Abstract
The Terre Haute Children’s Museum (THCM) is preparing to embark upon a new
journey. The astounding new facility is nearly completed and staff and board members are
planning for a September 2010 grand opening. The new 26,000 square foot facility is a massive
upgrade from the current 3,000 square foot museum. The Terre Haute Children’s Museum
(THCM) has a long standing history in the Terre Haute community. First established in 1988, it
continues to achieve its mission of “enriching children’s lives through the exploration of science
and technology” (“Terre Haute Children’s”, 2009). However, the opening of the new museum
demands a new marketing and communication plan.
The following plan includes a history of the museum along with a detailed analysis of its
strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT). The SWOT analysis reveals that the
THCM has many more strengths and opportunities than weaknesses and threats. Furthermore, a
detailed analysis of the museum industry, along with an analysis of the environmental factors
that affects its success and analysis of the museum’s target customer is explained. Marketing
objectives have been established with realistic timeframes and appropriate benchmarks. The
marketing objectives are the core of this plan, as they will help guide its success during the
upcoming year. An assessment of the product (service), price (of admission), and place (the new
facility) has been preformed and supported by a comprehensive marketing plan that will include
a variety of media such as cable television, broadcast networks, radio, print and billboards.
Possibly the most important asset to this plan is the proposed budget which will require
board approval to be a key factor for the implementation of this marketing plan. It is the object of
this proposal, and also the intent of the museum that with the implementation of this marketing plan, the intersection of 8" Street and Wabash Avenue will never be the same.
