2023 – Page 14 – American Alliance of Museums

From Cultural Appropriation to Cultural Appreciation at the Center for Design and Material Culture

By Sarah Anne Carter, Carolee Dodge Francis, Carolyn Jenkinson, Joseph Jean, and Dakota Mace

Lessons from the Center for Design and Material Culture at the University of Wiscons…
Love in the Time of Climate Crisis at the Denver Botanic Gardens

By Jen Tobias

The case for using emotion and metaphor in exhibit…
Steering Your Museum’s Search for a Volunteer Management System

By Elisa Kosarin and Abbey Earich

This tipsheet was developed by Elisa Kosarin, CVA, a Volunteer Engagement Specialist at TwentyHats, and Abbey Earich, Lead Volunteer Coordinator for the Smithsonian Office of Visitor Services (OVS). It is based on Abbey’s experience …
Handling, Storing, and Displaying Ammunition in Museums

By David Kennedy

The following information was developed with the assistance of David Kennedy, Curator of Collections and Exhibits, United States Marshals Museum There are many museums and historic houses and sites that hold weapons and the corresponding …
4 Ideas to Create Linguistic Accessibility at Museums

By Irma Cedeno Verdon

Though the word “accessibility” has often been equated with giving access to those with disabilities, it can also mean something broader. Accessibility means looking at everything we create through the lens of inclusivity and diversity and …
AAM Announces Leadership Transition

By American Alliance of Museums

Credited with leading transformational change, President and CEO Laura Lott steps down in June For Immediate Release ARLINGTON, VA – The American Alliance of Museums (AAM), the only organization representing the entire scope of the museum …
CARE-apy: Belonging in Cultural Institutions

By American Alliance of Museums

Approaches, Findings & Future Directions for the Field What does belonging look like in cultural institutions? We’ll share how two projects worked to understand belonging – across a diversity of institutions and visitor perspectives. …
At the Barnes Foundation, Internal Internships Support Frontline Staff

By Scarlett McCahill & Erica Simonitis

What can be even better than a museum making a successful hire? Keeping the experienced, well-trained staff it already has. The Alliance’s soon-to-be-released latest snapshot survey of our sector documents that half of museums are …
The Messy and Vulnerable Truth about Trust and Museums

By Dawn DiPrince

You could almost hear the cheers across the museum field early in March when Colleen Dilenschneider’s email hit inboxes announcing that “More People Trust Museums Now Than Before the Pandemic.” The numbers are compelling—nearly 75 …
The Carbon Inventory Project and Collective Climate Action in the US Cultural Sector

By Danielle Sakowski

The energy use of buildings is one of the largest sources of carbon emissions worldwide, at an estimated 40 percent of total emissions, and cultural institutions are no exception. The buildings that house your museum, zoo, aquarium, …