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Top 10 Philadelphia Arts and Culture Orgs on Pinterest
The third-largest social network with more than 70 million users, Pinterest is the place where 15 percent of the online adult population is logged in and looking for inspiration. Arts organizations have an advantage on this platform because their work is already image-friendly, and their missions are often connected to the interests and hobbies of Pinterest followers.
Get some ideas from the Pinterest pages of Philadelphia arts and culture organizations with the most followers:
The Barnes’ Pinterest boards categorized by artist include not just images of famous paintings, but also links to articles, historic photos and contemporary adaptations of their work. Their “InstaBarnes” board posts photos of the grounds from Instagram users, and they posted a board of wardrobe inspiration for a young professionals event on the night’s theme, “Falling for Picasso’s Rose Period.”
The Reading Terminal Market’s Pinterest boards are categorized by food, from “Go Fish” and “Meat & Potatoes” to “Sweet Treats!,” showing photos from all the vendors. It also has a recipes board and some behind-the-scenes images on the “Taste of the Past” and “Inside the Market” boards.
The Please Touch Museum is parent-focused, with boards about going back to school, special offers, and ideas like “How I Got My Kids to Eat Their Vegetables” posted to its “Parenting Tips & Tricks” board. The museum has collected the most pins on its “Kid-Friendly Crafts” and “Kid-Tested Recipes” boards.
The Adventure Aquarium doesn’t have its boards too developed — most just have a handful of pins — but they have all the right themes in place. Holiday-themed boards show off Scuba Santa and a shark version of a jack-o-lantern, and the “Ocean-Inspired Recipes” board links you to Oreo penguins and a sandcastle cake.
6. Free Library of Philadelphia
Pinners love interior design, and the Free Library of Philadelphia makes sure to accommodate with boards featuring library architecture and unique bookshelves. This Pinterest page also goes vintage with plenty of boards on historic Philadelphia and one with images of old library posters.
The Franklin Institute posts event recaps from Mess Fest, its annual Science Festival and the Franklin Awards. The page is on its way to expanding beyond exhibition-focused boards, with tutorials posted to a “Science DIY” page and a board on science-related Halloween costumes. From its own boards, the Franklin Institute has the most pins on its “I Do!” page, which collects wedding photos taken at venue from photographers’ blog posts.
Philadelphia’s Magic Gardens divides most of its boards into basics like “Public Programs,” “Exhibitions” and “Education,” but the organization also posts behind-the-scenes photos of artists and past events. The engagement-shoots board gives brides inspiration and offers a discount on the site’s photo-shoot fee, while the “Visionary Art Environments” board uses Place Pins to highlight unique art environments all over the world.
3. PMA Stores
The Philadelphia Museum of Art uses Pinterest to showcase photos of items available for purchase at the gift shop. Many peer museums across the country expand on their Pinterest profile appeal with theme-based boards that aren’t tied to sales or specific exhibitions.
The Philadelphia Zoo uses Pinterest to celebrate the birthdays of baby animals, like Abigail the giraffe and Batu the orangutan. They’ve started down the road of another top interest on Pinterest — cooking and dining — with a board on animal-themed cake decorating, but they’ve really nailed community outreach on Pinterest with boards that showcase personal engagement, like Boy Scout contest submissions or the Visitor Photo of the Week.
Longwood Gardens’ Pinterest boards are mecca for the DIY/craft set. According to a 2013 Vision Critical study, this category ranks high among Pinterest users, with 63 percent claiming DIY/craft as a topic they follow. Longwood’s “Fantastic Flower Arrangements” board gathers pins from all over the web with centerpiece ideas for dinner parties and weddings, and the “Great Gardens and Ideas” board has the most pins. Many of Longwood’s boards are organized by season, but they give a nod to fashionistas with a “Couture des Fleurs” board and connect followers beyond their own walls with “Gardens of the World.”
While Philadelphia arts organizations have thousands of followers to go before joining ranks with the likes of Pinterest kings SFMOMA and the Andy Warhol Museum, they are starting to get traction by doing more than simply uploading photos from the archives or from past exhibits. For top museums on Pinterest beyond the Philadelphia region, check out this slideshow.