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Case Histories

Museum Campus: Lakefront Jewel

Chicago's Museum Campus Opening

Challenge

Created by the $110 million relocation of Lake Shore Drive, Chicago's new Museum Campus opened in June 1998 with a goal to be recognized as one of the most innovative, cultural playground in the country. Called "one of the most significant additions to the Chicago lakefront in generations," by Chicago's mayor, the Campus is Chicago Park District land that connects three Chicago cultural institutions: Adler Planetarium, Field Museum and John G. Shedd Aquarium.

Public introduction of the Museum Campus public included a dedication June 7 by Mayor Richard Daley; a celebration Gala June 12; and an official opening the weekend of June 26-28. It was not until mid-March that two-person Museum Campus staff realized it would need public relations support if the opening event were going to generate public interest and excitement about the Campus. On March 31 Public Communications Inc. submitted a communications plan proposal to help introduce the new campus and create name recognition for this new lakefront attraction. The proposal was accepted the next week and the program began in full force.

Time became the largest obstacle in the program. In order for media to have information about the Campus before the opening, finalized media materials were needed in less than two weeks. The finalization process required even more time since materials required review and approval by the three cultural institutions and the park district as well as Museum Campus staff. By April 20, the initial media materials were mailed to 400 media outlets and aggressive follow-up call to media began.

As the public relations program unfolded, several challenges emerged:

  • In less than two months, make the Museum Campus — which is simply a 10-acre open space linking three cultural institutions — a must-visit Chicago destination for residents and tourists.
  • Work not only with Museum Campus staff, but with representatives from the Chicago Park District and each of the three collaborating cultural institutions to publicize the Campus opening giving each partner equal credit for their contributions.
  • Educate the public to the benefits of using the campus trolley system to help ease traffic and parking pressures on the area.
  • Work within a limited budget of $34,700 fees and less than $15,000 expenses since the project was over budget and the program had no designated budget earmarked for public relations support.

Action

The extensive media campaign succeeded in attracting the attention of regional and national media, including the New York Times. The program was built around themes including the historic partnership between the three museums, the Park District and the City; the user-friendly transportation system; the evolution of the lakefront from the time city planner Daniel Burnham envisioned an open lakefront used by the public.

The public relations program included:

  • Extensive collateral materials, including Museum Campus media kit materials, news releases, schedules, promotional materials, Museum Campus Gala media kit materials, public service announcements.
  • Media relations included local, regional and selected national media relations and coordinating editorial board meetings at Chicago's daily newspapers with Campus officials. Before the meetings, PCI conducted spokesperson training for the Museums Campus executive director and prepared message points for the project.
  • Communications support to public the Campus trolley system which receive $4.5 million in federal transformation funds. The trolleys are important since they encourage the public to use public transformation and avoid traffic and parking congestion.
  • A Museum Campus information line for the public to use when seeking information about Campus activities and regarding public transportation options.

Results

Positive local, regional and national media coverage of the Museum Campus opening quickly established the Campus' name identity and generated public interest and enthusiasm for this new lakefront attraction. By July 20, the public relations program secured 131 media placements reaching an estimated 28.6 million audience. Coverage highlights included two New York Time placements, a front-page travel feature story on July 12 and a travel column piece on May 31; full-page feature stories published in the Chicago Sun-Times, Chicago Tribune, Daily Herald and Daily Southtown; glowing editorials in the Chicago Sun-Times and the Chicago Tribune; coverage in national media including Sacramento Bee, Seattle Post-Intelligencer, St. Paul Pioneer Press and Town & Country; and television segments on NBC5 For Kids, WLS-TV and WMAQ-TV.

The three cultural institutions connected by the Museum Campus directly benefitted from the Campus opening Attendance at all three museums increased over the previous year (Adler up 2.74%, Field Museum 9.66% and Shedd Aquarium 10.10 percent) while attendance at other Chicago cultural institutions declined. In all, an estimated 5 million people visited the Campus as it was welcomed by the city and all who visited.