May/June 2026 Preview

The Architects of Time

This special issue of Museum magazine is geared toward the 2026 AAM Annual Meeting & MuseumExpo theme, “The Museum Odyssey.” Learn about innovative educational programs and exhibitions in storied museum spaces through a past, present, and future lens, and the work that is making stories and collections even more accessible and relevant to their communities.

Preview select articles from this issue of Museum below. Individual and Museum Tier 2, Tier 3, Tier 3+, Ally, and Industry Members can access the full digital edition.

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In this issue:

From the President

It’s About Time

The history and evolution of museums shows just how much they inspire exploration of history, art, science, and ideas for all of us. “The Museum Odyssey,” this year’s theme for the Annual Meeting & MuseumExpo, highlights museums’ journeys through time—past, present, and future.

» Read the full column from AAM President & CEO Marilyn Jackson.

Meeting the Moment: Creative Aging Programs for Older Adults

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by Marjorie Schwarzer

Engagement with the arts is measurably positive for our health, and it’s especially true for older adults. Learn about a new phase of the creative aging movement in museum programming, through the work of museum educators, artists, and health-care professionals.

Achieving the Unforgettable: Engaging the Senses with Whole-Body Learning

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by Tedi Asher, Matthew McNerney, and Sarah Cole

Whole-Body Learning highlights five facets of memorable experiences, from multisensory to the emotional and novel. Get practical applications for Whole-Body Learning in museums, aiming to help visitors recall experiences more vividly later on.

Entering the Vault: Making Collections Storage Visible

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by Nancy Bateman

For a time, the National Building Museum collected rapidly, and with limited staff. Recently, with much of the collection was uncatalogued and inaccessible, they launched a plan digitize, constructed an open “Visible Vault” gallery for the public, and embraced object-based learning.

Learning From the Next Generation: Transforming Museums with Youth-Driven Storytelling

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by Paul Best and Rorujorona Ferrell

Two innovative, youth-driven storytelling and community-centered programs at the Penn Museum are transforming museums into spaces where identity, belonging, and community voice are shaped while empowering youth to lead in museum contexts.

School’s in Session…in the Museum: A Four-Day Immersion in Museum-Based Learning

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by Leslie Hayes

One of the nation’s oldest museums, The New York Historical, offers NYC sixth graders a four-day, museum-based residency program. Learn how they did it, with guidance for museums considering similar offerings that can meet educational needs equitably.

May/June 2026 issue

By the Numbers:
The Museum Odyssey

45%

of frequent museum-goers want mental time travel to the future.

77%

of museum-goers hope to experience awe, wonder, and/or beauty during their visit.

75%

of frequent museum-goers want mental time travel to the past.

Sources: 2022 and 2025 Annual Survey of Museum-Goers (AAM + Wilkening Consulting)

» Learn about the Annual Survey of Museum-Goers. Stay tuned for information about the 2027 survey!