Navigating Partisan Tensions
This recording is from the Future of Museums Summit held November 1-2, 2023. The ongoing nationwide political climate and the evolving “culture wars” are resonating deeply within museums, influencing not only their operations …
What Does it Mean to Trust a Museum?
Last September, AAM released Museums and Trust 2021, a survey that measured how museums were performing during a time of record public distrust in a wide range of institutions, from news outlets to the government. As with any good …
Applying Art History to Workplace Safety: Saving Lives and Growing Revenue at the Toledo Museum of Art
Over the course of its distinguished 120-year history of art education, the Toledo Museum of Art (TMA) has offered classes that extend beyond simple drawing and painting into topics ranging from shop window design to robotics. As unusual …
What Does It Mean to be Trustworthy?
On September 30, the Alliance released Museums and Trust 2021, the latest research to measure public trust in US museums. It was reassuring, though not surprising, that the results confirm museums continue to be highly trusted. However, …
A Q&A with Dirk Hiscock, Designer of This Year’s Winner for Excellence in Publication Design
After reviewing hundreds of entries every year, the jury for AAM’s annual Museum Publications Design Competition awards only one publication with the Frances Smyth-Ravenel Prize for Excellence in Publication Design, recognizing it as the …
From the President and CEO: Adapting to Community Needs
This article originally appeared in the November/December 2021 issue of Museum magazine, a benefit of AAM membership. Distrust and skepticism in many of our country’s institutions is increasing, making the fragility of trust painfully …
Point of View: Museums Must Be More
This article originally appeared in the November/December 2021 issue of Museum magazine, a benefit of AAM membership. ICOM’s definition of “museum” needs to take into account how the practice has changed and where it is heading. For the …
Exploring Museums and Trust 2021
The 2019 edition of TrendsWatch took a deep dive into the topic of trust, summarizing the global “trust deficit” and its effect on society. The subject was of particular importance to museums because, as a sector, museums had bucked that …
Museums and Trust 2021
Museums consistently rank among the most trusted institutions in the US. Research commissioned by AAM in 2001 found almost 9 out of 10 Americans find museums to be trustworthy—and no other institution rated a similar level of trust. …
Museums Can Renew America Through the Semiquincentennial
Though it may still feel like a long way off, the United States’ 250th anniversary is rapidly approaching. Right now, the US Semiquincentennial Commission, federal agencies, state history organizations, and individual museums throughout …
