adult and child look at orangutan display

Social Impact

The true value of museums lies in their social impact: their effect on the well-being of the people around them. Museums can play an essential role in sustaining strong, inclusive, and resilient communities by enriching education systems, bolstering economies, strengthening the social fabric of communities, improving people’s well-being, and beyond.

Navigate back to the AAM Resource Library

Jump to:

Reflection Report
All Resources
Become a Member
Recent Book Titles
A decorative scene with four blocks each with a different image, and a circle with corresponding lightening like strikes running from the center outward.

REOPENINGS: What Museums Learned Leading through Crisis

Reflection

Museums have sought to be a reflection of their diverse communities. How has the pandemic shifted the field’s thinking about social impact and how museums engage with the people they serve?

Read the report
an adult roaring at a child in front of a dinosaur skeleton

Become an AAM Member Today!

Instantly access dozens of digital content and technology resources, plus thousands more on topics from education to strategic planning when you become an individual or museum member.

Become a member

Recent Book Titles

Bringing Teachers to the History Museum
Museum Accessibility by Design
Museums as Agents of Change
The Civic Mission of Museums
Cities, Museums and Soft Power
View all book titles

AAM Member-Only Content

AAM Members get exclusive access to premium digital content including:

  • Featured articles from Museum magazine
  • Access to more than 1,500 resource listings from the Resource Center
  • Tools, reports, and templates for equipping your work in museums
Log In

We're Sorry

Your current membership level does not allow you to access this content.

Upgrade Your Membership

Subscribe to Field Notes!

Packed with stories and insights for museum people, Field Notes is delivered to your inbox every Monday. Once you've completed the form below, confirm your subscription in the email sent to you.

If you are a current AAM member, please sign-up using the email address associated with your account.

Are you a museum professional?

Are you a current AAM member?

Success! Now check your email to confirm your subscription, and please add communications@aam-us.org to your safe sender list.