Posts
Facilities
Explore dozens of articles and member resources on financial sustainability in museums.
The Case for Digital Facility Reports
Facility management is one of the core elements of running a museum. As AAM’s core standards say, it is “incumbent upon [museums] to ensure the safety of their staff, visitors and …
How Australian Art Museums Are Protecting Their Collections From Fire Threats
In this article for Observer, Helen Holmes highlights the ways in which Australian art museums are responding to the country’s destructive bushfires that broke out late last year. “While …
Serving Broader Audiences, Museums Engage Communities with Public Space
Many of today’s museum leaders recognize a need to engage more closely with the public, and a related desire to make their facilities and programs more flexible and valuable. In order to …
Let it Bloom: Reconstructing a hurricane-stricken historic garden
Like many museum professionals, I am drawn to the idea that objects and places connect us to cultures throughout history. We handle the works entrusted to our institutions with extreme …
When It Comes to Protecting Collections, One Size Does Not Fit All
“Without deviation from the norm, progress is not possible.” —Frank Zappa Too hot? Too cold? Too dry? Too humid? What is that perfect balance? Those responsible for the care of collections …
Leveraging MAP for Capacity Building: The Sierra Mono Museum experience
The Sierra Mono Museum and Cultural Center—a small, rural, nonprofit museum set in the California foothills just south of Yosemite National Park—is today undergoing a one-million-dollar …
Welcoming Service Dogs to Your Museum
Service dogs are becoming more common as the years go on, and as museum professionals it can be a challenge to welcome them in among our collections. We worry about hair and dander, …
Reflections on the Historic House Summit from Scholarship Attendee Sarah Ortiz-Monasterio
On February 3-5, 2019, AAM’s Historic Houses and Sites and Environment and Climate networks hosted a rare convening of experts at Vizcaya Museum and Gardens in Miami, Florida, for …
Collaborating with Emergency Responders to Protect Cultural Heritage
Protecting cultural heritage collections is crucial to preserving our nation’s history, sustaining the economy, and fostering resilience so that communities can respond to and recover from …
How We Maximized Our Museum Building’s Impact on Human and Environmental Health
Abundant research demonstrates the efficacy of a building’s design to enhance and support human and environmental health. Peer-reviewed professional studies in journals such as Indoor and …
Reflections on the Historic House Summit from Scholarship Attendee Abigail Winslow
On February 3-5, 2019, AAM’s Historic Houses and Sites and Environment and Climate networks hosted a rare convening of experts at Vizcaya Museum and Gardens in Miami, Florida, for …
New Study Offers Clues to Dominance of Curve-Filled Museum Designs
Why do so many museum buildings have curving, rounded forms rather than rectangular ones? It might be more than an arbitrary preference. On Smithsonian.com, Meilan Solly examines several …