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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.
The Messy and Vulnerable Truth about Trust and Museums
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 …
The Carbon Inventory Project and Collective Climate Action in the US Cultural Sector
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 …
In Good Relation: Reimagining the Grant Process for Community-Based Projects
In recent years, there have been renewed calls for museums to adopt more inclusive and equitable practices, with significant changes to the ways we work and collaborate at all levels of our …
AAM’s Strategic Framework: A Progress Report
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
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
“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
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 …
How to Retain Participants in Visitor Research Studies
Research and evaluation projects allow museums to engage their communities, visitors, and non-visitors in various ways, but without anyone to participate in them, we are left with only our …
Elevating Sustainability Efforts in Museum Dining Operations
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
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
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
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 …