Journal Article
Breaking the Mold: How the Rodin Museum Became France’s Most Financially Autonomous Cultural Institution by Sandra Kumorowski & Philippe Ravanas
International Journal of Arts Management 29(1)
This teaching case examines the Rodin Museum’s innovative economic model, combining public ownership with Auguste Rodin’s legacy of entrepreneurial independence and creative placemaking. Drawing on interviews with Cyril Duchêne, archival research, visits to Rodin museums in Paris, Philadelphia, and Shanghai, and scholarship on arts governance and entrepreneurship, it analyzes how the institution sustains most of its operating budget without government subsidies. Designed as an illustrative single-case study, it places students in the role of senior decision-makers. By leveraging legal rights to sell original bronze editions, diversifying revenue streams, implementing strategic yield management, and maintaining strong governance, the museum has become a benchmark in financially sustainable cultural management. The case highlights key dilemmas: reliance on remaining authorized bronzes, expansion of international partnerships, and balancing dynamic pricing with accessibility once reproduction rights expire. Rooted in Rodin’s entrepreneurial vision, the model offers lessons for arts administrators and policy makers navigating financial autonomy in the 21st century.