Thanks to a recent renovation, AAM’s community forum Museum Junction is bigger and better than ever, with a host of new features and a growing list of nearly thirty branch communities in categories like emerging professionals, education and interpretation, and collections stewardship. Whether you want to pose a question to the general museum community, start a discussion with members of your specialty, or reach people who share the same identity or affinity, this virtual network is your go-to destination for finding your community of practice.

The most active threads on the platform this year give just a taste of the important, useful, and entertaining conversations to be had:

1. Exploring Best Practices for Accessibility in Museum Exhibits

By Marcos Andrew

“I have been diving deep into the world of museum exhibit design, particularly focusing on accessibility aspects. It’s crucial for us to create inclusive spaces that everyone can enjoy, regardless of their abilities. I wanted to start a discussion here to share insights, best practices, and challenges faced when designing accessible museum exhibits.”

2. The Best Piece of Advice About Museum Work You’ve Gotten

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By Rachel Alschuler

“I am wondering what the best piece of advice about museum work you have gotten? I learned that one of the most important things is to leave a job/ museum in better shape than you found it so that the next person it set up well. I think it is something I intend to carry with me always.”

3. What Would You Do If a Visitor Asked a Question You Don’t Know the Answer To?

By Rachel Alschuler

“I am wondering what any museum professional would do if a visitor asked a question you don’t know the answer to. I am interested in the response and that it is ok not to know but to always be open to learning.”

4. AI as a Tool for Creating Exhibitions

By Lars Wohlers

“Currently I am trying to get a better handle on what AI means/can do for exhibit design. If you have any experience or you know any interesting article/book regarding this topic, I would love to hear from you.”

5. Audio Description QR Codes

By Maggie Mills

“I’m about to print a large-scale fabric installation and have QR codes linked to audio descriptions of some of the images. I’m wondering if anyone knows what the standard size of the QR codes should be. They are not separate and will be embedded in the imagery. I’m trying to strike a balance between making them big enough to be accessible but not so big that they detract from the installation and make things visually confusing.”

6. Label Standardization

By Hanna McKellar

“I am looking for some resources on museum label standardization – we are hoping to find some sort of template so we can easily create same-size labels without hand cropping each individual label. I would also love to see any label policies/procedures regarding labels if people are willing to share!”

7. Collections Database to the Cloud: Yes or No

By Sherry Peglow

“Please contact me if your institution is AAM accredited and you’ve moved your collections database to cloud storage…or tell me why you haven’t.”

8. iPad Installation Question

By Robin Owen

“We are working with a history museum in New York on two AR experiences with volumetric video, designed for two small spaces. The original plan was for visitors to view the experiences on their own devices triggered by QR codes […] but the plan has serious drawbacks in terms of presenting volumetric video and the amount and quality of WiFi connectivity that will need to be provisioned. So, we’re exploring other options.

One would be to have the museum provide 3-4 tethered touchscreen devices like an iPad, loaded with the AR application, and possibly mounted on a gimbal, that visitors could use to observe the AR experience in each room. For visitor flow and other reasons this would be a better solution.

I’m looking for examples of this kind of installation that we could tell them about, or even better, show them, so they can see for themselves how this could work.”

9. Abandoned Property & Unwanted Donations

By Gretchen Stromberg

“I’m interested in hearing from other institutions if they have experience with unsolicited ‘donations’ being dropped off at their museum (with no documentation) or sent to the museum by mail. Since such items are then technically in the possession of the museum and they are not wanted by the museum, what rights does the museum have to do with the items? Is this a case where abandoned property laws must be followed?”

10. Books: Any Noteworthy Additions in Your Collection?

By Grace Belizario

“I’m interested in learning about any recent or notable books you’ve encountered, whether within your museum’s collection or through your professional or personal explorations. What have you discovered lately that stands out, and why does it hold significance for you or your institution? Whether it’s a rare find, a groundbreaking research publication, or a book that complements your interests or museum’s mission, please share your insights.”