Diversity, Equity, Accessibility, and Inclusion

Speaking the Audience’s Language: A Q&A with James Heaton

At some point in the pandemic, I was working on a project, and I needed a museum-based definition of a term relating to audience development and museum work. I started by flipping through a …

A Growing Backlash to DEI

Elizabeth Merritt

Do you remember seeing this picture attempting to illustrate the difference between equality and equity? Now it also illustrates the latest battleground in the new culture wars. While a …

Identity, Choice, and Emotion: New Approaches to Touring

Debbi Hegstrom, Kara ZumBahlen, and Sheila McGuire

As Learning staff at the Minneapolis Institute of Art (Mia), we regularly assess our tour offerings to understand what’s working well or where we may need to find new approaches. Over the …

Neurodivergent Needs: A Q&A with ADDitude Magazine

Adam Rozan

If museums want to be welcoming and accessible, one of the areas they must consider is neurodiversity. How do the ways we process information and stimuli differ from person to person, and …

Want to Teach Diversity and Inclusion? Go Outside!

Dan Kriesberg & Camille S. Edwards

“The fresh air, sounds, and sunshine [are] peaceful.” “I can sit differently, and that helps me focus.” “We can see what we are learning about.” “[It’s] easier to reset with nature sounds.” …

Seizing the Moment: How Museum Outreach and Programming Can Champion Overlooked Communities

Deborah Ziska

Sometimes, instead of waiting for an invitation, overlooked communities will come knocking at your door. If so, is your museum ready to be fearless, seize the moment, collaborate, share …

Out of Sight: How Museums Can Harness the Blind Perspective to Enrich Visitor Experiences

Violet Rose Arma

Do blind people enjoy visiting museums? Yes and no. Cheryl Fogle-Hatch and Don Winiecki captured this complicated reality in 2020, when they conducted a survey of blind adults discussing …

Tips for Creating Accessible Museums: Universal Design and Universal Design for Learning

Violet Rose Arma

The American Alliance of Museums offers the following information from Violet Rose Arma, Curatorial Assistant & Administrative Support, University of Arizona Museum of Art. The …

The Transformative Power of Employee Activism

Tracy L. Lawrence

Museums and cultural institutions are undergoing a seismic shift, being rightly called to reassess norms and practices to address historical inequities and better reflect and serve their …

Using an Annual DEAI Report as a Tool for Transparency, Accountability, and Change

Joe Imholte

At science museums, we spend considerable time and effort instilling the notion in our visitors that mistakes are not something to shy away from, but opportunities for learning and growth. …

Disrupting Museum Behavior: An Exploration of the Art Institute of Chicago’s “Cripping the Galleries”

Emma Cieslik

On a hot Sunday afternoon, Sydney Erlikh, seated in a wheelchair, leaned against Maypril Krukowski, a woman with glasses seated on a bench. Sounds of church bells, shuffling footsteps, and …

Evidence of Things Not Seen

Jessica O'Connor

The current edition of TrendsWatch includes a “Short Take” on how our country and our sector are beginning to grapple with how to compensate descendant communities for historic harms. …

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