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Introducing the 2026 Edition of TrendsWatch
It’s the start of a new year, and that means a new edition of AAM’s annual forecasting report. While it is the culmination of months of work (shout out to the commenters and guest essayists who enriched the content) it is also the … -
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.” … -
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, … -
TrendsWatch: Download, share, and go deeper
The 2025 edition of TrendsWatch, AAM’s annual forecasting report, is now available as a free PDF download! In this post I’ll tell you how to snag your copy and preview some opportunities to delve more deeply into this year’s topics, … -
Introducing TrendsWatch 2025
The new edition of TrendsWatch is available first to AAM members as the January/February 2025 issue of Museum magazine. Become a member today for immediate access to the digital edition, before the report is … -
Emergency Response in the Face of Disasters
This is an excerpt from TrendsWatch: Museums as Community Infrastructure. The full report is available as a free PDF download. “There’s nothing like a jolly good disaster to get people to start doing something.” —Prince Charles America’s …
Tag: TrendsWatch
Upcoming Events
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AASLH History Hour: USA 250 Programming
Event Date:Presented by: American Association for State and Local History (AASLH) -
Green Museums Summit
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Latest Stories from AAM
Becoming a Museum Leader: Perspectives from Gen Z and Millennials
Category:
Center for the Future of Museums Blog
One of the chapters in this year’s TrendsWatch is on the Looming Leadership Crisis. If …
Five Ways to Get Started with Accessibility When You Feel Stuck
Category:
Alliance Blog
When I started in museums, it wasn’t my plan to work in museum education and customer …
Museums and Healthcare Partnerships: A Practical Tipsheet for Starting the Conversation
Category:
Health
This tipsheet was created with the help of Microsoft Copilot and is informed by content …