How Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum Modernized Membership Delivery with Digital Cards

What they found with MembershipAnywhere transformed the way they deliver and manage memberships entirely.

The Challenge

For years, the museum was hand-printing plastic membership cards and mailing them to members one by one. The process was slow, the printers were fragile and expensive to maintain, and the team frequently fielded calls from members who had misplaced their cards and needed replacements. On top of that, managing and mailing guest passes alongside membership cards added another layer of complexity to an already time-consuming process.

“We were hand printing plastic membership cards and mailing them. It was time consuming and the printers were fragile and expensive,” explains the team at Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum.

With members residing across all 50 states and several countries and approximately 50% living locally in Hawaii the museum needed a faster, more reliable way to get membership cards and guest passes into members’ hands without the delays and costs of physical printing and mailing.

Why MembershipAnywhere

After meeting virtually with several companies, the Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum team was clear on their choice. MembershipAnywhere stood out for the maturity and completeness of its product offering it wasn’t just a digital card solution, it was a fully developed membership management platform ready to handle the museum’s needs from day one.

“We met virtually with several companies. We felt that MembershipAnywhere had the most mature product offering,” the team shared.

A Smooth Transition

The museum had been discussing a move to digital cards and guest passes for several years. It took patience from those who championed the change, but once the decision was made, the rollout for the team was seamless.

For the small number of members who were less comfortable with digital technology, the museum found a simple, human solution continuing to accommodate them with physical cards on a case-by-case basis.

“Onboarding and rollout for our team was very smooth. We had a small number of members who were digitally uncomfortable and we continue to accommodate them with physical cards,” the team noted.

The Results

The impact was immediate and meaningful:

• Card and guest pass delivery time dropped from 2 weeks to just 2 days a transformational improvement in member experience
• Issuance is significantly faster, freeing staff from time-consuming printing and mailing tasks
• Staff time has been redirected to higher priority work, with the operational burden of physical card and guest pass management largely eliminated
• Members across all 50 states and internationally can now receive and download their cards and guest passes almost instantly
• Staff personally meet members face to face at the front desk to help them download their cards and those who initially needed guidance almost always end up enjoying the experience
• The team continues to patiently assist digitally challenged members, and those initial skeptics often end up embracing the technology once guided through it

“The time saving is significant and has freed staff for higher priority tasks.”

The Standout Moment: Members Downloading Cards Before They Land

One moment perfectly captures the value of digital membership cards for Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum. Visitors from the mainland and beyond now purchase their memberships online before boarding a flight to Hawaii. By the time they check into their hotel, their digital membership cards and guest passes are ready to download.

“We have people purchase a membership online before getting on a plane to visit Hawaii. They are able to download their cards and guest passes before they leave their hotel room the next morning.”

That kind of instant, frictionless experience simply wasn’t possible with physical cards and it reflects exactly the kind of modern membership journey today’s visitors expect.

Looking Ahead

Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum’s experience with MembershipAnywhere is a testament to what happens when a historic institution embraces modern tools without leaving anyone behind. By accommodating digital holdouts while delivering a 21st-century experience for the majority, they’ve struck the right balance for their diverse, nationwide membership base.

“It is a 21st century solution and we left the 20th century over two decades ago,” the team concluded.

For other museums and cultural institutions considering the move, the message from Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum is clear: your members will embrace it overwhelmingly, the few who hesitate can be accommodated, and patience with the reluctant ones often turns skeptics into converts.

“The solution will be overwhelmingly embraced by your membership. The handful of members who reject it can be accommodated on a case by case basis  and many who initially resist can be encouraged to try it when you are patient with them.”

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