Your Museum Licensing Guide: Everything You Need to Know

First things first, what exactly is it?

Simply put, museum licensing is the process that allows third parties to use a museum’s intellectual property – like images, artefacts, and exhibitions – on agreed terms. Just think of famous artwork on merchandise, books, homeware, websites or quite literally anything else.

Today, licensing is a key revenue stream for museums of all shapes and sizes. Big institutions like the Natural History Museum in London have turned licensing into a powerful partnership with retailers such as Marks & Spencer and John Lewis to create branded products and expand their reach.

But licensing isn’t just for the heavyweights – it offers exciting possibilities for any museum, no matter the size or collection. Plus, the benefits are huge: it drives outreach, opens new product categories, boosts engagement, supports education, funds research, and raises vital funds.

Ultimately, it’s an essential tool that makes your collections more accessible, supports your mission, and helps you reach new audiences.

Whether you’re a curator ready to tap into licensing, a licensing team seeking partners, or just curious to learn more – this guide covers it all: what museum licensing is, how it works, its benefits, best practices, and more.

Museum Licensing Categories Explained

Licensing in museums is essential for managing collections, protecting intellectual property, and generating new revenue streams.

Ultimately, it’s how museums share their art collections while keeping control over how they’re used, and covers everything from exhibition rights to digital content and brand partnerships, and more.

That being said, there are plenty of different licensing types to choose from – each with its own unique benefits. Unsure which is best for you?

Here’s a quick breakdown of the key types of licensing programmes:

1. Exhibition licensing. This is all about getting the legal go-ahead to display artwork or artefacts in temporary or travelling exhibitions. It covers everything from borrowing objects to insurance and conservation.

Why it’s great. Protects both the artwork and the museum, ensuring everything is displayed safely and with clear terms.

2. Digital licensing. This one covers licensing digital content like images, videos, and collections for use online – on websites, apps, or commercial products.

Why it’s great. Expands your reach globally while keeping control of how your content is used online.

3. Intellectual property licensing. This type licenses artwork, artefacts, and other museum assets for use in publications, merchandise, or media – managing the reproduction rights and copyright.

Why it’s great. Safeguards your museum’s creative assets while earning revenue from media and merchandise.

4. Brand partnerships & collaborations. Museums team up with brands to license logos, artwork, or exhibitions for products, co-branded events, and sponsorships. It’s a win-win for revenue and exposure.

Why it’s great. Boosts visibility and revenue by teaming up with brands for unique products and events.

5. Merchandise licensing. This involves licensing museum collections for merchandise like clothing, homeware posters, souvenirs – or anything else! It’s a popular way to earn revenue and spread the museum’s brand beyond its walls and gift shop.

Why it’s great. Generates steady income while helping spread the museum’s influence beyond its walls.

6. Broadcast & media licensing. This covers licensing museum content – art, exhibitions, and events – for TV, film, documentaries, and streaming.

Why it’s great. Amplifies your content while earning royalties from media exposure.

7. Education licensing. This type covers licensing museum resources (images, videos, lectures, etc.) for educational purposes, including textbooks, online courses, and learning platforms.

Why it’s great. Supports learning initiatives and creates new revenue streams for the museum.

8. Venue licensing. Museums can rent out their physical spaces for private events, such as weddings or corporate functions, creating an additional revenue source.

Why it’s great. Generates extra income while turning your museum into a sought-after event venue.

Why Museum Licensing Matters

Ultimately, museum licensing is far more than a buzzword – it’s a powerful strategy that can unlock exciting new opportunities.

It offers museums a compelling way to engage new audiences, boost their brand, and bring in extra revenue, all while safeguarding intellectual property and ensuring ethical use. Here’s why it matters:

1. It boosts revenue. Licensing opens up new income streams that help museums fund exhibitions, educational programmes, conservation efforts, refurbishments – or anything else. Ultimately, by leveraging their unique collections, museums can create a vital financial lifeline beyond traditional funding sources.

2. It reaches a bigger audience. Licensing takes museums beyond their walls, letting them partner with brands and media to bring their treasures into everyday life. This expands their visibility, attracting entirely new audiences who may never have visited in person.

3. It deepens public engagement. Licensing helps museums bring their collections to life and into everyday experiences – whether it’s through merchandise, interactive media, social media, or creative partnerships. It’s a powerful way to deepen public engagement, transforming casual visitors into lifelong fans. Plus, it puts old collections back in the cultural spotlight, keeping them relevant and sparking fresh interest.

4. It strengthens the brand. Collaborating with top brands and organisations can boost a museum’s reputation, making it more prominent and respected in the cultural world. A stronger brand identity means more than just name recognition; it attracts larger audiences, inspires new sponsorships, and opens doors to future partnerships.

Key Considerations in Museum Licensing

Whether you’re the licensor or the licensee, museum licensing has plenty of moving parts.

If you’re a museum seeking to tap into the benefits of licensing, it’s crucial to get it right from the get-go – to save yourself any double work, crisis management, or legal complications down the road.

Here’s a quick breakdown of the key points to keep things running smoothly and protect everyone involved:

1. Brush up on your legal essentials

There’s simply no way of avoiding legalities when it comes to museum licensing, and two things are absolutely critical: copyrights (legal protection for original works of authorship) and intellectual property rights (legal rights to creations of the mind, such as inventions, designs, and artistic works).

Museums must ensure they have the proper rights for the images, artefacts, or designs they plan to license. This means knowing if the materials are public domain, copyrighted, or have third-party rights attached.

Licensing agreements should also be crystal clear about who holds the intellectual property rights, whether it’s the museum itself, an artist, a photographer, a curator, or a third-party rights holder. And if you’re licensing internationally, be aware of global laws, like the Berne Convention, that govern cross-border copyright protection.

2. Get your financial plan in order

While it’s not all about the money, it’s crucial to assess the profitability of any licensing deal before jumping in.

The royalty model, where museums earn a percentage of sales or fixed fees for licensing their intellectual property, is key. Negotiating a fair royalty rate is a must to ensure a museum gets its due.

Beyond royalties, licensing fees – whether upfront payments, annual fees, or minimum guarantees – also play a big role. These should reflect the value of the museum’s assets, the scope of the licensed products, and the market potential. A smart financial strategy will help museums maximise their earnings while making the most of their resources.

3. Choose the right partner

Choosing the right licensing partner is crucial for museums. But what does the right partner look like?

Ultimately, this depends entirely upon a museum’s goals. The right partner should align with the museum’s values – reinforcing its reputation and mission.

Shared ethics are also essential – look for partners with similar standards in areas like labour practices, environmental responsibility, and corporate integrity. It’s important to avoid partnerships that could tarnish the museum’s reputation – steering clear of unethical companies or low-quality products is vital for maintaining public trust and credibility.

While focusing on a brand fit is important, it’s also vital to ensure that the partner has a proven track record of successful licensing deals and stability. Picking a reliable, experienced partner minimises risks and sets the stage for a successful, long-lasting collaboration.

4. Be wary of the risks

Managing risks is key to protecting your museum’s intellectual property and reputation in licensing deals. Contracts should clearly outline how to handle disputes – whether it’s about terms, performance, or other issues – through mediation, arbitration, or legal action. Museums also need to stay on top of copyright issues and act fast to stop unauthorized use of their content.

Constantly monitor licensed content and address problems quickly. Don’t forget to assess financial risks like partner mismanagement, underperformance, or the damage from low-quality products and over-licensing.

Successful Museum Licensing: Best Practices

Museums hold valuable assets that can work wonders for both the institution and licensing partners. But like any niche field, success requires the right knowledge, strategy, and careful planning.

If you’re ready to tap into the potential of museum licensing, here are some key best practices to help you thrive:

1. Set clear objectives

A successful licensing programme starts with one thing: clear objectives. Without them, you’re flying blind when it comes to measuring progress, making strategic decisions, and ensuring alignment between your brand and potential partners.

When it comes to defining your goals, start by asking yourself the following key questions:

• Why do I want to pursue licensing?
• What outcomes am I aiming for?
• What are my short- and long-term strategic goals?
• Which audiences or markets do I want to reach?

Whether it’s about boosting revenue, growing brand awareness, connecting with new audiences, or driving education, knowing your “why” sharpens your focus. It also shapes every decision – what products to create, which partners to choose, and how to evaluate success.

Clear, actionable objectives also help set expectations for your team and partners and give you the flexibility to adjust and optimise along the way. Without them, you risk wasting time on unclear efforts and missing out on real opportunities.

2. Know your audience

Knowing your audience is crucial to maximising impact. It’s not enough to create products inspired by your collection; you must understand who will buy and engage with those products and more importantly, why.

Consider how different generational segments interact with museum-inspired merchandise:

• Generation Z. Digital natives who prioritise social responsibility, limited-edition collaborations, and experiences over products. They are likely to be attracted to environmentally sustainable goods, exclusive online content, and items tied to popular culture.
• Millennials. Known for valuing authenticity and personalised experiences, they might be drawn to custom-designed items, augmented reality applications that enhance museum content, or products that evoke nostalgia.
• Baby Boomers. Often loyal patrons and collectors, Boomers may favour traditional, high-quality collectibles, art reproductions, or timeless home décor that reflects a museum’s heritage and classic works.

Once you’ve defined your target audience, take a deep dive into their world. Understand their values, favourite platforms, go-to content, brands they love, and what they won’t compromise on. This is the key to creating products that speak directly to them and drive engagement.

3. Stay true to your values

To be truly successful, your licensing initiatives should reflect and amplify your institution’s core values, mission, and themes. Ultimately, licensing should be an extension of your museum’s identity, not just a commercial venture. Consider the following:

• Prioritise partnerships with companies that share your commitment to quality, education, and cultural preservation.
• Ensure that products maintain the integrity of the original works they represent, respecting the stories and context behind the art or artefacts.
• Use licensing as an opportunity to enhance your educational mission by creating products or experiences that deepen audience engagement with your collections and exhibitions.

Whatever you do, be sure to ground your licensing in purpose, authenticity, and strategy. That’s how you’ll build a programme that’s not only profitable but also lasting and impactful.

4. Manage your digital rights

Licensing in the digital space offers exciting opportunities to expand your institution’s reach and connect with broader and more diverse audiences. However, it also introduces unique challenges that require careful management to ensure your museum’s brand, content, and intellectual property remain protected.

The digital domain presents a complex landscape, where licensed content can be easily reproduced, shared, or manipulated across various online platforms. This makes it imperative to approach digital licensing with vigilance and foresight.

One of the most effective ways to manage digital rights is by developing a style guide that outlines how your institution’s brand, imagery, and content should be used across all licensing platforms. The style guide should include:

• Logo usage. Provide specifications on how your logo should appear, including size, colour, and positioning on digital products. For example, you might specify that the logo should always be placed in the top-left corner with a clear margin around it.
• Image resolution. Define the acceptable resolution for digital images and artwork to maintain quality. This is crucial to avoid pixelation, especially when the images are scaled for various devices and screen sizes.
• Content formats. Specify which formats (e.g., .jpg, .png, .mp4) are acceptable for digital licensing, ensuring compatibility across different platforms while maintaining high standards of quality.
• Brand tone and messaging. Outline how the museum’s tone should be reflected in digital content, whether it’s formal, educational, or creative. This ensures that the licensed products maintain the museum’s narrative and ethos across platforms.

Not only does a comprehensive style guide reinforce your brand identity, but it also ensures brand consistency across all digitally licensed content, whether it’s an educational video, a merchandise item, or an interactive app.

5. Implement licensing controls

To protect your digital rights, you need solid licensing controls in place. This ensures your intellectual property is used properly and within the terms of your agreements. Here are a few tips:

• Use secure platforms. Invest in digital licensing platforms that help track and manage your licenses. These tools monitor asset usage, enforce terms, and store agreements safely.
• Monitor usage. Keep an eye on how your content is being used across the web. For example, if a partner is licensed to use an image, ensure it’s not being repurposed without permission.
• Adopt Digital Rights Management (DRM). DRM is key to protecting your digital content. It stops unauthorised copying, sharing, and altering of your assets, and also encrypts your files, making it tough for anyone to misuse or replicate them without permission. Plus, for products like e-books or digital images, DRM ensures that only licensed buyers can access and use the content.

6. Leverage data and insights

Last but certainly not least, don’t underestimate the power of data and analytics. Pay close attention to the insights they provide and use them to your advantage.

By regularly tracking sales performance, you can identify trends and uncover top-performing products.

And whatever you do, don’t forget to speak directly to your valuable customers. Ultimately, analysing consumer behaviour through feedback, web analytics, and social media offers valuable guidance for refining your product development and marketing strategies.

Museum Licensing at Its Best

1. The Metropolitan Museum of Art (AKA The Met)

The Met is a powerhouse in brand licensing, thanks to its world-class collection and global fame, which inspire a wide range of products.

In 2024, The Met teamed up with Pacific Licensing Studio to expand its iconic brand into Greater China, Southeast Asia, and South Korea. This partnership opened the door for premium lifestyle products that bring the museum’s art, culture, and history directly to consumers, all while boosting its international presence.

This collaboration not only helps The Met create innovative, art-infused products but also offers unique experiences that allow people to connect with its vast collections in fresh and exciting ways.

2. Tate Gallery

Tate Gallery’s partnership with Dr. Martens is a standout example of successful heritage licensing.

By licensing William Blake’s artwork, they created a unique line of boots, which was launched in-store, online, and through high-profile window displays like those on Carnaby Street. This collaboration brought Tate’s iconic art to a new audience, expanding their reach to consumers beyond the gallery. Meanwhile, Dr. Martens leveraged exclusive artwork to diversify their designs and stay on trend.

This partnership highlights how effective licensing can connect brands with innovative products that resonate with modern tastes, all while preserving the legacy and authenticity of the original artwork.

Ready to Talk Licensing?

Museum licensing can help institutions of all sizes transform their unique collections into powerful revenue streams and new outreach opportunities.

By licensing art, artefacts, and exhibitions, museums can boost their financial sustainability while expanding their reach – whether through merchandise, digital content, or educational tools. The possibilities are endless.

Ready to take your museum’s impact to the next level? At Studio Noel, we partner with brand owners and licensors to create standout experiences that inspire, engage, and drive sales.

Get in touch – we’re here to help!