In this presentation, we will dive into social media’s role during the recent opening of four major art museums — SFMOMA, The Broad, The Met Breuer, and the Whitney Museum of American Art. From more tenured social networks like Facebook, to emerging platforms like Snapchat, we will discuss how we decided which networks would best speak to our audiences and how effective they were in delivering our messages. Museum openings allow for innovation and new ways of using social media. With all eyes on these openings — the bolder the message, the better. We will discuss the challenges that come with being an online voice for a new or newly branded institution. Social media is not created in a vacuum, it involves extensive collaboration. We will touch on the challenges and benefits of working in collaboration with other museum departments - curatorial, communications, digital, collections, visitor services - and how these goals aligned with our overall social media strategies. It is undeniable that social media is now integral to any museum’s marketing and communications strategy. But why? Having an open and welcoming online presence helps to better engage local communities, bring in younger and more diverse audiences, and establish your museum as a knowledgeable and trustworthy resource for an ever-growing digital community. Speakers Session Leader : Samantha Ayson, Marketing Associate, The Broad Co-Presenter : Taylor Newby, Senior Social Media Manager, The Metropolitan Museum of Art Co-Presenter : Sarah Meller, Marketing Manager, Whitney Museum of American Art Speaker : Kathryn Booth, Social Media Associate, San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA) MCN 2016 Presenting Sponsor: Piction New Orleans, LA