So, this year we thought we’d dig a little deeper into the fascinating objects for purchase at museums and go straight to the most knowledgeable source: museum people themselves. We polled our audience of Field Notes, Facebook, and LinkedIn readers and asked them to tell us their favorite things they’ve found in museum stores, whether their own or another’s. Here were some of the highlights:

For Those Whose Hearts Are at Sea

Marlinspike with Monkey’s Fist Knot from the Maine Maritime Museum Store

$29.95

“The coolest item in the Maine Maritime Museum Store is our collection of hand-forged marlinspikes, made on site by volunteers in our active blacksmith forge. Both a tangible reminder of a visit to our historic Percy & Small Shipyard, and a practical tool for today’s sailors!”

For Those Who Need Some Inspiration

“What You Do Matters” Key Tag from the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Deanie and Jay Stein Museum Shop

$6.00

“My favorite item that I ever purchased at a museum gift shop was a keychain at the US Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C. The keychain read, “What you do matters.” Whenever I have a rough day, I look at the keychain and it helps me get through the day.”

For Those Who Love Animals and Ecology

ISM Logo Sea Otter Plush from the Independence Seaport Museum Store

$13.95

“One of my favorite items in the Independence Seaport Museum store relates to our award-winning exhibit called River Alive!, where guests get to learn not only how vital the Delaware River Watershed is and how many people depend on it but also what type of animals call this waterway home. To connect with the exhibit, our store sells plush animals like those who live around the Delaware River, plus they are wearing a branded Independence Seaport Museum shirt (it’s super cute).”

For Those Who Take Afternoon Tea

TMA Exclusive Specialty Teas from the Toledo Museum of Art Store

$17.95

“[I love when a] gift shop has a specialty blended tea.”

For Those With a (Discerning) Sweet Tooth

Cultured Bees MAD Honey – 2 Oz Jar from the Store at the Museum of Arts and Design

$12.50

Recommended by Cedar Imboden Simmers

For Those Who Respect a Craft

Tea Towel Squares from the International Quilt Museum Store

$16.95

Recommended by Sheila Green

For Those Who Prefer Armchair Travel

Museum of Jurassic Technology View-Master Set from the Museum of Jurassic Technology Gift Shop

$65

“My favorite museum gift shop item has to be the View Master set from the Museum of Jurassic Technology. It includes images (and info) of many of their main exhibits, so you can experience their unique collection from anywhere, just by clicking through the slides. It’s a nostalgic and imaginative way to bring a bit of the museum’s particular brand of magic home ”

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“I think it’s important to my well-being to continually be learning and growing in my mind, and imagination helps that. If I don’t have imagination or growth, I think I would be bored and depressed with this life.”

Visiting a museum is an act of imagination. We use our imaginations to imagine what the past was like, how animals live, the experiences of others, and to explore different places.

We also use our imaginations to imagine things in new ways, whether through art or science.

Museum-goers emphatically agree that museums spark our imaginations: 97%!

Each individual, however, uses their imagination in different ways and attributes different outcomes to those imaginative experiences.

In the 2024 Annual Survey of Museum-Goers, as well as a broader population sample of U.S. Adults, we wanted to learn more about the role and impact of imaginative learning in museums, and asked respondents a series of questions on the topic. In this Data Story, we’ll share these overall results, and explore more deeply in follow-up infographics.

We first asked respondents: How would you like to use your imagination while learning in museums?

Our answer choices presented an expansive approach to imagination, and respondents were supportive: the average respondent selected four of the answer choices, and only 3% of frequent museum-goers admitted “I don’t really want to use my imagination when visiting museums.”

Immersion in beauty

• Museum-goers: 75%
• U.S. adults: 58%

Mental “time travel” to the PAST

• Museum-goers: 70%
• U.S. adults: 68%

Personal stories that build empathy and connection

• Museum-goers: 61%
• U.S. adults: 54%

Innovative thinking through STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math)

• Museum-goers: 47%
• U.S. adults: 55%

Mental “time travel” to the FUTURE

• Museum-goers: 45%
• U.S. adults: 52%

Problem-solving exercises

• Museum-goers: 39%
• U.S. adults: 47%

Brainstorming or idea-building activities

• Museum-goers: 38%
• U.S. adults: 47%

I don’t really want to use my imagination when visiting museums

• Museum-goers: 3%
• U.S. adults: 5%

Additionally, parents and guardians were the most enthusiastic about these answer choices, especially the more STEM-oriented answers around innovative thinking, problem-solving, and idea-building.

To follow-up, respondents were asked what outcomes of imaginative learning experiences in museums they wanted visitors to experience. They said:

Recharge us mentally, as we experience awe, wonder, or beauty

• Museum-goers: 76%
• U.S. adults: 56%

Inspire curiosity to wonder and learn on our own

• Museum-goers: 75%
• U.S. adults: 59%

Broaden our minds to imagine life experiences different than our own

• Museum-goers: 74%
• U.S. adults: 59%

Develop greater understanding of the experiences of people from the past through historical imagination

• Museum-goers: 72%
• U.S. adults: 60%

Promote critical thinking by imagining different possibilities and using evidence to understand what is most likely or the best choice

• Museum-goers: 59%
• U.S. adults: 53%

Build excitement about the new ideas and creativity the experiences spark

• Museum-goers: 59%
• U.S. adults: 52%

Help us imagine a better future, giving us something positive to work towards

• Museum-goers: 49%
• U.S. adults: 48%

None of these

• Museum-goers: 1%
• U.S. adults: 4%

Again, respondents were supportive, with the average respondent choosing nearly ve of the answer choices (and only 1% of frequent museum-goers saying “none of these”).

To help us understand how enthusiastic respondents were about imaginative learning in museums, we sorted respondents into three categories:

• RESISTANT: these respondents answered negatively to one or both of the questions.
• AMBIVALENT: these respondents like the idea of imaginative learning, but are not necessarily seeking it out. They typically chose one to four answer choices to each question.
• ENTHUSIASTIC: these respondents loved the idea of imaginative learning, and chose five or more answer choices to both questions; in fact, 85% of this segment chose ALL of the answer choices in one or both of the questions.

Resistant: Imagination

• Museum-goers: 3%
• U.S. adults: 5%

Ambivalent: Imagination

• Museum-goers: 52%
• U.S. adults: 58%

Enthusiastic: Imagination

• Museum-goers: 45%
• U.S. adults: 37%

Clearly, imagination is popular and generally welcome among our visitors. Nearly half of frequent museum-goers fall in the “enthusiastic” segment. The more ambivalent respondents are also happy to go along with imaginative learning, responding positively (just less enthusiastically). We’ll explore these three segments more in our next Data Story.

Overall, however, this suggests that we can be very proactive talking about imagination in museums. The more we talk about and support imagination, helping visitors to feel good about their own imaginative learning, the more effective we can be in their learning experiences and outcomes.

“Imagination is very important to me…it keeps me interested in the many layers of life’s complexity and quality, opportunities. It inspires me beyond ‘what is’ to ‘what could be.’ It is soul food for my right brain.”

Annual Survey of Museum-Goers Data Stories are created by Wilkening Consulting on behalf of the American Alliance of Museums. Sources include:
• 2024 Annual Survey of Museum-Goers, n = 90,178; 202 museums participating
• 2024 Broader Population Sampling, n = 2,154
• 2017 – 2023 Annual Surveys of Museum-Goers

U.S. demographic data from the U.S. Census Bureau.

*Data Stories share research about both frequent museum-goers (typically visit multiple museums each year) and the broader population (including casual, sporadic, and non-visitors to museums). See the Purpose and Methodology (Update) Data Story from September 5, 2024 for more information on methodology.

More Data Stories can be found at wilkeningconsulting.com/data-stories.

And yet, despite their growing presence, Latinos are often poorly understood and represented in American society. National institutions have struggled with how to define this large and heterogeneous group, even including what to call them. Meanwhile, misguided and outdated stereotypes have clouded their image, obscuring their category-defying multinational, multiracial, and multicultural origins in favor of a simplistic story.

Thankfully, a new Smithsonian museum is coming to Washington, DC, to paint a fuller portrait: the National Museum of the American Latino. As the museum works toward a physical home on or near the National Mall, it recently made a major step forward, unveiling its inaugural strategic plan, logo and branding identity, and charter membership drive. To learn what the process of planning the museum has revealed about engaging and representing Latinos in museums, I spoke with Founding Director Jorge Zamanillo (who also happens to be the Chair of the AAM Board). Here’s what he had to say:

Joseph O’Neill: The new vision statement emphasizes that “the lived experience of American Latinos transcends geographic and cultural stereotypes.” What are some of those stereotypes you’re hoping to combat through the museum?

Jorge Zamanillo: The museum has to serve as a trusted cultural ambassador to promote the diverse and authentic lived experiences of US Latinos. It acts to break the stereotype that all Latinos are one race when, in fact, American Latinos represent many races and have roots in more than thirty countries and territories, each with its unique history, culture, and traditions. The museum also includes the rich contributions of Afro-Latinos and Indigenous communities—often underreported or underrecognized—through programs and events. The power of American Latino communities is centered on their diversity, which is the same foundation of America’s narrative of strength, resilience, endurance, and hope.

We aim to show that US Latino culture is more than an annual observance of popular foods and dances. Through outreach, fundraising, and a brand awareness campaign, the museum aims to elevate Latino history and culture. We also aim to create spaces that help bridge divides and dispel misperceptions by offering resources to inform the public about the invaluable contributions of American Latinos, foster a deeper understanding of American history and culture, and connect communities nationwide.

 

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JO: The process for developing the plan involved surveys, SWOT analyses, interviews with key stakeholders, and more. Did any themes emerge from this that surprised you?

JZ: We weren’t surprised to learn that there is a need and desire for a museum like this to represent US Latino communities and their stories. On the contrary, the findings validated the need for a national museum that captures the diversity of the Latino experience in the US and serves as a cultural anchor. Developing this strategic plan helped crystalize our core values for the museum—collective caring, authenticity, accessibility, innovation, and collaboration. In addition to being an iconic destination in the national capital where Latino communities belong, we want to be a home where stories unfold, cultures connect, and, most importantly, everyone is welcome.

JO: The plan mentions a priority to “elevate Latino philanthropy” in the museum’s fundraising efforts. Why do you think it’s important to tap into Latino philanthropy specifically, and what have you learned about doing this successfully?

JZ: The museum must tap into Latino philanthropy to recognize, honor, and empower the Latino community as key contributors to preserving their heritage and culture. By elevating Latino philanthropy, the museum acknowledges the legacy of giving within the Latino community, which has often taken the form of mutual aid, communal support, and grassroots efforts. This builds trust and ensures that Latinos actively secure the museum’s future.

Elevating Latino philanthropy also aligns with the museum’s mission to be a community-centered institution. Latinos will see themselves reflected in every aspect of the museum, from its exhibits to its funding sources. When the community feels invested in the museum’s mission, it creates a shared sense of ownership, pride, and responsibility in preserving and telling their stories.

Furthermore, by focusing on Latino philanthropy, the museum can build a sustainable and diverse donor base that strengthens its impact and resilience. As Latino communities continue to grow and thrive, tapping into their philanthropic potential helps fund the museum’s initiatives while fostering a deeper connection with the very communities it serves.

We find that donors and funders with ties to Latino communities are deeply invested in preserving and representing Latino culture and history in the United States. This is especially true among business leaders and executives who are in positions to make decisions about corporate and foundation support. We also expect similar enthusiasm and support among individual donors through our Charter Membership Program, which serves as a grassroots approach to connecting with and empowering the broader Latino community.

JO: Can you tell us more about the Charter Membership Program and how you think a grassroots funding model like this can be successful?

JZ: Our Charter Membership Program is designed to engage individuals nationwide in supporting and connecting with the museum. This program invites supporters to become founding members, which helps raise essential funds and creates a sense of belonging and shared investment in our mission. Members become part of a national movement to elevate and preserve Latino history and culture by joining.

Grassroots funding is at the heart of this effort. Broad-based community support can create a powerful sense of ownership and pride in the museum. Grassroots funding succeeds when individuals feel that their contributions, regardless of amount, are meaningful and essential to the museum’s mission. This approach also aligns with Latino cultural values of mutual support and collective action. By offering various giving levels and benefits, we aim to make participation accessible to all and show everyone’s support counts.

What makes grassroots funding effective is that it builds momentum through personal connections, stories, and shared values. Through the Charter Membership Program, we’re creating opportunities for people to not just donate but to join a larger community united by a shared vision. We’re leveraging digital outreach, events, and local partnerships to reach individuals nationwide and create a national network of supporters. This approach allows us to amplify the impact of every contribution and sustain long-term engagement.

Ultimately, this program helps us achieve two critical goals: raising the necessary funds to support our initiatives and building a nationwide community of museum ambassadors who are committed to preserving and celebrating Latino culture.

JO: How do the new logo and branding you’re debuting reflect the vision and goals of the museum?

JZ: The new logo symbolizes the museum’s commitment to bringing clarity and insight into the diverse lives, stories, histories, and cultures of US Latinos. The logo’s vibrant colors and dynamic design elements visually represent the diversity and resilience of the US Latino community. The brandmark illustrates how the National Museum of the American Latino will bring US Latino culture and history into focus and become an iconic destination in the nation’s capital. The logo reflects our core vision and goals, centered around preserving the rich history, culture, and contributions of Latinos in the US.

 

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To celebrate the new brand launch, museum supporters are invited to share stories or reasons why the museum matters on social media as part of the #MiMuseo (My Museum) campaign. Personal connections to the museum can showcase how it belongs to everyone and reflect the histories, stories, achievements, and cultural heritage of Latinos throughout the American experience.

JO: Is there any advice you could share for other museums trying to represent and engage Latinos more fully?

JZ: We are learning that authentic storytelling that reflects the diversity and richness of the US Latino diaspora and the American experience is crucial for effectively representing and engaging US Latinos. Our team is visiting communities nationwide to seek input and build relationships with Latino communities through partnerships and collaborative programming. We want to center Latino voices and stories in our museum planning and work.

Since 2023, the museum has hosted ninety-six listening sessions in thirty cities and nineteen rural communities across twenty-two states. These conversations included local leaders, educators, artists, museum workers, and others who support Latino communities or work with Latino content.

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Across the country, millions of children get up and head to their home classrooms. These homeschooled children are primarily learning from their parents and guardians in a rather different environment than children in formal education (like public, private, and charter schools). And they are also a niche audience that many museums specifically serve.

In the 2024 Annual Survey of Museum-Goers we asked parents and guardians of school-age children what types of schools their children attended. Overall, here’s what we found:

• Public school: 72%
• Charter school: 7%
• Private school: 19%
• Homeschool: 11%

Parents and guardians could choose more than one answer, since siblings could be enrolled in different types of educational environments.

The latest data from the National Center of Education Statistics(2) (2021) says 6.8% of households with children homeschool at least one child. Note, however, they are counting all households with children, including those with very young children and infants. This suggests that if the households with children 4 and younger were removed from the calculation, the percentage of homeschooling households with school-age children would likely be in the 8 – 10% range…close to what we found.

In total, 1,178 museum-going homeschooling households responded to our survey…a truly robust sample of this specific audience.(1) Let’s explore what they shared with us.

Characteristics of Homeschooling Families

For the most part, homeschooling families are a lot like families whose children participate in formal education. In fact, a quarter of homeschooling families also have children in public, private, or charter schools, indicating that for some homeschool households, homeschooling decisions are made on a child-by-child basis.

Families choose to homeschool for a variety of reasons, and they hold diverse values.

That said, overall there were significant differences that set homeschool families apart:

• Education. Homeschooling parents and guardians generally have lower levels of educational attainment: they were a third less likely to have a graduate degree, and 70% more likely to have not completed college.
• Political Values. These households were 2.6x more likely to identify as conservative, and only half as likely to identify as liberal, than other parents and guardians. Overall, 35% identified as conservative and 25% liberal.
• Religious Values. While we didn’t explicitly ask about religion, homeschool respondents were nearly twice as likely to cite their religion or faith as giving them hope, suggesting stronger religious ties than other respondents.

There were no meaningful differences by race and ethnicity.

We don’t ask about income or employment status in our research, but data from the National Center of Education Statistics indicates that households that homeschool tend to have lower average income, likely because they are more likely to have a stay-at-home parent or guardian.

Thus, it wasn’t a big surprise to see that homeschool families were much more likely to say their membership makes visiting museums cost-effective, and to cite the cost of museum visits as a barrier to more frequent visitation.

“Cost: at the time it was affordable enough for us to attend.”

“Creates an affordable outing for me to take my kids to.”

Museum Visitation and Motivations

To our surprise, homeschool families don’t visit museums any more frequently than families participating in formal education. Visitation rates are about the same.

This doesn’t preclude some super-users of museums among homeschooling households…just that they are outliers (the same is true for families with kids in formal education).

Generally, their motivations are similar as well in that virtually all parents and guardians are focused on their children’s experiences. That said, homeschool families are even more likely to have laser-like focus on learning experiences for their children (80% versus 66% for other families). But they are somewhat less likely to visit for family time.

Homeschooling families tend to be a bit more critical of museums overall, being somewhat more demanding of additional content and less likely to say museums are doing a “great job” than other families.

“We are interested in genealogy and local history so we are hoping to learn how our membership can assist with that as well as local history for a homeschooling high school elective.”

“[Museums should] offer classes specifically for homeschool children.”

Community Orientation

Homeschool families were generally less enthusiastic about response choices that had a community theme. That is, they were significantly less likely to say:

• Museums contribute to the quality of life in their community
• That visiting museums makes them feel more a part of the community
• That being part of a community of people working to make things better gave them hope

This greater sense of separation from community may be deliberate for at least some homeschooling families. According to the National Center of Education Statistics, the top reason for homeschooling children is concerns about the school environment and other students.

Inclusion

Perhaps the most significant difference between homeschool families and families with children enrolled in formal education is their attitude towards inclusive content. Homeschooling parents and guardians are about 2.5x more likely to fall in the “anti-inclusive” segment than other parents and guardians, as seen below:

Additionally, homeschool parents and guardians were far less likely to identify as an ally of the LGBTQ+ community, only 20% versus 34% of other parents and guardians.

Some of the comments from less inclusive homeschooling parents and guardians were strongly worded. While we have chosen not to share the more offensive comments, the following two quotes provide a glimpse of the sentiments of a significant portion of homeschool parents and guardians.

“Being able to visit AND take my kids without being afraid of extreme wokeness or being told how racist, etc. Things are out of control. Can we please go back to educating society
without this craziness?”

“Any attempt to be inclusive this day and age there are people left out. I don’t want to visit a museum to have varying agendas pushed down my throat.”

Learning Learning Learning

Consistently, homeschool families hammered home how important the learning experience was for their children. In particular, they were significantly more likely to want museums to take a fact-based approach and minimize interpretation and what they articulated as “opinion.” Instead, they wanted to use those facts to draw their own conclusions.

“We used to love the museum–stick to presenting facts, not controversial social or political opinions.”

That said, they were not necessarily seeking a dry recitation of facts. Strong majorities of homeschool families wanted:

• To develop greater understanding of the experiences of people from the past through historical imagination
• To inspire curiosity to wonder and learn on their own
• To see things that inspire awe or wonder

“To see and experience beauty, so we can be expanded in our views of what is possible and have our wonder awakened.”

“Hands-on experiences, this is especially true for kids or tactile learners. Focus on truth and beauty, these things inspire wonder and awe which can lead to a lifetime of curiosity.”

So what have we learned about homeschooling families? Some of the results surprised us, including that homeschool families, on average, don’t visit museums any more frequently than other families. Other results fit into our expectations, including their even greater focus on child learning as well as their “just the facts” approach to content.

There are two areas of concern, however: their lower levels of community connection and their generally less inclusive attitudes. This suggests that, when planning homeschool events, museum educators need to consider more thoughtfully how they are sharing content that reflects different life experiences and worldviews, as at least some homeschooled children may not have been exposed to those ideas yet. Audiences and Inclusion: A Primer for Cultivating More Inclusive Attitudes Among the Public provides guidance for doing just this work.(3)

That said, keep in mind that parents and guardians have many reasons they choose to homeschool, and we need to be careful to not make assumptions. While the majority of homeschool families may fall on the anti-inclusive side of the spectrum, a third fall on the inclusive side. Some parents and guardians choose to homeschool because schools are not inclusive enough, or perhaps because their children are gender diverse or transgender and they want to provide a more supportive environment. And others homeschool because their children are medically fragile.

Bottom line, millions of families are choosing to homeschool, making reaching this audience, and these children, important for many museums. Additionally, museums can do a great deal to help these children learn more about their communities and the world they live in.

Annual Survey of Museum-Goers Data Stories are created by Wilkening Consulting on behalf of the American Alliance of Museums. Sources include:

• 2024 Annual Survey of Museum-Goers, n = 90,178; 202 museums participating
• 2024 Broader Population Sampling, n = 2,154
• 2017 – 2023 Annual Surveys of Museum-Goers

*Data Stories share research about both frequent museum-goers (typically visit multiple museums each year) and the broader population (including casual, sporadic, and non-visitors to museums).

1. We did not ask this question of parents and guardians in our broader population sample of U.S. adults, only of frequent museum-going families.
2. See the National Center for Education Statistics “Homeschooled Children and Reasons for Homeschooling” for more information on homeschooling families.
3. You can download a copy at the AAM or Wilkening Consulting websites.

More Data Stories can be found at wilkeningconsulting.com/data-stories.

Following the Annual Meeting’s theme of “Thriving Museums, Healthy Communities,” the sessions explore ways museums can promote individual, organizational, community, and societal well-being. Here’s what you’ll find:

Impact Investing: Putting Your Museum’s Money Where Your Values Are

Across the United States, museums hold an estimated $58B in endowments, which are a critical source of annual funding and support for special projects. These endowments are managed carefully for financial return, but do our financial investments align with our visions and missions? While endowments that fuel many museums and non-profits often operate independently from the museum’s values, impact investing recognizes that this money itself can help promote social and environmental good while the returns benefit museums. In this session, a diverse panel of nationally recognized investment experts and museum staff will define impact investing and shed light on what it takes to make this type of commitment and where to turn for resources.

Presenters:

• Judy Gradwohl, President and CEO, San Diego Natural History Museum
• Laura Callanan, Founding Partner, Upstart Co-Lab
• Lillie Moreno, Vice President of Financial Planning and Analysis, John G. Shedd Aquarium
• Noelle Laing, Chief Investment Officer, Builders Initiative, Builders Vision
• Peter L. Bain, Board President, The Walters Art Museum

Museums and Community Archiving: A Collaborative Approach

In this session, attendees will be empowered and inspired to work more closely with community collecting initiatives in their vicinity and beyond. Learn from staff from the Maryland Center for History and Culture’s H. Furlong Baldwin Library, who are exploring how shared stewardship and flexible agreements in community archiving initiatives across the country provide community groups ongoing ownership, voice, and active participation in the archiving of their words, stories, and images. Panelists will present recent findings from this work and share recommendations for meaningful engagement and collaboration with communities through an equity-based approach to collecting.

Presenter:

• Martina Kado, Vice President of Research and France-Merrick Director of the H. Furlong Baldwin Library, Maryland Center for History and Culture

Beyond Financial Sustainability: Nourishing a Healthy Financial Ecosystem

Financial sustainability has long and rightfully been among the primary strategic goals of museums and their staff and boards–but what if the drive for financial sustainability could also be preventing individual, organizational, or community healing, trapping us in ways that exhaust our resources without achieving intended impacts? What if we were to broaden our definition of financial health beyond our own museum’s budgets, embracing our finances as a connective tissue that drives social change across sectors and communities rather than scarce resources to be “balanced”? In this session, members of a museum’s strategic planning team who, together with staff and Board, recently grappled with these exact questions will provide inspiring insights into what good lies in reframing financial sustainability.

Presenters:

• Mirella Rangel, Consultant, Colibri Collaborative LLC
• Nisha Gulati, Associate Director of Digital Strategy, Oakland Museum of California
• Kimberly Ondreck Carim, Chief Financial Officer, Oakland Museum of California
• Hilda Schmelling, Development Events Manager, Oakland Museum of California

Rematriation of the In‘zhúje‘waxóbe/Sacred Red Rock

The session will tell the story of the “rematriation” of the Sacred Red Rock and the positive effect this effort has had on its stakeholders and surrounding communities.

Presenters:

• James Pepper Henry, Director/CEO, First Americans Museum
• Sydney Brooke Pursel, Curator for Public Practice, University of Kansas Spencer Museum of Art
• Diane Lochner, Vice President, PGAV Destinations
• Thomas C. Owen, Vice President, PGAV Destinations

Creating Access, Inclusion, and Belonging through Language

Panelists in this session share how they incorporate Spanish language into visitor and staff experiences. Featuring four case studies from a diverse set of institutions, this session explores the presenters’ motivations and approaches for incorporating Spanish into their work, successful strategies, and challenges they have faced. While the focus of this session will be Spanish, the lessons shared for creating access, inclusion, and belonging are applicable across languages and can shed light on how museums and cultural institutions can effectively communicate with diverse audiences, fostering a more inclusive and accessible environment.

Presenters:

• Eleanor Hill, Senior Evaluation Researcher, Denver Museum of Nature and Science
• Melissa Brito-Alvarez, Manager of Access Programs and Resources, Dallas Museum of Art
• Kerry Butcher, Interpretation Associate, Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art
• Sean Trujillo, Programs and Interpretation Manager, Museo de las Americas
• Julietta Da Silva, Community and Engagement Manager, Museo de las Americas

F&B/Retail and Rentals that Consider Mission, Community, and DEAI

This well-rounded panel of museum leaders present an engaging presentation regarding food, beverage, event rentals, and retail within their museums. Representing a mix types of institutions, these museum leaders and a leading industry F&B and retail consultant will outline solutions and tactics to address your most common challenges in approaching earned income from ancillary sources through a broadened lens.

Presenters:

• Tracy Lawler, President, JGL Consultants
• Catherine Surratt, Chief Operating and Business Officer, Speed Art Museum
• April Farrell, Chief Advancement Officer, Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego
• Jillian Jones, Deputy Director, Buffalo AKG Art Museum
• Valarie McDuffie, Chief Financial Officer, Philadelphia Museum of Art
• Natalie Boten, Chief of Staff, Milwaukee Art Museum

Destigmatize Addiction Disorder: Fostering Partnerships for Systemic Change

Through a shared purpose to destigmatize addiction disorder and make social change, in the summer of 2023, a museum, an artist educator, and three organizations serving the recovery community collaborated to impact over 700 individuals. Using this partnership as a case study, this session explores the reciprocal benefits and best practices for supporting road-tested, community-based projects when establishing relationships with new museum audiences.

Presenters:

• Xoe Fiss, Director of Youth & Family Programs, Milwaukee Art Museum
• Patty Bode, Associate Professor & Coordinator of Art Education, Southern Connecticut State University

Healthy Museums, Thriving Careers: Mastering Project Management Essentials

Whether you come from a large institution with a project management office (PMO) or you are an individual contributor who plays a role in shepherding projects of all sizes, there is a wide range of project management methods and tools that can be applied in museum contexts, which can have a transformative impact on the health and well-being of your museum and its mission, business, and employees. In this workshop, learn from a panel of professionals from diverse roles and backgrounds who will share essential project management knowledge that can enhance your professional growth and the organizational health of your museum.

Presenters:

• Kalie Sacco, Director of Member Strategy, Association of Science and Technology Centers
• Barbara Punt, President and Chief Project Manager, Punt Consulting Group
• John D. Shaw, Co-founder, Principal, Museum EXP
• Uma Nair, Management & Strategy Consultant, The Strategic Museum
• Liz McDermott; Head, Digital Media & Content Strategy; Getty Research Institute
• Dean Briere, Interim CEO, Arizona Science Center

Neuroarts 101: How the Arts and Aesthetic Experiences Advance Health and Wellbeing

This workshop provides an overview of neuroarts: the study of how the arts and aesthetic experiences measurably change the body, brain, and behavior and how this knowledge is translated into specific practices that advance health and wellbeing. This experiential and immersive workshop will include lectures, group discussions, and creative activities.

Presenters:

• Susan Magsamen, Executive Director, International Arts + Mind Lab Center for Applied Neuroaesthetics, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine
• Karen Alexander, Director of Outreach and Education, International Arts + Mind Lab Center for Applied Neuroaesthetics, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine
• Keely Mason, Senior Research and Education Associate, International Arts + Mind Lab Center for Applied Neuroaesthetics, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine
• Alyssa Tiedemann, Senior Research Project Coordinator, International Arts + Mind Lab Center for Applied Neuroaesthetics, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine

Algorithms & Artifacts: Deciphering AI’s Role in Museums

As museum professionals, understanding the basics of AI and its implications to our industry is crucial. If the museum community can approach AI with a balanced perspective, harnessing its potential while being mindful of its implications, ethical concerns, and informational biases, we have the opportunity to revolutionize how we work and foster innovation. This presentation provides an overview of AI and explores the various opportunities, challenges, and serious concerns that we must face together.

Presenters:

• Jack Ludden, Digital Experience and Innovation Strategist, Balboa Park Online Collaborative
• Nik Honeysett, Chief Executive Officer Balboa Park Online Collaborative
• Uma Nair, Management & Strategy Consultant, The Strategic Museum
• Jonathan Munar, Arts Team, Bloomberg Philanthropies
• Jessica Herczeg Konecny; Lead Technical Analyst, Digital Asset Management; The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Not the F Word You Know: Embracing Failure to Move Forward

In the museum field, we work tirelessly to create safe environments where our visitors can explore, build skills, discover, and learn – but how are we creating safety in our workplace for our staff to push themselves and embrace failure as a positive part of the process that helps us to learn about ourselves as individuals and as team members? This session brings the power of hands-on maker learning to build skills and capacity for work processes that foster a culture of belonging and a “failing forward” approach.

Presenters:

• Jacqueline Eyl, Chief Program Officer, KID Museum
• Annalise Phillips, Managing Director of Programs and Learning Innovation, KID Museum
• Cat Scharon, Sr. Manager of Research and Evaluation, KID Museum
• Adam Maltese, Professor of Science Education, Indiana University

Reducing Carbon Emissions in a Complex Environment

In this session, learn about the Heritage Museums and Gardens’ Strategic Sustainability Plan, which outlines the institution’s strategies and tactics as they aim to become carbon neutral by 2040, along with several related initiatives geared toward enhancing the visitor experience through accessibility improvements and new environmental and sustainable systems.

Presenters:

• Anne Scott-Putney, President and CEO, Heritage Museums and Gardens
• Judith Holt; Board Member, Sustainability Expert; Heritage Museums and Gardens
• Kate Scurlock, Sr. Associate, GWWO Architects

Shields Up! Safety, Security, and Inclusion for LGBTQ+ Programming

Diversity, equity, inclusion, and access–these core values are central to museum standards of excellence yet are not always easy to uphold in an increasingly politicized climate that is often hostile to LGBTQIA+ communities. How can museums continue to safely offer queer-centric exhibitions and events? Join Drag Story Hour leadership and the AAM Task Force for Transgender Inclusion in a workshop exploring safety and security practices around LGBTQIA+ programming. This workshop will empower museum professionals to serve in their roles as cultural stewards and defenders of pluralist ideals with confidence!

Presenters:

• Tony Pankuch, Education and Outreach Coordinator, Cummings Center for the History of Psychology
• Samantha Evelyn Eisenberg, Director of Development, JQ International
• Jonathan Hamilt, Executive Director, Drag Story Hour
• Regan Lopez-deVictoria, Program Coordinator & Grant Writer, Drag Story Hour

Strategy, So what? Using the Strategist’s Toolkit to Help Museums Thrive

Strategic planning gets a bad rap. Hours of meetings. Hundreds of post-its. And at the end, all you get is a fancy document that collects dust on a shelf. So why do the words “strategy” and “strategic” seem to appear everywhere, justifying new priorities, now processes, and even new job titles? Join four senior strategy practitioners as they unpack what it really means to be strategic in a museum context, and how necessary it is to build healthier, more sustainable, and more resilient institutions for all.

Presenters:

• Andrea Kalivas Fulton, Deputy Director and Chief Strategy Officer, Denver Art Museum
• Andrew Cone, Chief Strategy Officer, Whitney Museum of American Art
• Erin Prendergast; Chief, Strategic Initiatives; Art Gallery of Ontario
• Hilary Branch, H E Branch Advisors

60 Ideas in 60 Minutes: Small Museums are Thriving!

In this fast-paced and dynamic session, four small museum professionals showcase how small museums–which face unique challenges but are also hubs of innovation, creativity, and community engagement–are thriving in today’s ever-changing landscape. Watch for an exhilarating exchange of 60 actionable ideas in just 60 minutes, all centered on the theme of small and mid-size museums thriving within their communities. Viewers will leave with a treasure trove of ideas to implement in their own institutions, showcasing the resilience and creativity that small museums bring to the cultural landscape.

Presenters:

• Ann Bennett, Executive Director, Laurel Historical Society
• Allison Schell, Director of Public Programs, Marshall Steam Museum and the Friends of Auburn Heights
• Susan Goganian, Director, Historic Beverly
• Kenny Libben, Curator, Cleo Redd Fisher Museum

Leveraging Permanent Collection Objects for Collaboration and Change

Throughout the museum field, institutions have been grappling with how to address problematic objects in their collection, taking various approaches from removing the works from view, deaccessioning them, or leaving them in place as is while they grappled with how to best address them. In 2021, the Chazen decided to take a path uncharted, entering into a partnership with the artist Stanford Biggers and MASK Consortium to undertake the re:mancipation project–an exhibition that sought to recontextualize an overtly racist sculpture in a way that felt authentic to the Chazen’s mission as a teaching museum, but also honest and inclusive. In this session, take a deep dive into the re:mancipation exhibition planning process to learn how the Chazen approached a project fraught with risk and uncertainty and which has influenced organizational change at the museum.

Presenters:

• Amy Gilman, Director, Chazen Museum of Art
• Mark Hines, MASK Consortium
• Kate Wanberg, Exhibition and Collections Project Manager, Chazen Museum of Art
• Katherine Alcauskas, Chief Curator, Chazen Museum of Art

Confronting Colonialism: Intersections of Scientific and Cultural Knowledge

Natural history museums play a unique and urgent role in helping document and understand the world’s plants and animals during the current biodiversity and climate crises. This work is taking place at a time when museums are reckoning with their past; challenging–and being challenged on–their authority to do this work; and aspiring to consider and apply indigenous knowledge in their collecting, research, and interpretive practices. This recorded session explores this topic through two case studies from different sides of the Pacific Ocean and in different cultural contexts.

Presenters:

• Hae Su Oh, Su Oh Consulting
• Amy Gusick; Curator, Anthropology/NAGPRA Officer; Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County
• Miguel Ordeñana; Co-Senior Manager, Community Science; Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County
• Migoto Eria, Head of Matauranga Maori, Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa
• Philip Edgar, Head of Natural History, Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa
• Gabrielle Crowe, Vice Chair & Secretary of Environmental Sciences, Gabrielino-Shoshone Tribal Council of Southern California

Curating Trauma and Violence: Preparing and Caring for Communities and Staff

In this session, museum professionals from various institutions–a museum focused on the Holocaust, a museum telling stories related to terrorist attacks, and a university conservation lab experienced in working with objects where damage is part of their value–discuss the challenges and opportunities that arise when working with populations affected by trauma and violence. Panelists will impart helpful tools, questions, and prompts that attendees can apply within their organizations and personal practice.

Presenters:

• Stephanie Arel, Professor
• Alexandra Drakakis, Chief Acquisitions Curator, United States Holocaust Memorial Museum
• Ian Kerrigan; Senior Vice President, Exhibitions; 9/11 Memorial & Museum
• Lisa Conte, Visiting Associate Professor of Conservation, New York University–The Institute for Fine Art

Research Insights from AAM’s Museum Board Leadership Survey

What is the state of museum governance today? Hear the results of AAM’s Museum Board Leadership survey, including critical benchmarking data on governance practices, board responsibilities and performance, board culture, diversity, and more. Drawing from the insights of museum board members and directors across the country, this session will share where museum governance is flourishing and where there’s room to grow, and as well as share actionable takeaways for how museums can help their board, and their museum, thrive for years to come.

Presenters:

• Cory Garfin, Senior Research Scientist, Co-Director, Slover Linett at NORC
• Linda C. Harrison, Director and CEO, The Newark Museum of Art
• Jacqueline Jordan, Senior Vice President and Regional Director, Foundation and Institutional Advisors, Northern Trust Company
• Carys Kunze, Research & Data Specialist, American Alliance of Museums

Money Matters: Creating a Path to Financial Sustainability

As museums compete against a growing range of leisure and educational options, they must reevaluate their approach to pricing to demonstrate value while developing more holistic revenue strategies. In this lively and thought-provoking recorded session, panelists will explore how cultural organizations are leveraging pricing strategies to maximize revenue, prioritize accessibility, engage new audiences, and grow membership. Viewers will take away inspiring ideas and concrete strategies they can apply at their own institution to create more purposeful and sustainable earned revenue strategies.

Speakers:

• Rosie Siemer, Founder + CEO, FIVESEED
• Rehn West; Director of Development & Marketing; Nauticus, Maritime Discovery Center
• Mary Bradley; Director of Membership, Visitor and Volunteer Services; Denver Botanic Gardens
• Spencer Jansen, Deputy Director and Director of Membership and Guest Services, Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts

Disrupting the Traditional Narrative: Including Oral Histories in Museums

Museums have been guilty of discounting oral histories as “non-academic” or “inappropriate” methods of historical documentation–a trend that contributes to the erasure of Latinx and BIPOC stories and culture. Through a series of case studies from institutions doing exciting and effective work with oral history, this recorded session explores how to engage community members in oral history projects, advocate for the importance of this work in museums, and share research on how the inclusion and prioritization of oral histories in museums can impact the relationships between the museum and its community and staff members of color.

• Asami Robledo-Allen Yamamoto, Project Manager, Latinos in Heritage Conservation
• Sehila Mota Casper, Executive Director, Latinos in Heritage Conservation

Fostering Resilience in Children through Virtual Mindfulness

In the face of an epidemic of anxiety, depression, and physical disease, many museums have been exploring mindfulness practices to support the health of their communities. This recorded session addresses how museums might develop mindfulness programs that address the developmental needs of youth, a currently underserved population in mindfulness-based museum programming. The goal is to prepare museum educators to confidently incorporate mindful movement into object-based learning programs for youth at their museums.

Presenters:

• Jennifer Reifsteck, School and Teacher Programs Manager, National Museum of Asian Art
• Lisa Danahy, Founder and Director, Create Calm Inc

Toward a More Human Museum: Trust and Well-Being for Staff and Visitors

In the current political climate, the work museums are doing to become more human and empathic may be misunderstood both internally and externally, and the latest data by a leading museum research consulting firm already indicates a lowering of public trust in museums. In this recorded session, panelists and attendees will explore the relationship between public trust and the changes the museum field is making, using examples from various types of museums to understand how we can better formulate policies and communicate while building trust among staff, visitors, and non-visitors.

Presenters:

• Gail Lord, President & Co-founder, Lord Cultural Resources
• Susie Wilkening, Principal, Wilkening Consulting
• Lisa Biagas, Chief Human Resources Officer & Title IX Coordinator, Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts
• John Hampton, Executive Director & CEO, Mackenzie Art Gallery
• Christy Coleman, Executive Director, Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation

Log in or become a member today to access all sessions

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Over the past few years, the way history is taught in school has received a lot of scrutiny. In some places, state legislation and school boards have placed restrictions on what is taught, while other states have legislated a culturally responsive or inclusive curriculum.

Given these shifts, we wanted to learn more about what parents and guardians were thinking about K-12 history education, and dropped in a few questions in the 2024 Annual Survey of Museum-Goers.

First, parents and guardians of school-age children were asked what types of schools their children attended. They could choose more than one, since siblings could be in different types of educational environments. Here’s what we found:

• Public school: 72%
• Charter school: 7%
• Private school: 19%
• Homeschool(1) 11%

Those who chose public, charter, or private schools then received a question asking if they deliberately visited museums to fill in gaps they didn’t feel their child’s school covered adequately, asking about art, STEM, and history education specifically. Those three disciplines posted similar numbers, while a third of parents said no, they were happy with the school curriculum.

• Art education: 47%
• STEM education: 41%
• History education: 44%
• No, I’ve been happy with what schools are doing: 34%

Overall, those who were happy with schools were more likely to have younger children (more in the K-2 range), so they likely were not perceiving curriculum gaps…yet.

Respondents who chose STEM were more likely to have elementary-age children, with fewer parents and guardians of tweens and teens saying they visit museums for STEM content. This suggests that parents and guardians of older children are not finding that the science content in museums is fitting their child’s curricular needs effectively, presenting an opportunity for science museums to consider.

In contrast, respondents who chose art and history were more likely to have children in middle and high school, when those curricular gaps become most obvious.

The final question was only seen by parents and guardians who said they were seeking out history experiences.(2) We asked:

Thinking of history education specifically, what kind of history content do you want museums and historic sites to share? What do you think is missing or needs addressing from what is taught in your child’s classroom?

We then hand-coded every single written-in response to this question, nearly 2,000. They fell into three main categories.

1. Straightforward

About a third of respondents gave rather straightforward responses that supported the value of history, but didn’t veer into controversy. Common themes include:

Schools don’t spend enough time on history

These responses either lamented that schools emphasized other subjects over history or that schools didn’t have time to go in-depth on history topics.

“Elementary schools in my state gloss over social studies in favor of math and language.”

“School classrooms only skim the surface of history. Museums do an outstanding job of filling gaps and adding depth.”

Museums make history come to life

Most of these responses suggested that museums were the best educators for history due to the immersive, interactive, personal, object-based experiences we share…making museums better than books, classrooms, and screens.

“Museums help kids see and touch things in person instead of in a classroom setting, in a book, on a screen. They get that experience of witnessing it right in front of them in some tangible form. They’ll remember it more when they get to do that.”

Local history

Local history doesn’t make it into textbooks, and most history organizations are all about local history. So the value of local history also received a shout-out.

“Local stories. How are communities developed.”

2. The less inclusive

While only 2% of responses were explicitly anti-inclusive, about 12% used coded language or tropes and platitudes that are more likely to come from less-inclusive people.

Because explicitly anti-inclusive comments tend to be unkind, we are not sharing any of those.

Coded language

Over the past several years we have developed a list of certain words and phrases that we have learned are used to privilege a more narrow, typically celebratory, history that also tends to focus on the experiences of Europeans and white people. These include:

• “Important,” “significant,” or “real” history
• “Just the facts, so we can make up our own minds”
• “Don’t judge people of the past by today’s values”
• “History cannot/should not be erased” or “revisionist history”

“Only historically accurate content. Nothing rewritten or from a different perspective. Just stick to the facts and not present your own spin or opinion on things. Leave it up to the guests to draw their own conclusions.”

Tropes and platitudes

These comments tend to be stock phrases and ideas that sound innocuous and tend to have little context around them. We put them in this category because less inclusive people are much more likely to use them than inclusive people. These include:

• “Good, bad, and ugly” or “warts and all” approaches to history
• Learning from mistakes of the past/history repeats itself
• Inspiration of learning from sacrifices or successes of others

“They need to know the good and the bad that happened before us so history doesn’t repeat itself.”

3. The inclusive

The largest segment of respondents implored museums to provide the inclusive content schools could not provide. In fact, we received nearly 15x more explicitly inclusive comments than explicitly anti-inclusive responses.

On top of that, about twice as many people gave responses that leaned more inclusive and expansive than leaned less inclusive.

BOTTOM LINE: the response FOR inclusion was overwhelming.

More expansive history…but not explicitly inclusive

Over a fifth of responses supported a more expansive understanding of the past, but didn’t explicitly use inclusive language. These respondents were much more likely to come from inclusive respondents. Examples include:

• A desire for multi-cultural content
• The importance of uncomfortable and difficult history, typically with supporting context that demanded a more critical and thorough approach to the past
• A need for more complete history with multiple viewpoints

“Increased global content. History in primary and secondary education is incredibly focused on US and some parts of European history.”

“Approaches to history that are critical of heroic stories, approaches to history that pay attention to everyday objects and everyday experiences (not presidents and wars and political regime changes).”

Explicitly inclusive responses

Most of the inclusive responses were explicit about the need for diverse stories and perspectives. These included a smaller number of comments lamenting history censorship and teaching restrictions.

“There needs to be more inclusive history content of cultures and societies that are not as well covered in standard history lessons, and content of past issues in our history should be addressed and not hidden or whitewashed over.”

“Any topic that is considered controversial in public schools should be addressed! The list seems to get more exhaustive every day. Teachers fear retribution if certain topics are taught. Teach those.”

There was also a fundamental shift in comments from inclusive people that we had not seen before: they were taking the language of anti-inclusive people and using it to promote inclusive history. That is, we saw far more respondents specifically say they support critical race theory, say revising history was a critical part of historiography, and calling history censorship “indoctrination.” They are also looking to history museums to champion a more inclusive history.

And history museums should, because exploring all the evidence of the past is morally the right thing to do–even if it is controversial. Bravery in this moment matters…and in this case, the brave choice is one that is also supported by a majority of the public. (3)

“History is written by the winners. And that’s what kids learn in school. I’d like to visit museums that share different perspectives that they don’t get exposed to at school. Get controversial. Ruffle up some feathers. The kids need to learn that just because the winners ‘won’ and wrote the story doesn’t automatically mean that they were ‘good’ or ‘heroic’ or something we should look up to and be inspired by, or that their story is the only one that matters.”

Annual Survey of Museum-Goers Data Stories are created by Wilkening Consulting on behalf of the American Alliance of Museums. Sources include:

• 2024 Annual Survey of Museum-Goers, n = 90,178; 202 museums participating
• 2024 Broader Population Sampling, n = 2,154
• 2017 – 2023 Annual Surveys of Museum-Goers

*Data Stories share research about both frequent museum-goers (typically visit multiple museums each year) and the broader population (including casual, sporadic, and non-visitors to museums).

1. A side benefit of this line of inquiry is a robust national sample of homeschool families. Stay tuned for a Data Story about them
2. We intend to cycle through art and STEM over the next two Annual Surveys.
3. See the Data Story “Inclusive Attitudes: Shifts Over Time“

More Data Stories can be found at wilkeningconsulting.com/data-stories.

How many times can a single dollar be spent in one transaction?

ANSWER:

 At least six times if spent in a museum store:

1. It pays for a unique and meaningful item.
2. It buys education about a culture, technique, or museum object.
3. It supports the artist or small business that makes the item.
4. It provides employment for museum store staff.
5. It supports the programs and activities of the museum or cultural institution.
6. It is spent with purpose.

That’s a pretty valuable form of currency! Using it in nonprofit cultural stores invests in art, education, your community, and the preservation of our shared cultural heritage. Most of us work hard for our money and we are thoughtful about how we spend it. MSA’s global initiative, Museum Store Sunday, has a new tagline for 2024: Shop With Purpose. We know the value of shopping in a museum store, and we want to ignite our customers with that same sense of purpose. Stores and vendors are teaming up to focus on offering new product launches, discounts, trunk shows, and other programs to entice customers to come and engage in purposeful shopping. We all make purchases. Shopping in a museum store offers the opportunity to combine cultural support and education with the purchase of gifts, memories, research materials, and unique jewelry and accessories. Children’s products often feature toys, books, and games that make learning fun and accessible. These educational products can help foster a love for art, science, technology, or history in young minds, extending the museum’s impact beyond its physical walls.

Purposeful purchasing supports art, science, history, and more while investing in the nonprofit institutions that preserve and protect our cultural heritage. Museum and cultural stores are uniquely positioned to offer high-quality, authentic products, both onsite and online, to consumers who care about supporting the cultural ecosystem. This sense of purpose drives them to bring the museum experience home, support vital institutions, and surrounds themselves and others with objects that spark conversations, pique curiosity, inspire research, and further a desire for education. This creates a connection to a wider world of art, science, history, and culture.

As museum professionals, it is our responsibility to communicate the importance and value of shopping with purpose to our customers. In stores, we see a fantastic job being done with attaching hangtags filled with content about the relationship of an item to the institution’s collection to products. There is great signage reinforcing this connection of purchases to institutional support. Images of objects in special exhibitions are often displayed next to a focused display of related products. Online stores use their pages effectively sending the same message of relatedness to consumers. While visiting the store in a museum, botanical garden, or performing arts center, the urge to shop purposefully is strong. The customer has been inspired by what they have experienced in galleries and engage in intentional shopping. We’re singing to the choir at this point. The challenge is to drive them to the onsite or online store to shop with purpose.

Shop With Purpose has valuable marketing potential. It walks right alongside the relatedness messaging. The message is full of stories and we all love a good story. Museum stores are full of carefully selected merchandise that reflect the institution’s collections, exhibitions, and missions. From elegantly designed and crafted jewelry inspired by ancient artifacts or fashioned after pieces worn in a portrait painting to scarves using details from images or artworks to books related to the collections with vivid illustrations and context. These stores offer a diverse array of products that cater to art enthusiasts, history buffs, and curious visitors alike. Museum and cultural stores are known for their commitment to quality and authenticity. To underscore this, some stores post the message that their product selections are curator-approved. Some items are exclusive collaborations with artists. Some are direct reproductions from the collections, others are interpretations. Some of the products inspire the STEAM brain and others are whimsical.

Museum stores often prioritize sustainability and ethical sourcing in their product selection. Institutions collaborate with artisans and fair-trade organizations to offer handmade goods that support traditional craftsmanship and provide fair wages to creators. Eco-friendly products are featured, from recycled/upcycled materials to items that promote conservation efforts. By shopping at these stores, consumers can make environmentally conscious choices. All make a direct connection to the institution and its exhibits. This kind of careful and purposeful curation encourages customers to take away their museum experience, extending the impact of their visit long after they have left the galleries.

All of these products have a good story to tell in your marketing messages. The stories can be about the makers, the vendors that curate products for cultural stores, the relationship to the collections, and more. You know your own stories! That’s why you brought these products with their stories into your stores. When you reach outward to bring in customers to your onsite and your online store, use the power of this narrative-building and the message of how their purchase supports your institution’s programs to inspire them to shop with purpose. Help them understand how they can contribute to the cultural and educational strength of their community. Inspire them to channel their best intentions and motivations to be intentional in their shopping strategies. Make them feel like the partners they are in purposeful spending.

Shop With Purpose is a call to action. Museum Store Sunday will supercharge the holiday shopping in your stores. Use this tagline to catch the attention of consumers. The definition of purpose is to achieve a goal that’s both personally meaningful and makes a positive mark in the world. A sense of purpose often is other-focused, something that can improve the lives of others, something bigger than ourselves. Museum and cultural stores are uniquely positioned to fulfill those goals and uplift our customers to be purpose partners.

Purpose moves people to strengthen our world.

How to Join

Step 1

Browse our website for an overview of Museum Store Sunday.

Step 2

Fill out and submit the participant registration form. This step will prompt you to add your institution to our global store locator map showing all participants in Museum Store Sunday. You will receive a communication from Bullseye Locations with a log-in for you to add your contact information, select an institution category, upload your institution’s logo, upload store or product images, link social media accounts and list your Museum Store Sunday events.

Step 3

Upon registering as a participant, you will receive a password to access the Participant Tool Kit. The kit contains the Museum Store Sunday logos, a marketing schedule and task list, social media graphics, a press release template, and many other assets to help museum stores market and communicate Museum Store Sunday to shoppers.

If your institution has previously participated in Museum Store Sunday, there is no need to re-register. Click here to see if your museum is already participating. Be sure to update your hours, logo, or anything else that may have changed since you last participated. Adding your event details is also a great way to encourage patrons to visit and shop your store.

Please note, this information is specifically for independently operated nonprofit museum stores operated directly by their parent nonprofit institution.

This year, we’re also partnering with vendors to offer specials to institutions participating in the event!

Despite the varying conventions and other surface-level differences between genres of museum writing, I believe there are core commonalities at the heart of all of them, which we can use as a beacon in aligning the nuances of our work to our institutions’ overall missions. To discover what these commonalities are, I interviewed museum professionals across the country about the values that guide their writing, and presented my research in a poster at this year’s AAM Annual Meeting. These are the core values I found that can make museum writing more effective.

Unity

Because there are so many genres of writing in the field, one of the most important principles for museum writers to embrace is unity. This means producing written information in a way that is cohesive not only for a particular institution but for museological principles in general. For instance, an institution using a style guide produces content that follows the same rules of writing across multiple departments. Writing in this way creates a central institutional voice that the broader public can latch onto. “I have to ‘be’ the institution, no matter how my day is going,” explains Lizabel Stell, the Senior Social Media and Digital Content Manager at the Blanton Museum of Art.

The trust readers put in museums as cultural institutions means that communication that comes from museums must be credible. This can be especially tricky in genres like marketing, where writers must balance this responsibility with conventions that place less emphasis on straightforward factuality. You wouldn’t expect to read a scholarly article in an Instagram caption, for example. No matter the genre, you must be cognizant of audience expectations in a particular context.

Practical examples:

• Using a style guide to unify the texts created by an institution.
• Targeting specific audiences to ensure that your writing is being presented to its intended readers.
• Understanding the purpose of your writing assignment to fit within the conventions of the specific genre in which you’re writing.

Accessibility

An emphasis on accessibility is another core tenet of museum work. Just as museums should design their physical spaces to serve the widest range of guests possible, they should also produce writing that is understandable to a wide range of audiences. This is especially important in the digital age, as access to written information has expanded to many more audiences than before. No group of people should be barred from knowledge because of wording that is confusing or too complex for them.

One factor to consider is age. As the Director of Smithsonian Associates, Fredie Adelman, told me, “Audiences range in age from pre-K to post-retirement.” This means we must keep multiple age ranges in mind and, when possible, tailor our writing to the age of the intended audience. We must also consider the range of abilities, such as the ability to see, hear, or process information, and make use of digital tools like alt text and captions that can improve accessibility. For all audiences, an effective strategy is succinctness, so we are conveying information as efficiently as possible.

Practical examples:

• Using alt text and other written descriptions for visual elements.
• Creating captions for visual or audio experiences.
• Selecting and creating age-appropriate texts to make it easier for your intended audience to come away with new knowledge.
• Making your writing succinct to transfer information in the most efficient way possible.

Human-Centeredness

One important element of museum writing that sometimes goes overlooked is telling the human stories that make our institutions possible. Being human-focused is an important aspect of museum work. For example, this could look like giving proper context to collection pieces. Even when visitors are looking at an artifact from hundreds of years ago, they should still be reminded of the humanity behind the object and how it can connect to their contemporary lives.

Making human connections to diverse groups of people is one of the most powerful functions of cultural institutions. This is the ideal that makes museum writers like John Epp, the Curator of the USS Slater, pursue the “number one goal of bringing a human element” in everything they write. When we tell stories through the lens of the people involved, we make it easier for audiences to connect with and understand them. Ultimately, this helps foster connections between the work of museums and the communities whose stories we steward.

Practical examples:

• Writing donor letters to demonstrate the impact that financial backers have in achieving the mission of your institution.
• Using interviews and other personal anecdotes of people or groups you are writing about to help tell their story in their own words.
• Doing research to ensure that the historical and contemporary stories you tell are authentic to audiences’ real-world experiences.

Conclusion

I am grateful for the opportunity to speak with various museum professionals from across the country to learn about the connections between their writing work and the core missions of museology. No matter which of the many genres under the banner “museum writing” we practice, it is important that the work we produce falls in line with these deeper ideals. They are some of the most important aspects of the field itself. Thinking through these deeper connections will make the writing we do more effective and help achieve the goal of communicating information in ways that are far-reaching and value-driven.

Editor’s note: A version of this post previously appeared on the Association of Midwest Museums blog.

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Over the past several years, race and gender have received extraordinary attention. “Me too” conversations, racial reckonings, and conflict over how gender is expressed have resulted in shifts in inclusive attitudes…some towards a more inclusive viewpoint, and others less so.

Since 2021, we have been tracking how museum-goers feel about inclusive content in museums.

We use a battery of three questions to assess individual attitudes on inclusion, as there is no single question that helps us sort this out accurately. To learn more about the three questions we use, see our 2021 Data Story “The Spectrum of Inclusive Attitudes: Methodology.”

Overall, the news is good: most people want museums to share inclusive content, and inclusive attitudes strongly outnumber the anti-inclusive.

Frankly, it’s also been a bit of a roller coaster ride.

Let’s first examine frequent museum-goers and their attitudes.

Back in 2021, we found that just over half of museum-goers fell on the “inclusive” side of the spectrum, and about a quarter fell on the “anti-inclusive” side.

2021 – FREQUENT MUSEUM-GOERS

In 2022, we were surprised to see that attitudes had shifted quite a bit towards inclusion: nearly 2/3 falling on the more inclusive side and a small dip in anti-inclusive sentiment.

2022 – FREQUENT MUSEUM-GOERS

Over the past two years, however, we seem to have reverted back to 2021 norms, and 2022 increasingly looks like an outlier year.

2023 – FREQUENT MUSEUM-GOERS

2024 – FREQUENT MUSEUM-GOERS

We saw a similar shift of attitudes when we asked a representative broader population sample of U.S. adults the same questions.

Broader Population

For the broader population, inclusive attitudes have not fallen back to 2021 levels, unlike attitudes of frequent museum goers. Indeed, at least a small amount of growth toward inclusivity was maintained there.

So, what’s going on?

Honestly, we don’t know for sure. We can’t go to an individual person and ask why their attitudes are shifting, much less thousands of respondents.

We think, however, this pullback from 2022 may be a result of fatigue. Fatigue from the intense emotions these topics evoke. Fatigue from the political cycle. Fatigue from the many challenges we each face on a daily basis.

When people are tired, they look for respite, comfort, and norms that may make them feel more comfortable. But comfortable for whom? And at whose expense?

And if such fatigue prompts a turn away from inclusive attitudes, how might we do this work effectively? Sharing humanity’s history, experiences, and cultural and artistic expressions is at the heart of what museums do.

The 2025 Annual Survey of Museum-Goers and Broader Population Sampling will field these questions yet again, so we can continue to track this journey we are all taking together.

In the meantime, we encourage you to check out some of our resources for sharing inclusive content public, including: Audiences and Inclusion: A Primer for Cultivating More Inclusive Attitudes Among the Public and our Data Story “Beware! The False Consensus Effect.”

Annual Survey of Museum-Goers Data Stories are created by Wilkening Consulting on behalf of the American Alliance of Museums. Sources include:
• 2024 Annual Survey of Museum-Goers, n = 90,178; 202 museums participating
• 2024 Broader Population Sampling, n = 2,154
• 2017 – 2023 Annual Surveys of Museum-Goers

*Data Stories share research about both frequent museum-goers (typically visit multiple museums each year) and the broader population (including casual, sporadic, and non-visitors to museums).

More Data Stories can be found at wilkeningconsulting.com/data-stories.

For those who vote there, it can be a unique experience. While casting their ballots, voters can find themselves among famed art, giant whales, or other exhibition installations—including on the topics of civics and participating in our democracy.

Plus, voters may get complimentary museum admission for voting or even leave with a special sticker: “I Voted – At The Museum.”

85% of US adults think museums have a role to play in building our civil society.

Though voting at museums is not new this year, it has gained new participants this year and museums are increasingly becoming known for their role as civic spaces. Some museums have to overcome and solve substantial challenges in order to ready the museum, staff, and logistics matters involved in being a polling place. In 2020, dozens of museums stepped up to fill a perceived gap: there needed to be more safe places for voting during the COVID-19 pandemic. That year, several museums were a first-time voting site, while others continued their tradition of serving polling locations at mid-term elections, presidential elections, or both for years.

How can museums participate?

As nonpartisan institutions, museums can (and are encouraged!) to participate in these allowed voter activities during election years. In addition to serving as a polling site, there are other options: hosting events registering people to vote, sharing timely information about voting times and locations, publicizing information on election day, and even hosting a nonpartisan forum that includes all viable candidates and parties participating in a given race. For example, the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia hosted the Presidential Debate on September 10.

There are also important restrictions. Nonprofit 501(c)(3) museums cannot treat any candidate or party differently from all other candidates or parties, share information more favorable to any candidate or party over the other, nor a number of other prohibited activities. Read the additional resources section at the end of this blog post for thorough resources and guidelines.

Explore a highlight roundup of museums participating as voting sites in 2024 below! Jump to list by location. 

Is your museum participating as a polling site, or participating in any other permitted voter activity this year? Let us know in the comments!

A new site to meet community needs in NYC:

The American Museum of Natural History in Manhattan’s Upper West Side is a polling location for the first time this year! Early voting has been underway at the museum’s newest wing, the Richard Gilder Center for Science, Education and Innovation. Earlier, community members requested the museum be an early voting site to relieve logistical concerns at a nearby public school that would be impacted by the Early Voting days.

 

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“For the first time, AMNH proudly serves as a polling location, supporting part of Manhattan’s west side—a true reflection of our role as a civic resource.”

Continuing a historical legacy of voting rights:

One of the most prominent new museum polling locations this year has a unique significance in voting and civil rights history.

The National Susan B. Anthony Museum & House—the home where Anthony lived, and was arrested in 1872 for voting in the presidential election—proudly served this year as first-time polling site. Because of its special significance, many voters opted to travel farther from suburbs to cast their ballots early there.

The museum first had the idea to be a polling site in 2020, when New York introduced early voting in presidential elections. However, with limited occupancy inside the house itself, the staff needed to overcome obstacles and requirements to be a ready voting location, including making necessary access changes to the adjoining carriage house, which is where early voters now go to vote. Learn more about the museum’s work to become a polling site, and its significance.

University museums join an innovative voting project:

The Creative Campus Voting Project is an effort at the University of Michigan, in partnership with the university’s Museum of Art, the Ann Arbor City Clerk and the UMICH Votes Coalition, to close the gap. Learn about this project through the lens of students and museum employees in this 7-minute piece from PBS: Universities transform art museums into spaces for voting and political discourse. This year, it is the first time that Michigan voters can vote early and in-person, the museum is proud to provide a safe and welcoming civic environment. The museum transformed one of its galleries into a fully functional City Clerk’s office to allow registration, absentee ballot requests, and early voting for Ann Arbor voters.

“It means something to be a public institution. It means something to … have public goods like museums and libraries. They’re not a given. They do really important, really critically important work for the civil society and the democracy, even if it’s often kind of invisible to people. I think it’s worth naming, so that you can really protect it.”

Early voting pop-up at a museum breaks state records:

In 2024, Minneapolis’ Elections and Voter Services is holding 11 one-day pop-up voting events at churches, parks and a museum. The first pop-up was at the Weisman Art Museum at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis and attracted a long line of voters. City spokesman Allen Henry said 637 people voted at the art museum in one early voting day—a “new record for pop-up voting not just for the city, but the entire state of Minnesota.” This year’s election also marks the first time Minnesota college students could vote early on college campuses, after a 2023 law passed by the state legislature allowed for such pop-up locations.

The early voting pop-up site was organized by the Row the Vote campaign, a nonpartisan effort led by the Undergraduate Student Government, which has also spent the past few months visiting classrooms, registering students, and sharing voter information.

Museums that are repeat voting locations:

Along with these first-time polling places, many museums are returning after participating in past elections. Here are a few highlights:

The Skirball Cultural Center in Los Angeles, the High Museum of Art in Atlanta, the National WWI Museum & Memorial in Kansas City, MO, and many other museums will serve as early voting or Election Day polling locations again this year. In 2020, when the WWI Museum & Memorial served as a polling location, it responded promptly to an incident in which graffiti was used to attempt to deter people from voting. Earlier this year, the museum served as a polling location for the primary elections:

The Hammer Museum at UCLA has been a polling location multiple times. Ann Philbin, the museum’s director, said in 2020 that museums “are the new town centres, community hubs and meetings halls, and it is critical to our mission to be a place where people can participate in democracy.”

The Frost Museum, while serving again as an early voting location, this year, offers voters a free admission ticket to use through November 22, café and gift store discounts, and a discount on museum membership.

“Partnering with Miami-Dade County on this important initiative reinforces our commitment to civic engagement, ensuring that every resident can participate in the democratic process in an accessible and welcoming space.”

In Boston, the Institute of Contemporary Art (ICA) is participating again as an early voting location, and the Museum of Fine Arts (MFA) is a first-time voting location. Mayor Michelle Wu hopes that voters will share their excitement about voting at these cultural locations:

 

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Voter education and registration:

Many museums are offering timely civics education, from special exhibitions to programming related to voting or civic activities:

• The WVU Art Museum’s Museum Education Center is an early voting center and hosting the Our Votes, Our Values exhibit.
• At least several museums this year, such as the Lewisburg Children’s Museum in Lewisburg, PA, have been organizing educational events to get younger audiences interested in the civics process.
• Penn State’s Palmer Museum of Art offered voter registration opportunities while presenting the exhibition, Politics and Daily Life.
• Munson Museum of Art, in Utica, NY is an Election Day polling location, and also currently hosts the traveling exhibition, Voices and Votes: Democracy in America, organized by the Smithsonian National Museum of American History.

“’Voices and Votes’ stresses the personal experience of democracy. For example, at each venue, community members record their individual observations about what democracy means to them, animating real life events such as becoming a citizen and gaining the right to vote.”

Some voters find their ballot box at the museum:

Instead of serving as full-blown polling sites, some museums are hosting drop boxes on their grounds where voters can leave their ballots to be counted. The Denver Museum of Nature & Science and Denver Botanic Gardens in Colorado, the Computer History Museum in California, and others have hosted ballot drop boxes in 2024. Plus, voters dropping off their ballot might stop in for a visit to the museum!

Museums as polling locations in 2024, by state

Is your museum serving as a polling site, or participating in any other permitted voter activity this year? This is not an exhaustive list, and we welcome additional examples in the comments.

Alabama

• Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts (link)

Arizona

• Phoenix Art Museum (link)
• The Museum or Northern Arizona (link)

California

• The California Museum – early voting location (link) and voter registration (link)
• Triton Museum of Art – early voting and Election Day voting location (link)
• The Hammer Museum at UCLA – early voting and Election Day voting location (link)
• Skirball Cultural Center (link)
• South Coast Botanic Garden (link)
• San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA) – Phyllis Wattis Theater (link)
• Randall Museum (link)
• California Historical Radio Society (link)
• Mountain View Computer History Museum – ballot drop box location (link)

Florida

• The Phillip and Patricia Frost Museum of Science (link and link)
• Florida Museum of Natural History (link)
• Harn Museum of Art (link)

Georgia

• High Museum of Art (link)

Massachusetts

• Museum of Fine Arts – first-time early voting location (link)
• Institute of Contemporary Art – early voting location (link)
• Wenham Museum – Election Day voting location (link)

Michigan

• University of Michigan Museum of Art (UMMA) – (link)

Minnesota

• The Bakken Museum – Election Day polling location (link)
• Weisman Art Museum at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis was a one-day pop-up early voting location site (link)

Missouri

• National WWI Museum and Memorial is an Election Day polling location (link)

Nebraska

• York Area Children’s Museum (link)
• The Sheldon Museum of Art at the University of Nebraska – voter registration (link, link, and link) and an exhibition/voter education (link)

New Jersey

• The Zimmerli Art Museum at Rutgers University (link)
• Hoboken Historical Museum (link)

New York

• American Museum of Natural History (link)
• Brooklyn Museum – early voting location (link and link)
• Lincoln Depot Museum (link)
• Metropolitan Museum of Art (link)
• Munson (link)
• Museum of the Moving Image (MoMI) (link)
• Queens Botanical Garden (link)
• Susan B. Anthony House & Museum (link and link)
• Weeksville Heritage Center – first-time early voting location (link)

North Carolina

• Charlotte Hawkins Brown Museum – early voting location (link)
• Onslow County Museum – early voting location (link)

Ohio

• Miami Valley Veterans Museum – first-time voting location (link)

Oklahoma

• Philbrook – first-time voting location in a presidential race (link)

Pennsylvania

• Museum of the American Revolution – Cross Keys Café – Election Day polling location (link)
• The Mummers Museum – voting location for the 2024 primary elections (link)
• Penn State’s Palmer Museum of Art – voter registration activities (link)

South Carolina

• The Historical Center of York County – voter education exhibition (link)

Virginia

• Museum of History and Culture (link)
• VCU Institute for Contemporary Art (link)

West Virginia

• WVU Art Museum – the Museum Education Center was an early voting location and hosted the “Our Votes, Our Values” exhibit (link and link)

Wisconsin

• The Chazen Museum of Art at the University of Wisconsin-Madison (link and link)

Additional resources

American Alliance of Museums (AAM):

• Guide to Election Year Advocacy for Museums
• Nonprofit Voter Resources

Institute for Museum and Library Services (IMLS):

• How Museums and Libraries Are Fostering Civic Engagement Through Voting

American Association for State and Local History (AASLH):

• Technical Leaflet: How Museums Can Help Increase Voter Registration
• Here’s why your museum should get out the vote

Explore a roundup from Culture Type of exhibitions that are on view now at museums which are polling sites.

Is your museum participating as a polling site, or participating in any other permitted voter activity this year? Let us know in the comments.