The Mark Twain House & Museum

Mark Twain is an enduring symbol of America. He rose from poverty and suffered hardship and great loss, but he never lost his desire to understand and help his fellow human beings, call out wrongs, speak truth to power, give voice to those who had none, and present America to the rest of the world, warts and all.

• We preserve and present to visitors from around the world the house from which sprang most of Twain’s greatest works.
• We interpret the material legacy of Mark Twain and the Clemens family in exhibitions and through our curatorial collections.
• Through our public programs, we offer a forum for exploring and discussing issues related to politics and current events that constitute the contemporary mirror of Twain’s own passions.
• We use Twain’s philosophy, humor, and satire to engage our many audiences and to encourage critical thinking.
• We offer education programs for thousands of schoolchildren each year, furthering their knowledge of history and fostering a love of literature.
• We inspire other writers, hosting many authors each year for public programs. We are a writer’s home -- and a home for writers.

Mark Twain is a writer who forever deserves to be read and a person we should celebrate for as long as words matter.

Overarching Strategic Priority
To be a sustainable, disciplined organization that is relevant to our audiences and communities with a compelling unifying vision and a cultivation focus.

1. Audience Priority (project our mission to engage diverse and committed audiences): Develop an institutional discipline that balances our mission and our margin to engage diverse audiences in meaningful and innovative ways, focusing on Twain’s relevance and the iconic historic house.

2. Operational Priority (develop our talent, technology, processes, facility, and collections): Be disciplined—with clear goals and accountability—in effectively developing and utilizing our talent, technology, facility, and collections—to enhance mission impact and support strategic priorities.

3. Competitive Positioning/Marketing Priority (amplify our profile, recognition, and reach): Unify our message by clarifying a cohesive vision, brand and value proposition, and position around key initiatives to expand audience/stakeholder recognition, participation, and support.

4. Sustainability Priority (build and strategically allocate our resources): Achieve a sustainable balanced budget supported by targeted fundraising goals, increased earned revenue; and focus staff/board resources on cultivating deep and sustaining relationships with key audiences and partners to strengthen our financial position with improved capacity and reserves