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Advancing DEAI in a Polarized World

Recently, we hosted a webinar with museum leaders on values-based communications for diversity, equity, accessibility, and inclusion (DEAI). While all attendees were eager to commit fully …

AAM Announces Leadership Transition

Credited with leading transformational change, President and CEO Laura Lott steps down in June For Immediate Release ARLINGTON, VA – The American Alliance of Museums (AAM), the only …

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 …

More Than Words Solidarity Statements and Action

When it comes to structural racism, museums must be honest about their past mistakes, including how they will address them and what they believe in now. Sites of Conscience members will …

Community, connection and activism at the National Museum of African Art

Ngaire Blankenberg , the new director of the Smithsonian's National Museum of African Art (), has been a consultant for museums and cultural destinations around the world. She draws on a …

The Role of the Board in Times of Crisis

This is a recorded session from the 2020 AAM Virtual Annual Meeting and MuseumExpo. As the world responds to the impacts of COVID‐19, many museums are faced with the challenge to …

Museum Boards: Ethics, Transparency, and Public Scrutiny

This is a recorded session from the 2020 AAM Virtual Annual Meeting and MuseumExpo. This session addresses the recent controversies surrounding museum trustees who have been the target of …

Hindsight is 2020: What We Learned About Leadership in a Crisis

At the height of the pandemic, as so many aspects of our professional and personal lives hung in the balance and emotions fluctuated between despair and hope, effective leadership surfaced …

The Era of the Visionary Museum Director Is Over … or It Should Be

I recall interviewing as a candidate for director positions, and "What is your vision?" was the most common question. The question requires candidates to take their limited knowledge of an …

Rethinking Our Human Resources Practices to Build a More Equitable Museum

Less than three weeks after COVID forced museums around the globe to close their doors last year, an article by Arundhati Roy in The Financial Times titled “The Pandemic is a Portal” …

Strengthening Our Core: How Defining Shared Values Can Revitalize Teams

All aquariums, zoos, and museums have core values—beliefs, philosophies, and principles that drive the organization. These values support the organization’s vision, shape its culture, and …

How to Master Humble Learning, a Requirement for Cultural Competence

Among dancers, there is a common saying that even an advanced dancer can always work on their basic step. I have been a salsa and Latin dancer for over a decade, but when I attend a …
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Latest Stories from AAM

A Human-Centered Approach to Guest Services

Category: Alliance Blog
Compared to other areas of museum work, guest services (or visitor services, as it’s sometimes known) often gets overlooked for the impact it has on community-building. This may be because, …

#AAM2023 General Session

Category: Alliance Blog
A recording of the 2023 AAM Annual Meeting & MuseumExpo General Session is coming soon. Below, find the full transcript of remarks from Joyce Tsai, Gary Steuer, Dawn DiPrince, Chevy …

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