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Change is in the air!

By Stephanie Shapiro

PIC-Green In the 2007 Application to form the Professional Interest Committee on Green Museums, John W. Jacobsen wrote, “…over at least the next decade, we have a lot of work to do, and many challenges that require creative innovations. …
With Liberty and Justice for All!

By Laura Lott

One hundred and thirty-three years after the Statue of Liberty first arrived in New York harbor, to the day, my husband and I took our daughter to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island on Father’s Day. Our almost-six-year-old has been …
What Small Museums Need (& Don’t)

By Allison Titman

Over the course of 2016, ten small museums participated in an AAM pilot project called the Small Museum Accreditation Academy. The Academy, which was developed through a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts, was designed to help …
Meeting Teachers Where They Are

By Meg Davis

As an elementary school teacher in New York City, I LOVED field trips. In my final year of teaching, I was lucky enough to find a school that not only encouraged them but purposely made “experiential learning” part of the curriculum. My …
What It Takes to Engage Teachers with Digital Museum Resources: Five Lessons Learned

By Michelle Knovic Smith

Wherever you are on the journey to digitize museum collections, there are questions to address regarding who will use these millions of digital assets, and how. Teachers and their students seem to be obvious audiences, but what does it …
Taking Chances: 6 Strategies to Encourage Risk-Taking in Exhibit Design

By David Whitemyer, AIA

Attractive and engaging exhibition projects are born from more than just good designers and interesting subjects. Successful projects are also the result of teams and leaders who take risks. Risks may include bucking industry trends, …
Difficult but Necessary

By Laura Lott

I am privileged to be part of many special museum events—openings, re-openings, milestone anniversaries and the like. Each is special—for the museum; for the hardworking boards, staffs, and volunteers; and for the proud local communities. …
When an Artist Becomes Director

By Scott Stulen

I want to change people’s lives through art. Simple as that. I thought I would accomplish this goal as an artist, but as my career progressed, doors opened in a different direction. I quickly discovered that I could impact more people in a …
Take time to reflect on the AAM Annual Meeting

By Seema Rao

Museum workers often fulfill singular positions in their institutions. The annual American Alliance of Museums (AAM) conference is one chance to meet up with global peers. These tribespeople understand the nuances of the work, and so …
How to Take Part in the Annual Meeting Even if You Can’t be in Arizona

By Cecile Shellman

The 2018 AAM Annual Meeting & MuseumExpo is a time to learn from and with thousands of your closest friends—museum enthusiasts, professionals, and newcomers to the scene. The scene changes from year to year within the US—at times …