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Alliance Blog

The Alliance blog provides the museum community with a place to share stories and insights, in their own voice, reaching thousands of people across the global museum field.

AAM’s Strategic Framework: A Progress Report

By Joseph O'Neill
Whether you’re new to the museum field or have been around for decades, you’ve probably noticed that the watchword of this moment is “change.” Our museums, which have conservation in their …

Building Community and Connection: Guidelines for Museum Educators Teaching Memory Care Programs

Headshot of Beatriz Galuban
By Beatriz Galuban
In the words of renowned museum educator and empathy expert Elif Gokcigdem, “Museums are safe, informal learning spaces, uniquely equipped to help audiences explore and imagine our human …

Trusting the Process: The Collaborative Journey to Reframing a Problematic Object

Headshot of Amy Gilman
By Amy Gilman
  “Put it in storage.” “Replace it with something else.” “Put up a new label.” “Do nothing.” These were some of the solutions offered up when the Chazen Museum of Art at the University …

What Does a Curator of Sustainability Do? A Q&A with Chris Hobbs

Headshot of Adam Rozan
By Adam Rozan
In recent years, sustainability has gone from a buzzword for museums to an action step, as our organizations increasingly confront and prepare for the adverse effects of climate change on …

Elevating Sustainability Efforts in Museum Dining Operations

By Joyce Lee, Jack Fassler, Lisa Claybon
As museums encourage visitors to learn and think about what is possible, sustainability is no longer a behind-the-scenes activity. Beyond LEED-certified buildings and facilities operations, …

Museum Colleague Shoutouts for 2023

By Joseph O'Neill
Last month we asked readers of our Field Notes newsletter to share their shoutouts for outstanding museum colleagues in honor of the new year. Here were some of the responses they shared: …

Different by Design: A New, Inclusive Framework for Accessible Museum Exhibitions

By Sarah Schleuning
In January 2020, I authored a post for the Alliance Blog about speechless: different by design, an exhibition that I curated for the Dallas Museum of Art (DMA) and the High Museum of Art in …

The Museum System Upgrade: A Q&A with András Szántó

Headshot of Adam Rozan
By Adam Rozan
In the early days of COVID lockdowns, longtime cultural consultant and writer András Szántó began interviewing dozens of museum leaders around the world. As the pandemic simultaneously …

“Wait, What? Toddlers in an Art Museum?”

By Nicole Cromartie & Bailey Placzek
Caitlin Mock Wilson, a mother of two young children and a Clyfford Still Museum (CSM) member, often went to museums with her parents as a young child. When she had her own children, she …

The Top Ten Museum Junction Threads of 2022

By Joseph O'Neill
If you ever want to ask your museum peers a question, one of the best places to turn is Museum Junction, AAM’s open online discussion forum. Sometimes these questions are …

The Top Ten Alliance Blog Posts of 2022

By Joseph O'Neill
Every year, people from across the field contribute to the Alliance Blog, and new topics come to the fore as the fieldwide conversation evolves. Revisiting the posts that were most read in …
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CARE-apy: How to Measure Museum Social Impact: From Participant Recruitment to Retention

By
Category: On-Demand Programs: Audience Research & Evaluation
As the national Measurement of Museum Social Impact (MOMSI) study comes to a close, come learn how study sites navigated visitor participation in the project. Hear from three different …

Speak Up for FY 2024 Funding for Museums

AAM Logo on dark green background
By American Alliance of Museums
Category: Advocacy Alert
In this Alliance Advocacy Alert: Contact Congress: Urge Your Representative to Support OMS Funding Now! President’s Budget Request for the Federal Cultural Agencies Ask Your …

The 3 Cs of Inclusive Communications for Museums

By Minal Bopaiah & Jakob Wolf-Barnett
Category: On-Demand Programs: Diversity, Equity, Accessibility, and Inclusion
Employee expectations of leadership and organizational communications has changed significantly in the past few years. What does it take to communicate effectively with staff, particularly …

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