As we continue to celebrate women in the arts for International Women’s Month, the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA) recently announced the appointment of Sheila Shin as the museum’s Chief Experience Officer. A pivotal new role that will advance SFMOMA’s position as an inclusive, community-centered museum and will oversee the Brand Marketing, Communications, Digital Experience, Visitor Experience and Retail Operations teams, as well as the museum’s Food & Beverage program.
And this is no small feat, SFMOMA now offers over 62,000 square feet of free, art-filled public space open to all, in addition to seven gallery floors with a collection of painting, sculpture, photography, architecture, design and media arts, housed in a LEED Gold-certified building designed by the global architects Snøhetta and Mario Botta.
In this capacity, Shin will realize a leading-edge vision for audience engagement by driving new data-based approaches and insights via comprehensive marketing and digital engagement plans. This work will amplify explorations of SFMOMA’s collections, exhibitions and further participation and connection with the museum’s education and public engagement programs, touching every department and experience.
Shin has been with SFMOMA since April 2020, serving as Assistant Director of Marketing – Advertising and Promotions; Director of Brand Marketing and Sales; and Interim Chief Marketing Officer. During that time, Shin has played an instrumental role in leading SFMOMA’s food and beverage strategy and activations across the building’s public spaces.
Congratulations on the new position! Can you tell us why this was a good time for you to pivot into this role as Chief Experience Officer at SFMOMA?
As SFMOMA seeks to attract a more broad and diverse audience, it’s crucial for us to really understand, embrace, and center the perspectives of our visitors in all that we do. This role is a champion for the visitor and unifies various teams so that we’re better able to deliver meaningful experiences across every touchpoint along the visitor journey.
We know this is a newly created position but please tell us what a typical day has been like so far.
I’m not sure if there is a typical day at the museum – I feel like there is always so much happening, changing, and evolving. That’s one of the reasons why I try to spend a few moments a week in the museum’s galleries and public spaces so that I can directly see/hear how visitors are responding to the artwork, the food and beverage options, the events taking place, etc. It’s one of the best ways for me to continue growing as a visitor advocate.
Other than that, I have amazing leaders who oversee functions such as marketing, communications, visitor experience, and retail – I try to support them as needed, ensuring alignment across the organization and removing any barriers that may stand in the way of our teams creating the best visitor experience.
What are some of the initiatives or programs that you are most excited about implementing at the museum?
When our new Museum Director, Chris Bedford, started 7 months ago, he asked us to think about impactful ways to connect with our local community. There were many great ideas that were generated – for me, the most exciting were around this idea of radical hospitality and creating a museum that was more inclusive, more welcoming, and more relevant for Bay Area residents.
In execution, this led to our Floor 2 galleries being free throughout our SECA Art Award Exhibition and it’s also sparked new collaborations with local Bay Area artists such as Floss Editions and Jocelyn Tsaih who partnered with us to enliven our museum’s public spaces through vibrant illustrations. Going forward, we’re continuing to focus on our community partnerships and different ways we can work together to connect people to art and increase engagement through fun public programs and events, at the museum and beyond our walls.
Can you tell us what visitors can expect at the new café, Steps Coffee, and the new ground floor restaurant, grace?
Through our food and beverage program, we wanted to make sure that we had something to offer everyone coming through our doors.
Our newest addition, the ground floor restaurant, grace, named after our forward-thinking founder Grace McCann Morley, is a lively gathering place for museum goers and for the local community. With a beautiful bar, French American fare, communal seating areas, happy hour menu – we want people to congregate and have social interactions and experiences in this space.
I think of Steps Coffee as a neighborhood meeting spot – a place to take a break during your visit or during your lunch break (I am there twice a day). The coffee is great, the artwork is so much fun (we are currently featuring Pet Portraits by local artists in honor of our Joan Brown exhibition), and there’s even a community puzzle board that people can work on together.
Cafe 5 is the only venue that requires you to have a museum ticket and it’s one of our gems. With indoor and outdoor seating, you get views of the city and you’re surrounded by wonderful sculptures. The menu rotates seasonally and right now, we’re featuring Southeast Asian cuisine.
When you are not working, what are some of your favorite parts of San Francisco to visit?
When I’m not working, I’m often looking for new restaurants to try out. That naturally takes me to different parts of the city. Inner Richmond has a diverse range of restaurants and great Asian food overall, I love grabbing a bite in Hayes Valley with friends before heading to a concert.
What about traveling to other cities for inspiration?
Every travel experience inspires me in different ways. Beyond San Francisco, I’m from Chicago and have a lot of family in LA – so those cities are very familiar to me but there is still always something new to discover. I love exploring new destinations – I’m a city person so I will gravitate towards urban areas where there are cultural attractions, diverse food offerings, cafes, and specialty stores.
