Feb 18 2008
Raising Your Museum Profile 101: April Fool?
How to increase your visitor stream? Well, after the National Portrait Gallery hung Stephen Colbert’s portrait by the bathrooms for an announced six-week “exhibition,”fans and visitors flocked to the portrait. So last Monday, Stephen stopped by to check in with his portrait– and the National Portrait Gallery announced due to the popularity of the “exhibit,” that it will continue hanging there until April 1st.
Check out the relevant episodes of The Colbert Report here at Comedy Central, and the Smithsonian’s extension announcement here. There are several YouTube videos that capture user pilgrimages to the portrait here and here, and reactions from Smithsonian employees and others (from The Smithsonian Channel) here.