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The Minnesota Historical Society (MNHS) has been a trusted steward of Minnesota’s cultural heritage since 1849. But as their audiences and programming evolved, so did their operational complexity. The organization’s legacy platform, Tessitura, was no longer built for the speed, flexibility, or insights MNHS needed.
The challenge wasn’t just replacing Tessitura, it was reimagining how a modern museum operates in a digital-first world. MNHS partnered with Nonprofit Tech Shop to make the leap, deploying HubSpot as the core CRM and layering in MuseumHub to meet their unique ticketing, membership, and engagement needs.
Solution 1: Omni-Channel Marketing
As MNHS expanded, Tessitura became increasingly burdensome:
- Complex Integrations: Ticketing, CRM, and marketing lived in silos, stitched together with expensive, fragile integrations.
- Outdated User Interface: Tessitura’s complexity created barriers to staff efficiency and required deep institutional knowledge to navigate.
- High Maintenance Costs: Annual expenses ranged from $387,000 to $462,000, draining resources that could otherwise support mission delivery.
Solution 1: Omni-Channel Marketing
What they explored:
Like many museums, MNHS considered other nonprofit-specific tools:
- Raiser’s Edge offered donor tracking but lacked true cross-functional integration.
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Salesforce was powerful, but its complexity demanded a full-time admin -something MNHS didn’t have.
HubSpot stood out for its ease of use, powerful automation, and open ecosystem. And with the MuseumHub layer, it became a museum-grade solution ready to replace legacy systems.
Seamless Implementation: A Step-by-Step Transition to HubSpot + MuseumHub
To ensure a smooth transition, Nonprofit Tech Shop devised a phased implementation strategy that allowed MNHS to adopt HubSpot + MuseumHub without disrupting ongoing operations. Each phase was carefully designed to address critical challenges and ensure success:
Building the Foundation: Data Migration and System Architecture
MNHS’s legacy data from Tessitura and other platforms was migrated and restructured inside HubSpot. We mapped out a flexible system architecture for donor management, ticketing, membership, and events, ensuring everything from benefit tracking to visitor journeys would work in sync.
User-Centric Configuration and Streamlining Operations
With the foundational architecture in place, Nonprofit Tech Shop worked closely with MNHS stakeholders to gather user stories and simplify day-to-day operations using the MuseumHub layer. This step involved setting up tailored workflows, permissions, and configurations for different teams: donor management, event coordination, marketing, and more to ensure a system optimized for their specific needs. The result? Tools that felt intuitive and empowering.
Gradual Transition and Phased Rollout
Following the data migration and system setup, MNHS began using HubSpot alongside Tessitura in a gradual transition. The phased rollout allowed the organization to adapt to the new system over time, minimizing disruption. Key components, like the new ticketing and event management system, were introduced early, enabling MNHS to leverage HubSpot's capabilities even before the final go-live. Just a few months in, the majority of the data and operations had shifted to HubSpot, with tailored training sessions ensuring staff were well-equipped to utilize the platform effectively.
Solution 1
1. Transforming Ticketing and Admissions
Disjointed systems like Shopify and Tessitura once required workarounds and rekeying data. With MuseumHub, ticketing is fully integrated into HubSpot:
- Historical data was cleaned and migrated into unified HubSpot records.
- Custom objects and logic allowed for dynamic pricing, member discounts, and accurate reporting.
- The result was a smooth, branded ticketing experience from purchase to entry.
Solution 1
2. Modernizing Donor and Membership Management
Membership and giving workflows were fragmented...until they weren’t. We built a centralized CRM experience:
- One portal for staff to manage donors and members with up-to-date info.
- Stripe and Fundraise Up handled payments and benefits, integrated natively.
- Members could manage tickets, renewals, and info in one place—no phone tag required.
Solution 1
3. Automating Marketing and Communications
With data finally unified, MNHS activated personalized engagement at scale:
- Donors and members received targeted messages based on behavior and history.
- Automated campaigns reminded members to renew, promoted events, and celebrated milestones.
- Communications became proactive, not reactive, driving deeper community connection.
Solution 1
4. Unlocking Insights with Real-Time Reporting
No more cobbled-together spreadsheets or waiting on IT. HubSpot dashboards empowered teams:
- Live metrics on ticket sales, engagement, and fundraising performance.
- Visual dashboards gave staff the power to pivot in real time.
- Leadership could finally see and share the full picture.
Cost Saving
MNHS cut annual tech costs by $137,000 to $197,000. saving over $120,000 in integration feess alone. HubSpot's lower maintenance needs meant the organizationi achieved a full return on investments within 18 months.
Increased Productivity
Automation features streamlined member renewals, donor outreach, and event registration, reducing manual workload and increasing staff productivity by more than 30%.
Enhanced Community Engagement
By personalizing communication with HubSpot's CRM, MNHS achieved a 15% increase in event attendance and a 20% boost in membership renewals within the first year.
A Cohesive Platform for Enhanced Engagement
HubSpot layered with MuseumHub unified operations across MNHS. No more silos. No more swivel-chair workflows. Just one cohesive platform that amplified every team’s capacity to serve the public.
From visitor experience to donor retention, everything got faster, smarter, and easier.
Solution 1
Building for the Future: A Foundation for Lasting Impact
With HubSpot and MuseumHub, MNHS now has:
- Streamlined Operations: Less time managing tools, more time fulfilling their mission.
- Stronger Engagement: Personalized outreach that connects donors, visitors, and members more meaningfully.
- Smarter Fundraising: Rich data drives better targeting, cultivation, and stewardship.
- Scalable Infrastructure: A platform that evolves as fast as they do.
MNHS’s journey is proof that museums don’t have to settle for outdated tools. With the right foundation, even the most complex institutions can modernize without losing what makes them special.
