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Dropping Off: The Blessings and Curses of Doorstep Donations

By Laura Donnelly-Smith

This article originally appeared in the May/June 2011 edition of Museum magazine. At the Idaho State Historical Museum in Boise, a man walked up to the information desk one afternoon clutching a cardboard box and looking agitated. He …
Why Is the Form 990 So Important?

By Marsha Shaines

This article originally appeared in the March/April 2011 issue of Museum magazine, a benefit of AAM membership. The revised Form 990 is much more than a tax document—it’s your museum’s annual autobiography. Because the Form 990 is readily …
Full Spectrum: Addressing the Needs of Kids with Autism

By Lisa Jo Rudy

This article originally appeared in the March/April 2011 edition of the Museum magazine. An average sixth-grade class is touring your galleries. Most of the children are only mildly interested, but one or two are not only intrigued but …
The Future In The Stars: An Interview With Neil Degrasse Tyson

By American Alliance of Museums

This article originally appeared in the March/April 2011 edition of the Museum magazine. Museum director, astrophysicist and television personality. There are not many who claim to be all three at the same time. Neil deGrasse Tyson, the …
Going Beyond: What Does Universal Design Look Like?

By American Alliance of Museums

Without a doubt, universal design and accessibility impact the exhibitions and public programs that museums produce. But how do you integrate those principles into your exhibits an…
Crack Warp Shrink Flake: A New Look At Conservation Standards

By Pamela Hatchfield

This article originally appeared in the January/February 2011 edition of Museum magazine. In the high humidity of summer, bronzes erupt with powdery green corrosion and paper becomes speckled with mold. Droplets of liquid form on glass or …
Mother Lode: Five Ultra Moms and Why You want Them to Visit Your Museum

By Susie Wilkening

This article originally appeared in the January/February 2011 edition of Museum magazine. Moms, the research shows, are a tough audience, hard to please and difficult to engage unless the children are involved. Parental behavior is passed …
Magic Bus: Museum Programs for School Audiences: The Basics

By Kim Fortney

This article originally appeared in the January/February 2011 edition of Museum magazine. There are many kinds of museums and most offer programs for schools. For some museums, these programs are a quaint addition to exhibitions or …
20 Years and Counting: James Pepper Henry’s Multifaceted View of NAGPRA

By American Alliance of Museums

This article originally appeared in the November/December 2010 edition of Museum magazine. TWENTY YEARS AGO the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act was passed by Congress, and with a single piece of federal legislation, …
“People Need to Remember”

By Lonnie G. Bunch Ill

American museums still struggle with the legacy of race. This article originally appeared in the November/December 2010 edition of the Museum magazine. Early in my career, I crafted an exhibition at the Smithsonian Institution’s …