The Trash Museum's
Strategic Plan

The museum engaged in a strategic planning process over the course of a year to engage stakeholders, identify community needs that can be met by the museum, and create new initiatives to explore issues of diversity, accessibility, inclusion, and equity. The result is a five-year strategic plan with plans to revisit and revise as needed every 2 years. As we embark on this community-directed work, we welcome and invite all people, organizations, and partners to join us in making an impact on the future.

Results of Strategic Planning

In 2022, the Trash Museum embarked on a strategic planning process designed to build from the museum’s position of strength and outline the next steps in its development. To guide the strategic planning process, the museum created a Strategic Planning Committee. The planning process was broken into five phases and was organized around five areas of inquiry.

In order to achieve its five-year vision of success, the Trash Museum will pursue the following Strategic Goals, which address its exhibitions and other public programming, academic and curricular work, atmosphere and public presence, and financial and managerial platform. These goals are split by years and are as follows:

Year One

To expand educational and public outreach and impact in the surrounding communities and beyond by coordinating tours, workshops, lectures, classes, etc.
To expand advertising of the museum for a wider audience beyond the local community
To raise dedicated funds through various means with the intent to expand the museum’s exhibition and collections storage space

Year Three

To collect and preserve important objects and documents, waste production statistics, archaeological “trash pit” objects, uniquely disposed of historical objects, etc.
To get involved in academic and professional conferences regarding American history and/or climate change as impacted by waste

Year Five