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Join Us, LIVE FROM LA!
The recent wave of grant cancellations and other funding disruptions mean that some museum people have had to cancel their plans to attend the AAM Annual Meeting & MuseumExpo this week. And I know that, even in the best in the best of … -
Cultivating Optimism: Signals of Hope
I’ve been on a deep dive into the world of optimism lately, looking for inspiration I might share to bolster our collective mental resilience in the face of massive disruptions. As I suspected, research shows that cultivating optimism … -
Revisiting Wild Times: The Loss of Nonprofit Status
In 2018 I published a scenario titled “Wild Times” set in a version of 2040 in which museums lost their nonprofit status due to a combination of political attacks, economic stress, and a global pandemic. At the time, I emphasized its … -
Your Guide to the Future at AAM 2025
AAM’s annual meeting is a gigantic buffet of content, and I know from experience that navigating the offerings can be somewhat overwhelming. In this post I offer one specialized menu of sessions related to issues I’m watching with a … -
TrendsWatch: Download, share, and go deeper
The 2025 edition of TrendsWatch, AAM’s annual forecasting report, is now available as a free PDF download! In this post I’ll tell you how to snag your copy and preview some opportunities to delve more deeply into this year’s topics, … -
Special Screening of Repatriation Documentary at AAM 2025
I’m excited to announce that AAM has arranged a special showing of the 2024 documentary Dahomey at the upcoming AAM Annual Meeting in Los Angeles. Dahomey, directed by French Senegalese filmmaker Mati Diop, explores the repatriation of 26 … -
Against Efficiency
On occasion, I use this space to comment on norms and practices that I feel do active harm to our sector and our peers. (See, for example, my short rant on “quiet quitting” and the pernicious effects of workplace heroism.) Today I’m going … -
Living in a Wild Future
In March 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic upended the world for Americans and American museums, my job shifted from focusing on the far future to the immediate present. As museum leaders struggled with urgent decisions about keeping people … -
How to Face the Future, Cultivate Optimism, and Defy Dystopia
Over the past month I’ve been immersed in conversations with directors, staff, independent professionals, funders, and association staff, all trying to find a way forward in the face of the massive uncertainty created by the new … -
Strengthen Your Museum with Data
The past few weeks have many of us feeling uncertain about the future. I’m writing to remind you of an opportunity to reduce some of that uncertainty with cold, hard facts. Since 2020, AAM has partnered with Wilkening Consulting to provide …
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Latest Stories from AAM
November Advocacy Alert: URGENT: Take Action on IMLS Funding Legislation Vote, National Survey Reveals Alarming Downturn, and more
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Advocacy Alert
Advocacy Alert – November 14, 2025 In this Alliance Advocacy Alert: URGENT ACTION …
Data for Sustaining Hope in Uncertain Times
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On-Demand Programs
Transcript Susie Wilkening: Good afternoon or good morning, depending where you are …
Social Experiences and Museums, Part Four: A 2025 Annual Survey of Museum-Goers Data Story
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Alliance Blog
This visual Data Story is based on findings from the 2025 Annual Survey of Museum-Goers, …