Public Programming

Creating Restorative Moments at Woodland Park Zoo

By Lauren Carroll-Bolger

Woodland Park Zoo’s Hope & Healing offers uplifting community experiences for people facing life-altering challenges. This article originally appeared in Museum magazine’s May/June 2024 issue, a benefit of AAM membership. A child …
Partnering for Community Healing and Change at the John Michael Kohler Arts Center

By Xoe Fiss and Patty Bode

Museums can play a role in destigmatizing addiction disorder. This article originally appeared in Museum magazine’s May/June 2024 issue, a benefit of AAM membership. What inspires a complete stranger to engage in the destigmatization of …
Museums and the Elephant in the Room: The Slave Dwelling Project

By American Alliance of Museums

This recording is from the Future of Museums Summit held November 1-2, 2023. Museums and historic sites have the potential to address historical injustices through reparative practices, engaging diverse audiences to promote a more …
You, Me, We: Tackling Identity and Discrimination with Young Audiences

By Melissa Higgins and Lok-Wah Li

In February 2023, Boston Children’s Museum opened a new exhibition called You, Me, We, which encourages families to connect with each other around questions of fairness in the world, reflect on and express their identities, explore …
Identity, Choice, and Emotion: New Approaches to Touring

By Debbi Hegstrom, Kara ZumBahlen, and Sheila McGuire

As Learning staff at the Minneapolis Institute of Art (Mia), we regularly assess our tour offerings to understand what’s working well or where we may need to find new approaches. Over the past five years, several factors have pulled us in …
Want to Teach Diversity and Inclusion? Go Outside!

By Dan Kriesberg & Camille S. Edwards

“The fresh air, sounds, and sunshine [are] peaceful.” “I can sit differently, and that helps me focus.” “We can see what we are learning about.” “[It’s] easier to reset with nature sounds.” Since we began teaching our Diversity Education …
Seizing the Moment: How Museum Outreach and Programming Can Champion Overlooked Communities

By Deborah Ziska

Sometimes, instead of waiting for an invitation, overlooked communities will come knocking at your door. If so, is your museum ready to be fearless, seize the moment, collaborate, share narratives, and maybe even have some fun? One such …
Finding New Audiences in Small Markets

By Mary Zell Galen

While most major museums are based in urban centers or tourist hubs, those located in more rural areas face a unique challenge to expand their reach. Without a large local population or a steady flow of out-of-towners, how can isolated …
Disrupting Museum Behavior: An Exploration of the Art Institute of Chicago’s “Cripping the Galleries”

By Emma Cieslik

On a hot Sunday afternoon, Sydney Erlikh, seated in a wheelchair, leaned against Maypril Krukowski, a woman with glasses seated on a bench. Sounds of church bells, shuffling footsteps, and walking filled the gallery of landscape paintings …
How Museums Are Helping Americans Bridge Divides

By Kate Doak-Keszler

This year’s TrendsWatch shared a few stories of museums working to bridge the partisan divide, but my research for the report left me wanting more. In today’s guest post, Kate Doak-Keszler, Partnerships and Communications Director for the …