Pictures at an exhibition: Conflicting pressures in museums and the display of art

Abstract

Organizations face pressures from their environments. When external pressures conflict with each other or with internal desires, organizational personnel face dilemmas. This article examines conflicting pressures in a setting where they are particularly salient: art museums. Various stakeholders, notably external funders and museum curators, press for specific organizational outputs - that is, particular types of exhibitions. This research examines the format and content of exhibitions from large American museums to gauge the effect of funding. The research demonstrates that funders' importance increased between 1960 and 1986. Funder tastes are translated into exhibitions; however, museum managers use several strategies to retain their autonomy and legitimacy.