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Empathy Interventions: Mia Experiments with Cultivating Empathy in Museum Visitors
Can the visual arts foster empathy and understanding? From our experiences as art museum educators, we believe they can, but there is little empirical research to support this theory. So, in 2017, the Minneapolis Institute of Art (Mia), … -
It Is Time to Include AANHPIs In Museum Diversity, Equity, Accessibility, and Inclusion Efforts
Over the past year, we have all witnessed the increasing acts of hate and violence against Asian Americans, particularly against women and the elderly. Some have tried to cast these incidents as a new trend. Yet, for those of us who … -
Thriving as a Virtual Museum: The National Museum of American Jewish History’s Playbook
Like many museums, the National Museum of American Jewish History (NMAJH)’s doors have remained closed to the public since March 2020. Our physical doors, that is. Our museum is very much open through virtual offerings—and we’re happy to … -
Up Close and Personal: Finding Connection through Virtual Education Programs
My husband is a registered nurse, so his impact in our current reality is immediate and tangible. He has been working with patients since the beginning of the pandemic, and now is teaching nursing students to administer the vaccine. But … -
Essential Evaluators: Answering COVID Questions
Essential Evaluators seeks to gather evaluators in a common space to dialogue, reflect, and support each other in a world upended by COVID-19 and the Black Lives Matter protest movement. This is a time of uncertain and unknown expectations … -
An “Empathy Bridge” Helps the Woodland Park Zoo Drive Social Change
Any cultural institution can benefit from understanding and fostering meaningful, emotional experiences for our audiences, especially those whose missions emphasize individual, community, or societal change. For zoos and aquariums, this … -
Using Local Data to More Fully Understand the Visitor Experience During COVID
At Thanksgiving Point Institute—a farm, garden, and museum complex in Lehi, Utah—we’ve been wondering how visitor agendas are changing during the current health crisis. Understanding visitor motivations informs our efforts to be inclusive … -
Obtaining Government Funding for Education Programs
In this series of posts, EdCom’s Trends Committee is taking a deeper look at emerging phenomena identified in the 2020 edition of TrendsWatch from the Center for the Future of Museums. In this post, they dive into government funding, with … -
How the Frazier History Museum Is “Bridging the Divide” in Its City
The Frazier History Museum is located on Main Street in Downtown Louisville, Kentucky, at the corner of Ninth Street. What makes our address significant, historically significant, is that Ninth Street has long been known as the “Ninth … -
Do-it-Yourself Exhibits: How the National Museum of Natural History Created a New Model for Reaching People in Their Communities
The Challenge Years before the world was thrown into the coronavirus pandemic, the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History (NMNH) sought to increase awareness about the concept of One Health—the interconnectedness of human, animal, …
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Museums and Censorship: A 2026 Annual Survey of Museum-Goers Data Story
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Alliance Blog
This visual Data Story is based on findings from the 2026 Annual Survey of Museum-Goers, …
Accessibility by Design: Empowering Staff for Human-Centered Change
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On-Demand Programs
What does it mean to build a truly human-centered museum? This webinar supports staff at …
October Advocacy Alert: Smithsonian Protection Bill, Member Week Advocacy Programming, and more
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Advocacy Alert
Advocacy Alert – October 2, 2026 In this Alliance Advocacy Alert: Smithsonian Protection …