Speed Art Museum (known as “the Speed” to locals) took a bold step when it closed its doors for a three-year, $60 million expansion. The museum in Louisville, Kentucky, sought not only to refurbish its physical space but to reimagine its mission.

When the Speed reopened, its leadership wanted technology to provide visitors with an experience that matched the thoughtful vision behind the physical improvements, explained Database Manager Taylor Marvel Nord. “It’s a place for families, a place for inclusive programming, and a place for people to feel safe, to have conversations about really difficult things that we’re facing in society now,” Nord said. “Blackbaud has been incredibly vital to that change and to opening our doors in a whole new way.”

The Speed partners with Blackbaud for everything from admissions and membership to fundraising, accounting, and marketing. “We are able to not only report visitor data easily, which is a feat within itself, but we are also able to use that information to find out what our constituents need and what they want,” Nord said. “There’s nothing better than having something given to you in a beautifully wrapped package.”

Creating an Exceptional Visitor Experience

The Speed’s grand reopening put its visitors first, listening to what mattered to them and delivering a seamless experience. With Blackbaud’s cultural management solution, the Speed could turn guests into members or donors and renew those commitments automatically.

Because Blackbaud’s cultural management solution integrates with payment services, the Speed could spot spending trends among donors to know what offerings appeal to them most and also to flag fraudulent charges faster. “We can see the revenue and where it’s coming from and where it’s going,” Nord said.

For example, the Speed’s new state-of-the-art cinema alone attracted 35,000 visitors in its first year after the museum reopened. “Blackbaud has given us the tools to let people come to the cinema and just get admission or add on merchandise at the same time,” Nord said. “We can do really anything that the constituent would want.”

Giving Employees Flexibility

With Blackbaud’s cloud accounting solution, the Speed’s employees can access records anytime, anywhere. “We wanted the flexibility for our staff,” Nord said. “We’re able to take something that was a computer-based software and move it into the cloud where it is accessible everywhere, as long as you have Internet access. With that accessibility comes flexibility.”

Plus, Blackbaud provides customized reporting for members of the Speed’s fundraising team without requiring extra staff time. “Not only is Blackbaud the best system to use, but it is the easiest system to use,” Nord explained. “It’s for people of all experience levels, and it’s for the person who just wants to do the best they can to help their organization.”

Nord’s favorite experience with Blackbaud has been customer support. “Not only do I get the chance to work with so many different people, but I also get the chance to get to know them,” she said. “The beauty of the Blackbaud customer support is that these people are in it for passion. They really want to help you. Not only has that inspired me to do better in my job, but I know that I can rely on support to help me figure it out.”