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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.” … -
Securing the Future of the Nonprofit Sector
How can we defend the nonpartisan nature of nonprofit status and empower the public to support our work? “The work that nonprofits do is like air, and no one appreciates air until it’s gone.” — Vu Le, writer, speaker, and activist The … -
The Looming Leadership Crisis
How can museums successfully develop the next generation of leaders? “Success without a successor is a failure.” — John C. Maxwell, American author and pastor People in leadership positions across the for-profit and nonprofit sectors … -
Trend Alert: Museum Insurance and Climate Disruptions
Climate risk is disrupting the insurance industry at an accelerating pace, affecting the cost of insurance for museums and, for some institutions in high-risk areas, making it difficult to find coverage at all. This article originally … -
For Your Radar: Outrage Fatigue and Model Collapse
A brief guide to terms that may be popping up in your newsfeeds. Outrage fatigue: a state of emotional exhaustion, apathy, cynicism, or hopelessness caused by over-exposure to news or events that provoke anger or disgust. In the evolution … -
The Philanthropic Future
How can museums build a healthy stream of charitable support? “Philanthropy is an exercise of power. The question is not whether it is good or bad, but how we ensure it aligns with democratic values.” — Robert Reich, American professor, … -
Reading the Room: Designing effective exhibitions with emotional impact in mind
When museums design exhibitions with the nervous system in mind, they create more effective spaces. How can museums create emotionally powerful exhibitions that support sustained visitor engagement? How do we design spaces that … -
What Teens Want: Tips from a high school senior and museum intern
Research shows that teens want to engage with museums—if they provide the right programming. In today’s social media era of shortened attention spans and fast-paced trends, teens can see museums as out of touch and antiquated. But …
Museum Magazine
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Upcoming Events
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AASLH-NCPH Joint Conference
Event Date:Presented by: American Association for State and Local History (AASLH)Providence, RI -
Digital Collections Summit
Event Date:Presented by: MuseumNext -
Creative Museums Summit
Event Date:Presented by: MuseumNext
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July Advocacy Alert: Take Action on the Proposed Rule on Federal Grants, Invite Congress Next Month, and Upcoming Webinar
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Advocacy Alert
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