-
Make No Little Plans and Other Bad Advice
The Springfield Art Museum is in the middle of a major renovation. It’s been complicated. One of the best pieces of advice I received early in the Springfield Art Museum’s construction project was to get my own hard hat. Bring it on … -
Small Space, Big Impact
The Nora Eccles Harrison Museum of Art has invested in high impact design of its space to enable 21st-century learning. The museum experience of 40 years ago is easy to imagine—a friendly front desk, a map of current exhibitions, and … -
Right-Sized Futures
An architect offers advice for museums of all sizes on master planning. As an architect and planner who has spent many years working with museums of all types and sizes, I’ve heard it all when it comes to master planning. “We’ve done … -
Surviving Your Museum Renovation
The Museum at Texas Tech underwent a major renovation and an addition and lived to tell the tale. Construction and renovation are not things most museum professionals normally deal with. Odds are most of us will not be constructing a new … -
Historic Walls, Modern Vision
The Museum of Early Trades & Crafts built a roadmap for restoration, expansion, and community impact. What makes a museum a museum? Is it the collection, the educational impact, or the relationship it cultivates with its community? … -
Sustainability by Design
The Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History is developing a museum-led model for people, planet, prosperity, and programs. At The Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History (The Wright), our mission is to “open minds … -
From the President: Why Design Matters
I spent several formative years at the Chicago Architecture Center, helping create programs, exhibitions, and tours that inspired people to better understand and care for the built environment around them. We often returned to a line from … -
Welcome to TrendsWatch: Questioning Assumptions
“The problem with assumptions is that we believe they are the truth.” — Miguel Angel Ruiz, Mexican author and spiritual guide Hello and welcome to the 2026 edition of TrendsWatch, AAM’s forecasting report, which we publish as the first … -
From the President: A Better Tomorrow
For 14 years, Elizabeth Merritt has authored the annual TrendsWatch report, identifying emerging signals that could reshape museums in the years ahead. During her leadership of the Center for the Future of Museums, one thing has become … -
Short Take: Cultivating Compassion
“Compassion is a bridge, helping us move forward by finding common ground and understanding across divides. Our collective decision to act with compassion is the antidote to division, polarization, and hate.” …
Museum Magazine
Visit Museum Magazine’s homepage to learn more about this award-winning publication, preview articles from recent issues, and find out how you can receive Museum magazine!
Upcoming Events
-
2026 AIC & CAC Annual Meeting & Conference
Event Date:Presented by: American Institute for Conservation -
Landing a Board Seat: What It Really Means to Serve
Event Date:Presented by: Southeastern Museums Conference in partnership with the Association of Academic Museums & Galleries -
Museums & Schools Summit
Event Date:Presented by: MuseumNext -
Latest Stories from AAM
Affinity Community Town Hall On-Demand Program
Category:
On-Demand Programs
The American Alliance of Museums is launching new affinity communities in 2026! Organized …
Gettin’ To Know You: The Art of Networking
Category:
On-Demand Programs
As museums and public history organizations navigate tightening budgets, political …
Scholarship Opportunity! Learn Museum Foresight
Category:
Center for the Future of Museums Blog
I am happy to announce that applications are now open for the CFM Foresight Scholarship, …