Fostering younger engagement: Meet them at the bar

Anyone can guess that free booze will boost event attendance. But when THNOC sought to expand its young member level, called the Caillot Circle, we added another ingredient: irreverence.

We found for a history museum, reaching younger people means reaching out of our comfort zone. So, we ditched the formal attire and traded our champagne happy hour for a history-laced bar crawl – and took to social media to make sure no one wore neckties or heels.

By using the built-in draw of libations with a not-your-typical-cocktail-party vibe, we saw record attendance in young professionals

– Eli A. Haddow, The Historic New Orleans Collection