational programs through some
combination of full-time, part-time, and volunteer staff. Current constraints might mean a
leaner set of programs, but programs that bring in participants and are financially beneficial to
the museum should be prioritized. More is not necessarily better; excellence in programming,
even if few in number, should be the driving force.
Recommendation #20: With exhibit designers, curators, and educators, develop a Visitor
Experience Plan for the main museum and branch locations that unifies and strengthens the
visitor experience, including exhibits, education programs, and visitor amenities.
Recommendation #21: Raise funds to increase the Museums marketing and communications
budget to allow for marketing campaigns focused on the Museum as a cultural resource, as well
as specific exhibitions.
Recommendation #22: Redesign the SBCM website to better reflect the visitor experience onsite and provide more interactive features. Perhaps accomplish this by spinning off from the
County website entirely. This might be a long-term objective, but in the short-term, changes
can be made to insert new information and make the visitor feel like change is happening and
that SBCM is a dynamic and exciting place to be.
Recommendation #23: Re-examine SBCM operating hours with target audiences in mind.
Benchmark hours against local and regional museums and other attractions. Consider opening
later on certain days and/or staying open late one night per month for a family night with
special programming.
Recommendation #24: Develop or utilize an existing customer service training program to
ensure consistent quality and expectations for front-line staff. Contact banks and/or large chain
stores in the area to see what they might do to include Museum staff in their employee training
programs or offer special training at the Museum.

24
COLLECTIONS
SBCM collections include 3 million objects and seven branch museum sites. The object
collections are on view in permanent and temporary displays, and are stored on- and off-site.
With few exceptions, the SBCM collections are owned by the County. In general, the collections
are well cared for and the Museum does a good job of making them accessible to the public
through exhibitions.
Object Collections
Despite the clear strengths of the content and breadth of the collections, there are some
concerns. The SBCM collections are vast, far outnumbering those of a museum its size and
scope. For comparison, the Benchmark Museums hold collections that range from 80,000
(Riverside Metropolitan Museum) to 500,000 (History San Jose); the average collection size
among the Benchmark Museums is approximately 230,000. With 3 million objects, SBCM has a
large burden of responsibility for stewardship. An important part of the upcoming reaccreditation process will be an assessment of SBCMs ability to properly care for current
holdings, as well as plan for the future. Continual refinement of the collections through
thoughtful acquisition and de-accessioning is imperative to maintaining professional standards.
Similarly, regular collection inventories ensure that records are up to date and accurate, and
that the condition of artifacts and specimens are being monitored.
Along with the size of the collections, MMC also heard comments about the focus of the
collections, which has grown to encompass our region and the greater Southwest, as stated
in the SBCM mission statement. A few interviewees expressed concern that broadening the
scope to include the Southwest has not only added to the increase in object collections, but
also diluted the mission. These interviewees suggested that a narrower focus on the region
would be more manageable for Museum operations and more impactful for visitors.
The Museum currently lacks curators to oversee the history and biology departments. In
addition, the Museums focus on contracts has pulled some curators out of the Museum and
into the field. While this work has had its benefits, it has resulted in less attention to the care,
storage, and display of the collections in the Museum. Both the open curatorial positions and
the number of contracts have left many Museum stakeholders worried about the stewardship
of the collections. In 2002, the AAM Accreditation Visit Report noted this trend: The extensive
field work and report writing for these contracts prevents the curators from addressing the
curatorial needs of older collections not acquired by these contract activities.
25
Many interviewees said the Museum has had a curator-focused culture, and that the
curatorial work has not been viewed in terms of how it feeds the business of the Museum. Both
the public-facing and internal roles of the curators are fundamental to the operations of a
museum today, but given the SBCMs operational challenges, stronger focus on the Museums
visitor experience is merited.
Upgrades to SBCMs collections storage were praised in its 2002 AAM accreditation peer
review. MMC did not have the opportunity to tour all storage areas, but the areas visited
appeared to adhere to industry standards. Having said that, MMC did hear that the building
previously used for temporary exhibits and now used for education programs is also being used
for storage in ways that are not up to the standards seen in the rest of the Museum. This should
be evaluated and resolved in the short-term.
AAMs outline of characteristics of museum excellence includes, The museum is a good
steward of its resources held in the public trust. While MMC is not implying that SBCMs
collections are in jeopardy, current trends have the potential to negatively impact collections in
the future if not addressed in the years ahead. This will certainly be an area of focus during reaccreditation.
Branch Museum Sites
One area in which collections stewardship is of concern today is with the branch museum sites,
which include the Victor Valley Museum and six historic sites operated by the SBCM. The sites
are spread throughout the County and each one has a different level of visitation, accessibility,
volunteer involvement, and engagement with the community. For example, Daggett Stone
Hotel is not open to the public and generates no revenue while the Victor Valley Museum has
paid attendance, a Board, and a degree of visibility in the community. The John Rains House has
a strong volunteer base and the Assistencia Mission generates revenue by renting out space for
weddings. But on the whole, MMC heard, A lot of people dont know about the historic sites.
Although there are a few exceptions, most of the sites have little community involvement.
During the Museums last re-accreditation, issues related to the status and preservation of the
historic sites were among the key challenges identified in the resulting report.5 The AAM
Visiting Committee cited poor maintenance, concerns about caretakers not being trained in
history or interpretation, and poor quality in presentation and interpretation, among other
5
Victor Valley Museum became a branch site of the SBCM in 2010 and as such, was not part of the Museums last
accreditation by AAM. The Victor Valley Museum is not an historic site, although interviewees included them in the
category of historic sites in their conversations with MMC.
26
concerns. In its letter granting re-accreditation, the Chair of the Accreditation Commission
wrote:
The Commission is greatly concerned about the overall quality of interpretation and
presentation at the historic sites, and their physical conditionwe stress the need for
the museum to make the development of a detailed plan for interpreting and caring for
the historic sites a priority. At the time of the next review, the Commission expects to
see improvements made in this area.
Despite identifying proper stewardship and preservation of the historic buildings as core values
and part of its vision for the future in the Museums Strategic Plan 2004-2008, no interpretive
work has been done at the historic sites since AAMs report in 2002. As stated in AAMs report,
Clearly the historic site program is not a main priority of the museum; it is spread throughout
the County and has not gotten the attention it deserves from the museum nor the support from
the County.
In addition to these preservation and interpretation challenges, none of the branch museum
sites breaks even financially. Six of the sites have an on-site caretaker whose role includes being
available for tours when requested. Only four out of seven sites generate revenue, but in all
cases, the revenues do not cover the staffing and operational expenses. According to estimates
in FY13, the net revenue losses from the branch museum sites totaled over $110,000, which
represented 3.6% of operating expenses that year.
Many of the sites have historic value, but given the lack of attention received by the Museum
and their financial drain on the Museum, it is clear that SBCM is not fulfilling its stewardship
role.
RECOMMENDATIONS
Recommendation #25: Care for current object collections by conducting ongoing inventories,
and determining priorities and policies for de-accessioning.
Recommendation #26: As part of the strategic planning process, refine the Museums mission
and the focus of its collections. With the revised mission, explore downsizing object collections
to a more manageable size through extended loans or gifts to organizations that would care for
and utilize these holdings such as universities and natural history museums. Review any
restrictions on de-accessioning objects in the collections as part of this effort.

27
Recommendation #27: Properly conserve and store object collections that are currently
housed in the education building.
Recommendation #28: The Museum must determine the future role of the branch museum
site program, as well as the future role of each site individually. Just as each of the sites is
different in scope, visibility, and support, the approach to determining their future role should
be tailored to the individual site. Options for each site include:
1. Status Quo: Keep the site as part of the SBCM, continuing the current level of
support and accepting the accompanying financial realities.
2. Separate Non-Profit: Spin off the site as an independent non-profit organization.
3. City Ties: Work with the municipality in which the site resides to garner financial
support or transfer ownership to that city.
4. Sever Ties: If none of the above options are feasible, release the site, accepting the
possibility that it may not survive without its affiliation with SBCM.
Victor Valley Museum and John Rains House each have significant support groups that could be
nurtured and grown, with the ultimate goal of fully supporting their site without the SBCM.
Toward that end, SBCM should continue to build the sustainability of the Victor Valley Museum
by adding capacity that allows the museum to focus on marketing, fundraising, community
outreach, and development of programs and services. The future of the other sites lies in one of
the options above; which approach is chosen for each site should be decided with careful
consideration of the historic value of the property, attendance, financial implications, and local
support. MMC heard a number of interviewees say of the branch sites that theres nobody
else to care for them, but MMC believes that in their current state, the sites are not being
cared for adequately and moving them in different directions will increase their chances of
prospering in the future.
Recommendation #29: After carefully studying and determining future directions for each
branch site, develop an Action Plan that does the following:
Spells out future plans for each site
Identifies a timeline for implementing the plan for each site
Estimates revenues and expenses for the next five years, including potential for new
contributed, earned, and government sources
Details staffing requirements (number of staff, training required, etc.)
Inventories and prioritizes maintenance and upgrades
Align this Action Plan with the Visitor Experience Plan that encompasses all exhibits, collections,
and programs of the SBCM.
28
CLOSING REMARKS
The Museum is facing a time of crisis, including attendance, community awareness, financial
position, and leadership. These challenges are heightened by a feeling amongst SBCM
advocates that the County may not support the Museum in the long-run. Through interviews
and research, MMC believes the County continues to support the Museum and believes in its
value as an educational resource to the citizens of San Bernardino County. At the same time,
the County has become concerned about recent critical issues at the Museum and wants to
evaluate the health of their investment. State and County finances have been impacted by
economic fluctuations and the Museum cannot expect to be immune from these financial ups
and downs without building a more stable base of funding to supplement County funds.
Concern about SBCMs prospects for re-accreditation was one of the key factors motivating this
assessment. Accreditation is important to the Museums future; more to the point, reaccreditation would indicate that SBCM has maintained museum industry standards for
excellence. While this is certainly a driving force for the years leading up the AAMs 2017 review
of SBCM, of greater concern is the Museums survival. The recommendations in this report are
aimed at rebuilding SBCMs operations, enhancing the visitor experience, and revising the
governance structure to provide proper oversight. As noted previously, many of these
recommendations require resource allocations in the weeks, months, and years ahead. Not all
of the recommendations are necessary in advance of re-accreditation, but are necessary to
rebuild the Museum to a healthy state with long-term sustainability. Of the recommendations
in this report, MMC believes the following should be viewed as key priorities in the near-term:
Continuing to rebuild operational structure for staff, including greater accountability
Developing a plan to diversify sources of revenue
Rethinking the governance structure and planning for a greater role to be played by
the Association
Establishing an ongoing annual contribution from the Association to the Museum for
general operating support
Working with the Association and a fundraising consultant to outline a Development

Plan with short- and long-term goals, and ways in which Museum staff can be
helpful
Dissolving the Commission and recruiting new members to the Association Board of
Directors
Developing a timeline to work with exhibit designers, curators, and educators on a

Visitor Experience Plan to guide the main museum and branch museum sites

29
Evaluating and deciding the future of each branch museum site
Working with County and Museum staff, MMCs work in the coming months will include a
closer look at SBCMs funding model and developing a job description for the next Director.
Hiring the next Museum Director will be crucial to SBCMs success and should be viewed as a
long-term investment in SBCMs future.
In conjunction with that work, MMC believes the recommendations in this report should be
organized and agreed upon by stakeholders in the process of developing a short-term Bridge
Plan that will serve as a roadmap for the next one to two years, and revising its Strategic Plan,
which will guide the organization for the next five years. The strategic planning process can
utilize many of the recommendations made in this report to establish priorities and implement
systemic change.

30
SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDATIONS
Recommendation #1: When hiring SBCMs next Director, prioritize experience with the
business side of operations. While a curatorial background is beneficial, SBCM is in need of
management and business acumen that can provide leadership during a difficult time. SBCMs
next Director will lead an organization with significant challenges and tremendous potential for
growth. It will be crucial to find the right candidate with the expertise and energy required to
take on these challenges and leverage opportunities. As such, MMC strongly recommends
engaging an objective third party with experience in recruiting leaders for cultural organizations
to conduct the search.
Recommendation #2: Prior to updating the SBCM Strategic Plan, there is need for a short-term
action plan to guide the Museum through its current challenges. Toward that end, MMC
recommends a Bridge Plan be developed as a roadmap for the next one to two years, until a
new Director can be hired and a full, long-range planning process can be conducted.
Recommendation #3: Once a new Director is in place, update the SBCM Strategic Plan to reflect
the current environment and provide strategic direction for staff. A Strategic Institutional
Plan is identified by AAM as one of the five core documents deemed fundamental for basic
professional museum operations, and will be required for re-accreditation.
Recommendation #4: Disband the Commission and recruit members, as appropriate, to join the
Association Board of Directors.
Recommendation #5: Develop a public-private partnership between the County and a reenergized Association, transferring greater governing authority to the Association over time, as
benchmarks are met.
Evaluate and re-write the Memorandum of Understanding between the County and the
Association to be a Management Operating Agreement giving the Association responsibility for
oversight of the Museum. The MOU might include the following responsibilities:
Engage in fundraising activities to raise private funds to support the Museum;
Receive for the benefit of the Museum grants, contributions, fees, and earned
revenue;
Mange the endowment to support Museum activities;

31
Offer memberships at various levels with appropriate benefits to members;
Employ staff who provide development, marketing, and other services as needed;
Operate the Museums visitor services: admissions operations, facility rental, etc.
The Association shall retain 100% of the revenue from these activities, for the
benefit of the Museum;
Advise the County CEO in hiring, evaluating, and terminating the Museum Director;
Select directors to the Board; one director will be appointed by the County CEO;
Conduct strategic planning for the Museum in order to improve coordination

between the County and the Association;
Provide oversight of the Museums priorities based on the Strategic Plan;
Consider changing the name from Association to Foundation.
Continue County funding of the Museum; the budget should be determined based on an
agreement with the Association.
Transferring oversight to the Association will require a long-term, phased approach, but
progress on the transition should be evident by the time the AAM Visiting Committee conducts
its review of SBCM.
Recommendation #6: Considering the increased expectations for fundraising and the
infrastructure changes that will be required, the Association should partner with a fundraising
consultant who can help with the transition and position the Association for success.
Recommendation #7: To reflect the increased role of the Association, grow the Association
Board to 25-30 members based on specific criteria for selection including ability to raise funds.
Recommendation #8: Establish internal systems and procedures to ensure detailed financial
recordkeeping.
Recommendation #9: Work with the Association to build a strong fundraising program,
including long-term growth in the endowment, strengthening the membership program,
introducing more cultivation and fundraising events, increasing annual giving, and starting a
planned giving program. While the fundraising program must reside with the Association, these
efforts should be developed in partnership between the Museum and the Association. Planning
should include a Development Plan which outlines both short- and long-term fundraising
actions. Fundraising is built on relationships, and both the Museum and the Association have
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work to do to cultivate new and existing relationships that will, over time, result in financial
support for the Museum.
While MMC heard concern from the Association that the organization is not ready to launch
significant fundraising efforts, there are short-term efforts (e.g. Board giving campaign, appeal
letters to current and lapsed donors, membership campaign, events) that can begin while longterm plans are pursued. A thoughtful approach is merited, but time is of the essence as well.
With the assistance of fundraising counsel (see Recommendation #6), a clear action plan should
be developed to ensure that opportunities are not lost.
Recommendation #10: Work with the Association to establish a consistent annual contribution
from the Association to the Museum for general operating support based on a pre-determined
formula, such as a percentage of the Association budget.
Recommendation #11: Ensure that the Museum is maximizing revenues in all earned income
categories. To that end, review the expenses and revenues associated with facility rentals,
admissions, programs, etc. With limited resources at hand, programs that bring in revenue and
people to the Museum should be prioritized. For example, SBCM camps were decreased this
summer due to limitations of staff resources; these programs are not only popular, and
therefore have the potential to be a vibrant revenue source, but also serve as a public relations
tool with the community. Canceling camps loses money and sends the wrong message. Greater
effort should have been made to keep the camps, whether that required volunteers, short-term
employees, or reconfiguring the work of full-time staff.
Recommendation #12: Based on a Strategic Plan that outlines the Museums future direction,
work with the County CEOs office to determine a guaranteed level of funding from the County
to the Museum over the next five years. The Museum has work to do to address its internal
challenges, but losing County funding would only heighten the crisis. The County needs to know
its investment is sound, but if that can be proven, possibly through agreed upon benchmarks, a
guaranteed level of support for SBCM will provide a safety net that is crucial to exiting this
period of financial distress.
Recommendation #13: The Museum needs to do a better job of communicating its value to the
Board of Supervisors. Together with the Association, the Museum should develop stronger
relationships with the Board and cultivate these relationships as they would any major donor.

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Recommendation 14: Prioritize the hiring of curators to oversee SBCMs core areas of collecting
and ensure proper staffing to cover education programming. Budgeting for these positions, as
well as a competitive Directors salary, might involve partnering with the Association to split
costs for key roles. This is a relatively common solution utilized in public-private partnerships
and is worth considering for SBCM.
Recommendation 15: Revisit the organizational chart to evaluate core functions and re-align
staff as necessary. Determine ideal staffing levels, but during this time of crisis, continue to
utilize staff in multiple roles and re-establish organizational structures (e.g. staff meetings,
evaluations, accountability) to rebuild the organizational culture.
Recommendation #16: In order to update the SBCM visitor experience, the Hall of Geological
Wonders must be completed. MMC believes the current approach in phases is a realistic
solution in the short-term, but opening the full experience should be a top priority in order to
revive the visitor experience, increase attendance, and to prepare the Museum for reaccreditation. MMC believes that monetary support of the Hall capital campaign would be a
worthy investment for the County to consider, and might instill confidence in other potential
donors to help complete the campaign.
Recommendation #17: Launch an experimental space in the Museum to test new ideas with
visitors. This type of informal audience research at the formative stages of exhibit development
can be valuable to planning new exhibits.
Recommendation #18: Once finances are in a more stable state, test out the possibility of
bringing in a temporary exhibition from outside the Museum. Prior to committing to an
exhibition, develop a business plan that outlines the financial requirements to break even,
including staff costs, and potential underwriting and/or sponsorships levels.
Recommendation #19: Reinstate a healthy series of educational programs through some
combination of full-time, part-time, and volunteer staff. Current constraints might mean a
leaner set of programs, but programs that bring in participants and are financially beneficial to
the museum should be prioritized. More is not necessarily better; excellence in programming,
even if few in number, should be the driving force.
Recommendation #20: With exhibit designers, curators, and educators, develop a Visitor
Experience Plan for the main museum and branch locations that unifies and strengthens the
visitor experience, including exhibits, education programs, and visitor amenities.
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Recommendation #21: Raise funds to increase the Museums marketing and communications
budget to allow for marketing campaigns focused on the Museum as a cultural resource, as well
as specific exhibitions.
Recommendation #22: Redesign the SBCM website to better reflect the visitor experience onsite and provide more interactive features. Perhaps accomplish this by spinning off from the
County website entirely. This might be a long-term objective, but in the short-term, changes
can be made to insert new information and make the visitor feel like change is happening and
that SBCM is a dynamic and exciting place to be.
Recommendation #23: Re-examine SBCM operating hours with target audiences in mind.
Benchmark hours against local and regional museums and other attractions. Consider opening
later on certain days and/or staying open late one night per month for a family night with
special programming.
Recommendation #24: Develop or utilize an existing customer service training program to
ensure consistent quality and expectations for front-line staff. Contact banks and/or large chain
stores in the area to see what they might do to include Museum staff in their employee training
programs or offer special training at the Museum.
Recommendation #25: Care for current object collections by conducting ongoing inventories,
and determining priorities and policies for de-accessioning.
Recommendation #26: As part of the strategic planning process, refine the Museums mission
and the focus of its collections. With the revised mission, explore downsizing object collections
to a more manageable size through extended loans or gifts to organizations that would care for
and utilize these holdings such as universities and natural history museums. Review any
restrictions on de-accessioning objects in the collections as part of this effort.
Recommendation #27: Properly conserve and store object collections that are currently housed
in the education building.
Recommendation #28: The Museum must determine the future role of the branch museum site
program, as well as the future role of each site individually. Just as each of the sites is different
in scope, visibility, and support, the approach to determining their future role should be
tailored to the individual site. Options for each site include:

35
1. Status Quo: Keep the site as part of the SBCM, continuing the current level of
support and accepting the accompanying financial realities.
2. Separate Non-Profit: Spin off the site as an independent non-profit organization.
3. City Ties: Work with the municipality in which the site resides to garner financial
support or transfer ownership to that city.
4. Sever Ties: If none of the above options are feasible, release the site, accepting the
possibility that it may not survive without its affiliation with SBCM.
Victor Valley Museum and John Rains House each have significant support groups that could be
nurtured and grown, with the ultimate goal of fully supporting their site without the SBCM.
Toward that end, SBCM should continue to build the sustainability of the Victor Valley Museum
by adding capacity that allows the museum to focus on marketing, fundraising, community
outreach, and development of programs and services. The future of the other sites lies in one of
the options above; which approach is chosen for each site should be decided with careful
consideration of the historic value of the property, attendance, financial implications, and local
support. MMC heard a number of interviewees say of the branch sites that theres nobody
else to care for them, but MMC believes that in their current state, the sites are not being
cared for adequately and moving them in different directions will increase their chances of
prospering in the future.
Recommendation #29: After carefully studying and determining future directions for each
branch site, develop an Action Plan that does the following:
Spells out future plans for each site
Identifies a timeline for implementing the plan for each site
Estimates revenues and expenses for the next five years, including potential for new
contributed, earned, and government sources
Details staffing requirements (number of staff, training required, etc.)
Inventories and prioritizes maintenance and upgrades
Align this Action Plan with the Visitor Experience Plan that encompasses all exhibits, collections,
and programs of the SBCM.

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APPENDICES

37
APPENDIX A: LIST OF INTERVIEWEES

County Administration
Leonard Hernandez, Museum Interim Director
Keith Lee, Deputy Executive Officer
Gregory C. Deveraux, Chief Executive Officer
Laurie Rozko, Director of Purchasing
Museum Advisory Commission
Abigail Flores, Chair
Kristine Hanlon, Second District
Patricia Gilbreath, Third District
Clara Coleman, Fifth District
Shirley Harry, Vice-Chair
Robert Basile, Fourth District
Rebecca Otwell, First District
Museum Association
Alan Griesemer, Board of Directors
Dennis Hansberger, Board of Directors
Jerry Linkhart, Board of Directors
Deborah Okogba, Executive Director
Johnnie Ann Ralph, Secretary, Board of Directors
Barbara Morrow Williams, PhD, Board of Directors
Museum Staff and Volunteers
Susan Newcomb, Fiscal Specialist
Eric Prien, Fiscal Assistant
Jolene Redvale, Education Specialist
Jennifer Reynolds, Media Specialist, Registrar
Adella Schroth, Curator of Anthropology
Doug Shumway, Friends of the Victor Valley Museum
Eric Scott, Curator of Paleontology
Kathleen Springer, Senior Curator, Geological Sciences

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APPENDIX B: AAMS
CHARACTERICSTICS OF EXCELLENCE FOR U.S. MUSEUMS
The following is a resource provided by the American Alliance of Museums. The full document
with hyperlinks for additional standards can be accessed at http://www.aamus.org/resources/ethics-standards-and-best-practices/characteristics-of-excellence-for-u-smuseums
Characteristics of Excellence for U.S. Museums

The 38 characteristics listed below are the core standards for U.S. museums. Broken into seven
categories, these broad, outcome oriented statements are adaptable for museums of all types
and sizes, with each museum fulfilling them in different ways depending on their unique
circumstances (mission, resources, governance, collections, etc...). Within each category, you
will also find a link to additional standards and best practices to help your museum achieve
excellence.
Public Trust and Accountability
The museum is a good steward of its resources held in the public trust.
The museum identifies the communities it serves, and makes appropriate decisions in
how it serves them.
Regardless of its self-identified communities, the museum strives to be a good neighbor
in its geographic area.
The museum strives to be inclusive and offers opportunities for diverse participation.
The museum asserts its public service role and places education at the center of that
role.
The museum demonstrates a commitment to providing the public with physical and
intellectual access to the museum and its resources.
The museum is committed to public accountability and is transparent in its mission and
its operations.
The museum complies with local, state, and federal laws, codes, and regulations
applicable to its facilities, operations, and administration.
Additional Standards
Standards Regarding an Institutional Code of Ethics
Mission and Planning
The museum has a clear understanding of its mission and communicates why it exists
and who benefits as a result of its efforts.

39
All aspects of the museums operations are integrated and focused on meeting its
mission.
The museums governing authority and staff think and act strategically to acquire,
develop, and allocate resources to advance the mission of the museum.
The museum engages in ongoing and reflective institutional planning that includes
involvement of its audiences and community.
The museum establishes measures of success and uses them to evaluate and adjust its
activities.
Standards Regarding Institutional Mission Statements

Standards Regarding Institutional Planning
Leadership and Organizational Structure
The governance, staff and volunteer structures and processes effectively advance the
museums mission.
The governing authority, staff and volunteers have a clear and shared understanding of
their roles and responsibilities.
The governing authority, staff, and volunteers legally, ethically and effectively carry out
their responsibilities.
The composition, qualifications, and diversity of the museums leadership, staff, and
volunteers enable it to carry out the museums mission and goals.
There is a clear and formal division of responsibilities between the governing authority
and any group that supports the museum, whether separately incorporated or
operating within the museum or its parent organization.
Standards Regarding Governance

Standards for Museums with Joint Governance
Standards Regarding the Composition of the Governing Authority
Standards Regarding Delegation of Authority
Collections Stewardship
The museum owns, exhibits, or uses collections that are appropriate to its mission.
The museum legally, ethically, and effectively manages, documents, cares for, and uses
the collections.
The museums collections-related research is conducted according to appropriate
scholarly standards.
The museum strategically plans for the use and development of its collections.

40
Guided by its mission, the museum provides public access to its collections while
ensuring their preservation.
Standards Regarding Loaning Collections to Non-Museum Entities

Standards Regarding the Unlawful Appropriation of Objects During the Nazi Era
Standards Regarding Archaeological Material and Ancient Art
Education and Interpretation
The museum clearly states its overall educational goals, philosophy, and messages, and
demonstrates that its activities are in alignment with them.
The museum understands the characteristics and needs of its existing and potential
audiences and uses this understanding to inform its interpretation.
The museums interpretive content is based on appropriate research.
Museums conducting primary research do so according to scholarly standards.
The museum uses techniques, technologies, and methods appropriate to its educational
goals, content, audiences, and resources.
The museum presents accurate and appropriate content for each of its audiences.
The museum demonstrates consistent high quality in its interpretive activities.
The museum assesses the effectiveness of its interpretive activities and uses those
results to plan and improve its activities.
Standards Regarding Exhibiting Borrowed Objects
Financial Stability
The museum legally, ethically, and responsibly acquires, manages and allocates its
financial resources in a way that advances its mission.
The museum operates in a fiscally responsible manner that promotes its long-term
sustainability.
Standards Regarding Developing and Managing Business and Individual Donor Support
Standards Regarding Retrenchment or Downsizing
Facilities and Risk Management
The museum allocates its space and uses its facilities to meet the needs of the
collections, audience, and staff.

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The museum has appropriate measures to ensure the safety and security of people, its
collections and/or objects, and the facilities it owns or uses.
The museum has an effective program for the care and long-term maintenance of its
facilities.
The museum is clean and well-maintained, and provides for the visitors needs.
The museum takes appropriate measures to protect itself against potential risk and loss.
Standards for Facilities and Risk Management as Related to Contractors

Standards for Museums Housed in Historic Structures

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San Bernardino

Museum Management Consultants, Inc.

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The lack of attention and oversight provided by SBCMs governing structure,

History San Jos

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2013 Population Estimates, accessed at http://www.census.gov

Overview of MMC Assessment Findings

At the same time, interviewees were

Museum Management Consultants, Inc.

Forces outside the orgranization:

Forces inside the

What are you

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Maintain restricted fund allocation for programmatic and educational activities to

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Engage in fundraising activities to raise private funds to support the Museum;

American Alliance of Museums, Leadership and Organizational Structure, accessed at http://www.aamus.org/resources/ethics-standards-and-best-practices/leadership

Mange the endowment to support Museum activities;

Offer memberships at various levels with appropriate benefits to members;

Conduct strategic planning for the Museum in order to improve coordination

Provide oversight of the Museums priorities based on the Strategic Plan;

Consider changing the name from Association to Foundation.

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Net Cost to County

the exception of FY12. The largest Museum

Personnel Expenses Staff Positions

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Figure 9. SBCM Membership Compared to Benchmark Museums (FY13)

Riverside Metropolitan Museum

San Bernardino County Museum

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Collections & Exhibits

Education & Programs

Operations & Finance

(curatorial, historic sites,

(education and public

(finance, facilities, HR,

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Hours of Operation & Front-Line Staff

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Spells out future plans for each site

Identifies a timeline for implementing the plan for each site

Details staffing requirements (number of staff, training required, etc.)

Inventories and prioritizes maintenance and upgrades

Continuing to rebuild operational structure for staff, including greater accountability

Developing a plan to diversify sources of revenue

Working with the Association and a fundraising consultant to outline a Development

Developing a timeline to work with exhibit designers, curators, and educators on a

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Evaluating and deciding the future of each branch museum site

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Engage in fundraising activities to raise private funds to support the Museum;

Mange the endowment to support Museum activities;

Museum Management Consultants, Inc.

Offer memberships at various levels with appropriate benefits to members;

Conduct strategic planning for the Museum in order to improve coordination

Provide oversight of the Museums priorities based on the Strategic Plan;

Consider changing the name from Association to Foundation.

Museum Management Consultants, Inc.

Museum Management Consultants, Inc.