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The American Alliance of Museums (AAM) is the only organization representing the entire museum field, from art and history museums to science centers and zoos. Since 1906, AAM has been championing museums through advocacy and helping museum professionals do their best work. Get access to thousands of resources, discounts on events, and more as an AAM Member. Learn more at aam-us.org/membership.
Asami RobledoAllen Yamamoto, M.A., is an art educator, doctoral student, and artist advancing equity in museums. Her research focuses on inclusive practices in museums and the preservation of Latino culture.
Fuji Robledo Yamamoto, Ph.D., LCSW, is a researcher focused on communitybased research, mental health technology, and trauma-informed care. She studied Information Science at the University of Colorado, Boulder.
Gabriela Perez, M.A., is a museum professional exploring bilingual programs’ impact on underrepresented communities and aiming to empower visitors of all ages.
NEW LANGUAGE INCLUSION IN MUSEUMS
By Asami Robledo-Allen Yamamoto, Fuji Robledo Yamamoto, & Gabriela Perez
“Whether you are just beginning to explore multilingual programming or looking to deepen existing initiatives, this book provides the insights, encouragement, and tools needed to help museums foster genuine belonging for all visitors.”
“This groundbreaking work arrives at a pivotal moment in museum history. . . . Every choice about language is simultaneously a choice about inclusion and exclusion—what stories get told, what perspectives are centered, who our institutions are truly for, and who remains on the margins.”—E M i Ly K richbau M , a ssistant D ir Ector of th E n ationa L W o
Museums are responsible for sharing and preserving cultural records in an accessible way with and for the communities around them. In the United States, over 100 million people are non-English native speakers, yet most museums prioritize solely English. Due to museums’ linguistic limitations, non-English speaking museum visitors may feel othered, ignored, and excluded, therefore hindering their relationships with museums. Museums must dismantle the monolinguistic pillars by committing to language inclusion outside of accessibility.
This book addresses reasons to remedy the lack of language inclusivity, explain research-based benefits of multilingualism, and establish translation guidelines to make museums more equitable and accessible.
Author Q&A
What does a truly language-inclusive museum look like?
“A truly language-inclusive museum embeds multimodal languaging into every layer of its practice, treating language inclusion as an ongoing action rather than a finished outcome. Language inclusion is a continuous process where the focus shifts from centering artifacts to centering community needs first, and where language becomes a living practice shaped by the community. Achieving this also requires an ongoing institutional commitment to learning, reflection, and staying up to date with evolving best practices in language inclusion and translation. A truly language-inclusive museum is willing to adapt, revise, and change its practices over time in response to community needs and emerging knowledge.”
How does multilingualism reshape the way museums think about access and belonging?
“Multilingualism shifts language access from accommodation to shared ownership, positioning visitors as participants rather than outsiders.”
DIVERSITY, EQUITY, ACCESSIBILITY, & INCLUSION
WELCOMING MUSEUM VISITORS WITH UNAPPARENT DISABILITIES
Edited by Beth Redmond-Jones
Welcoming Museum Visitors with Unapparent Disabilities explores how cultural organizations (i.e. museums, aquariums, art centers) globally serve individuals with mental health and neurodiverse challenges. Opening chapters present the status of mental health in society and the need for inclusive design.
Organized by unapparent disability, the book includes: a medical definition of the condition as defined by the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems 11th Revision (ICD11) by the World Health Organization; a brief introduction to that condition; personal accounts of the condition and challenges faced when visiting a museum, exhibition, and/or participating in a program; and global case studies which describe how the hidden disability was supported/ addressed and lessons learned.
Beth Redmond-Jones is director of campus planning and development at the Oregon Zoo. Previously, she was vice president of exhibitions at the Monterey Bay Aquarium and vice president of engagement and education at the San Diego Natural History Museum.
2024 • 210 pages
9781538172001 • $52.95 / £41.99 • Paper
9781538171998 • $130.00 / £95.00 • Cloth
9781538172018 • $47.65 / £37.79 • eBook
INWARD, OUTWARD, ONWARD, UPWARD
TRANSFORMING INCLUSION IN MUSEUMS The Power of Collaborative Inquiry
By Porchia Moore, Rose Paquet, and Aletheia Wittman
What should inclusion mean for museum staff and leaders as they envision new ways of being a museum in an emergent future? Museum workers can use this book as a tool for engaging with inclusion anew, and as a terrain for collaborative inquiry and world-building that can help us imagine and realize new potential for museums in the future.
Porchia Moore is an innovative thought leader, cultural heritage scholar, outdoor enthusiast, writer, artist, curator, and museum consultant specializing in racial equity. She is committed to creating a world that is verdant, free of anti-blackness, joy-filled, and uplifts the material culture and world heritage of all peoples. She is co-director of The Incluseum
Rose Paquet is a writer, artist, and facilitator. She works with people to use the power of imagination to dream and enact future possibilities that center community care in its widest understanding. Rose co-founded The Incluseum in 2012 and currently acts as codirector.
Aletheia Wittman is a consultant, coach, and facilitator based in Seattle, Washington. She partners with people and teams navigating inclusive transformation within cultural institutions. She co-founded The Incluseum in 2012 and currently acts as co-director.
A Lifelong Journey Towards Anti-Oppression and Inclusion in Museums
By Cecile Shellman
Putting forth an incisive look at diversity, equity, accessibility, inclusion, anti-racism, pro-marginalized people and museums, this book asks its readers to practice the skills of looking inward, developing empathy, working collaboratively across the museum to address the systemic effects of unexamined oppression, and working tirelessly for justice and change.
Cecile Shellman’s long museum career and deep love for people and learning position her to be an advocate for individuals and communities who have been marginalized and less represented by museums.
Author Q&A
How do you hope this book will shape future generations of museum professionals?
“Our current moment calls for brave individuals, organizations, and institutions to continue in work that uplifts marginalized people and communities. Museums have the sacred responsibility to tell truthful stories about culture for the sake of preservation, community-building, and artistic excellence. I hope that my book can provide the fuel museums need to continue their efforts in brave and safe ways.”
2024 • 178 pages
9781538193075 • $35.00 / £26.00 • Paper
9781538193068 • $90.00 / £65.00 • Cloth
9781538193082 • $31.50 / £23.40 • eBook
FROM SMALL WINS TO SWEEPING CHANGE
Working Together to Foster Equity, Inclusion, and Antiracism in Museums
Edited by Priya Frank and Theresa Sotto
Combining practice and guidance, challenges and successes, this book provides a range of frameworks and tools to develop and implement successful DEAI committees and their initiatives. This book offers concrete tips and models for mitigating bias, confronting racism, and advocating for organizational change at any cultural institution.
Priya Frank has over 25 years of experience in equity, diversity, and inclusion work professionally, educationally, and personally. Currently, she is the director of equity, diversity, and inclusion at the Seattle Art Museum.
Theresa Sotto has worked at the crossroads of education, equity, and the arts for over 25 years. She is currently the Ruth R. Marder Director of Learning & Community Engagement at the Walters Art Museum in Baltimore, Maryland.
2022 • 268 pages
9781538163597
£32.39 • eBook
EFFECTIVE DIVERSITY, EQUITY, ACCESSIBILITY, INCLUSION, AND ANTIRACISM PRACTICES FOR MUSEUMS
From the Inside Out
By Cecile Shellman
Equal parts autobiography, cautionary tale, and actionable recommendations, this book is as candid and vulnerable as the author insists all seekers of justice be when they embark on a full-scale DEAI initiative anchored in anti-oppression. This rare peek behind the curtain of museum culture leaves no holds barred.
Cecile Shellman is a full-time consultant in diversity, equity, accessibility, and inclusion for museums. 2022
MUSEUM ACCESSIBILITY BY DESIGN
A Systemic Approach to Organizational Change
By Maria Chiara Ciaccheri
“A comprehensive, yet highly readable approach on confronting accessibility within the museum space, while also offering an easy digestible practical guide on how to go about enacting change.”
—J ourna L of M us E u M E D ucation
“Maria Chiara Ciaccheri’s book contributes importantly to understand how to approach accessibility systematically, both conceptually and in practice. The volume contributes to ongoing debate on accessibility and inclusion in significant ways.” t h E i nt E rnationa L J ourna L of M us E u M s tu D i E s
This book addresses the design of museum accessibility strategy, offering cases, tools, and resources to facilitate its critical deployment and guide its evolution in museums through training activities.
Maria Chiara Ciaccheri is a museum consultant, researcher, and docent.
2022 • 186 pages
9781538156032 • $48.95 / £37.99 • Paper
9781538156025 • $110.00 / £80.00 • Cloth
9781538156049 • $44.05 / £34.19 • eBook
DIVERSITY, EQUITY, ACCESSIBILITY, AND INCLUSION IN MUSEUMS
Edited by Johnnetta Betsch Cole and Laura L. Lott
2019 • 182 pages
9781538118627 • $42.95 / £35.99
THE
INCLUSIVE
MUSEUM LEADER
Edited by Cinnamon Catlin-Legutko and Chris Taylor 2021 • 216 pages
9781538152256 • $54.95 / £42.99 • Paper
9781538152249 • $130.00 / £100.00 • Cloth
9781538152263 • $49.45 / £38.69 • eBook
NEW AN EMPATHY-BUILDING TOOLKIT FOR MUSEUMS
Edited by Elif M. Gökçiğdem
“The authors show how something as simple as an artifact, a story, or a moment of reflection can become a bridge across time, culture, and perspective. This is an essential guide for museum professionals, educators, and anyone who believes that empathy—when nurtured intentionally—has the power to transform institutions and communities alike.”
“This insightful and practical volume offers a rich and well-rounded collection that highlights how museums can intentionally act as platforms and incubators for building greater empathy in our world.”
Elif M. Gökçiğdem, PhD is a pioneer in positioning museums as empathybuilding incubators. She designs encounters that nurture meaning-making and unlock human potential to experience an ever-widening sense of relatedness and belonging. After coining the term empathy-building through museums in 2006, Elif created the Designing for Empathy® Framework, Summit, and Workshops, published three books, and set up ONEempathynetwork.com.
Museums as informal learning platforms that reflect the subjects, themes, and contexts representing all aspects of life have a unique advantage and a responsibility to contribute to empathy-building in our world by offering opportunities for experiential learning of empathy as a portal to a deep understanding of our interconnected and interdependent existence. Within this context, empathy is defined as a form of perception, enabling us to connect with ourselves and others through a cultivation of self-knowledge. This is key to take sustainable actions towards major global challenges our world is facing, such as fragmentation, othering, as well as social and environmental injustices.
This book offers a rich variety of practical and multidisciplinary solutions to empathybuilding with potential for adaptation, implementation, and scaling through a variety of museums, and other informal learning platforms, that aspire to become incubators of empathy in their respective sectors, institutions, systems, and communities. Whether museum visitors are engaging with art, religious objects, or animals, cultural heritage professionals can use the strategies outlined in this book to foster empathy and reflection, making museums a more transformative and enlightening experience.
Author Q&A
How can museum educators design programs that foster deeper reflection and connection?
“Empathy-building in a museum feels like creating a non-judgmental, safe, and inclusive metaphorical container, within which hearts can open up to each other to experience relatedness, trust, reverence, and deep reflection. Two decades of collaborative empathy-building efforts have shown me that people who are drawn to this work tend to share some common demeanors, such as openness, kindness, a collaborative outlook, and a sense of service to humanity. It is important for the facilitator to model intentionality, presence, and equanimity. The ultimate goal for the facilitator is to nurture a space where participants move out of their thinking-minds and into a heartful space of intimacy. The collective experience that they facilitate invites individual courage in sharing vulnerably, as well as openness in holding others’ lived experiences different from their own, without judgment.”
MUSEUM FINANCE Issues, Challenges, and Successes
By Brian Alexander
Museum Finance is a comprehensive guide to financial management and stability for museums that provides context for the financial issues faced by museums and offers suggestions to mitigate them. It will help the reader understand why finances are chronic issues, provide perspective to see challenges more clearly, and offer advice to fix them.
Brian Alexander has worked in museums for over forty years. Among other positions he has been the president & CEO of the National World War I Museum, president & CEO of the Historic Annapolis Foundation, executive vice-president & director of the Shelburne Museum, and director of the museum program for the State Historical Society of North Dakota. Currently, he is visiting professor of museum administration at the Cooperstown Graduate Program of the State University of New York.
2023 • 168 pages
9781538138335 • $36.95 / £31.99 • Paper
9781538138328 • $90.00 / £65.00 • Cloth
9781538138342 • $33.25 / £28.79 • eBook
MUSEUM DIPLOMACY
How Cultural Institutions Shape Global Engagement
Edited by Sarah E.K. Smith and Sascha Priewe
Museum Diplomacy features case studies from across the world that cover almost every aspect of museum work. Demonstrating the potential for institutions to advance crosscultural education and foster mutual understanding, the book contributes a new understanding of cultural diplomacy that recognizes the work of museum professionals.
Sarah E.K. Smith is assistant professor and Canada Research Chair in Art, Culture, and Global Relations, based in the Faculty of Information and Media Studies at Western University. Her writing and curatorial projects focus on contemporary art, cultural diplomacy, and creative labor.
Sascha Priewe is director of collections and public programs at the Aga Khan Museum in Toronto. Before joining the Aga Khan Museum, he was the associate vice president, strategic initiatives & partnerships, at the Royal Ontario Museum, and curator of Chinese and Korean collections at the British Museum.
2024 • 261 pages
9781538137215 •
LEANING INTO VALUE
Becoming a User-Focused Museum
By John H. Falk
This book offers guidance for museum leaders struggling to navigate today’s often tumultuous, ever-changing economic, political, leisure, and educational landscape. It includes an essential framework for maximizing institutional success called Value Realization, a process that enables museum leaders to effectively calibrate the needs and interests of their current and potential users, and articulate how and why they create value so they can foster enduring relationships with users. Creating an ever-evolving series of products and services that consistently delivery unique value to an evermore diverse set of constituencies, the Value Realization validates museum leaders’ activities through empirical processes that promote evidencebased decision making and catalyze measurable, year-on-year improvements in their organizations’ community value.
John Falk is the Sea Grant Professor Emeritus of Free-Choice Learning at Oregon State University, and principal researcher at the Institute for Learning Innovation (ILI).
Author Q&A
As museums evolve, how do you see the role of technology shaping the user experience? Is this part of the “continuous Value Realization process?”
“Technology in general, and AI in particular, promise to allow museums to provide more supportive experiences, and to the extent these can be directed towards responding to and helping to satisfy user’s well-being related needs, then yes, they have the promise of significantly impacting and shaping the visitor experiences museums create. However, just applying technology for technology’s sake, absent a direct connection to user’s needs and interests, will not advance, and in fact will hinder museums’ ability to be directly relevant to their publics in the foreseeable future.”
2025 • 260 pages
9781538181430 • $49.00 / £38.00 • Paper
9781538181423 • $120.00 / £92.00 • Cloth
9781538181447 • $44.10 / £34.20 • eBook
NEW THE FINANCIAL INTEGRATION AND RESILIENCE MODEL
Building the Museum Financial Ecosystem
By Ashley Amos and Jon Carver
Museums face mounting challenges to sustain their operations as costs continue to rise and fundraising becomes more competitive. The financial operations of a museum can no longer be viewed as a support function that merely processes revenue and pays bills. A strong financial foundation must be elevated to a strategic priority alongside the highest order mission and values of an institution. This book will explore how to create a Financial Integration & Resilience Model (FIRM), based on best practices and innovative approaches (including the use of Artificial Intelligence) for any museum.
The FIRM approach is unique because it leverages best practices in both the non-profit and federal and state government sectors. The FIRM has been developed to break down organizational silos by using a strategic and risk-based approach; it ensures that all museum offices participate in the model to ensure fundraising, strategic priorities and budgeting are not segregated processes but a connected ecosystem. Financial resilience cannot exist without integration, and these two powerful forces together will generate positive reverberations across the institution.
No matter the size of a museum, financial resilience is now a core value. This book will provide institutions with strategies and best practices for financial resilience and a blueprint to overcome gaps in financial integration that are essential to any museum’s future.
Author Q&A
Ashley Amos currently works as Senior Financial Manager at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, DC, where she leads process-driven, peoplecentered approaches to foster communication and integration across organizational boundaries.
Jon Carver has over twenty years of experience leading cultural and entity-wide systemic changes in budgeting, financial management, procurement, risk management, endowment investing, information security, and information technology systems development.
What does “financial resilience” mean for a museum today?
“Financial resilience for today’s museum is the ability to consistently deliver missions and programs in good and bad financial times by being prepared for changing financial conditions.”
How might emerging technologies, including AI, help museums improve financial planning and decision-making?
“The potential of AI and emerging technologies for a museum is limitless. These capabilities are faster than practitioners can keep up with. Identifying opportunities to put these tools to use within a museum’s financial ecosystem should be a major priority. Examples that jump out include revenue forecasting, donor analytics, budget scenario planning, risk management, and the potential for significant cost savings in information technology system implementation and cyber security.”
Looking ahead, what financial challenges do you think museums must prepare for over the next decade?
“A museum must have financial forecasting and scenario planning capabilities so that the inevitable ups and downs across multiple years can be managed. Looming financial risks that should be projected include competition for resources, inflationary increases, the costs to remain relevant, black swan events, and the politicization of museums.”
BEYOND THE NUMBERS
Budgeting for Museum Professionals
By Kristine Zickuhr
2022
MISSION MATTERS
Relevance and Museums in the 21st Century
By Gail Anderson
2019
PARTNERSHIP POWER
Essential Museum Strategies for Today’s Networked World
By Marsha L. Semmel
2019 • 388 pages
9781538103142 • $54.95 / £41.99 • Paper
9781538103135 • $120.00 / £90.00 • Cloth
9781538103159 • $49.45 / £37.79 • eBook
RIGHTS AND REPRODUCTIONS
The Handbook for Cultural Institutions
Second Edition
Edited
by
Anne M. Young
2019 • 404 pages
9781538112663 • $79.95 / £59.99 • Paper
9781538112656 • $175.00 / £130.00 • Cloth
9781538112670 • $71.95 / £53.99 • eBook
NATIONAL STANDARDS AND BEST PRACTICES FOR U.S. MUSEUMS
Edited by Elizabeth E. Merritt
2008 • 104 pages
9781933253114 • $48.95 / £37.99 • Paper
9781493082926 • $44.05 / £34.19 • eBook
LEADERSHIP SUCCESSION AND TRANSITION FOR MUSEUMS AND ARTS ORGANIZATIONS
A Guide for Boards and Chief
Executives
By Kaywin Feldman
This book will help facilitate successful leadership transition in museums and arts organizations. It is commonly noted that the greatest number of airline accidents happen during takeoff and landing. The same is true for arts organizations; we are at our most vulnerable during times of transition and it is critical that staff and volunteer leadership succeed in this difficult phase. Surprisingly, staff and boards must invent the practice each time as there is currently no “how to” guide for leadership transition in the arts.
The book features three main sections, covering the period from departure announcement to the final farewell; the search and interview process; and onboarding and succession planning. It was written for the boards of arts organizations, search committees, and for staff leadership.
What do you think are the most overlooked aspects of leadership transition that this book aims to address?
“I wrote this book for three primary reasons: to identify the challenges and opportunities that transitions present; to help boards and leaders focus on leadership qualities needed in today’s volatile and chaotic world; and to lay out the strategy for a successful first year for leaders in new roles.”
2024 • 164 pages
9781538185636 • $46.00 / £35.00 • Paper
9781538185629 • $115.00 / £88.00 • Cloth
9781538185643 • $41.40 / £31.50 • eBook
Kaywin Feldman is director of the National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC, the first woman to lead the nation’s art museum.
A COLLABORATIVE APPROACH TO EXHIBITION MAKING
By Emily Saich and Joey Scott
Making exhibitions takes creativity, problem-solving, and a wellsupported process. The authors share tested ideas and tools to help collaborative teams build trust, generate ideas, communicate effectively, and develop shared understanding. This book dives into approaches to planning a project, understanding budgets and schedules, facilitating creative development, managing feedback, and selecting contractors. This book offers guidance on all aspects of exhibition-making. It includes samples and added perspectives on this work from across many disciplines. Whether you’re leading the creation of a new exhibit or engaged in any part of the exhibition-making process, you’ll find useful and insightful methods to support a collaborative approach.
Emily Saich is director of Exhibition Projects at the Monterey Bay Aquarium, where she leads project strategy for major exhibitions and guides collaborative teams through design and creation of visitor-centered experiences.
Joey Scott is manager of exhibition project delivery at the Monterey Bay Aquarium, where she leads project teams that create innovative exhibitions to inspire conservation of the ocean.
Author Q&A
What is one piece of advice you would give to someone who is new to the exhibition-making process and wants to implement a more collaborative approach?
“Invest in your team, including yourself! Take the time to develop a deep understanding of how others work, an appreciation for their expertise, and empathy for the challenges and complexities of collaboration. . . . Understanding what others do and how they do it will allow you to develop into a better team member and leader.”
Considering Competing Values for Intentional Exhibition Practices
Edited by Ann Rowson Love and Pat Villeneuve
Whether implicit or intentional, decisions made about interpretive focus, curatorial power, and curatorial intent indelibly shape the resulting exhibition and determine who will be best served or disenfranchised by it. This book introduces competing values and organizational models that address them; explains the three axes comprising the model and the eight types of exhibitions that result from various combinations of positions on the axes; looks in depth at case studies of the eight different exhibition types; provides candid observations about changing curatorial practices; and offers tools to help museums implement the model.
Ann Rowson Love is associate professor and director of the MA/PhD program Museum Education & Visitor-Centered Curation in the Department of Art Education at Florida State University.
Pat Villeneuve is professor and director of Arts Administration in the Florida State University Department of Art Education.
2023 • 272 pages
9781538167366 • $57.95 / £42.99 • Paper
9781538167342 • $130.00 / £100.00 • Cloth
9781538167359 • $52.15 / £38.69 • eBook
A VISUAL DICTIONARY OF DECORATIVE AND DOMESTIC ARTS
By Nancy Odegaard and Gerry Wagner Crouse
This full-color visual dictionary contains an unambiguous vocabulary for the parts of handcrafted decorative, domestic, and artistic items. Terminology for a broad array of object types is accompanied by original color illustrations.
Nancy Odegaard is conservator at the Arizona State Museum and professor at the University of Arizona.
Gerry Wagner Crouse has worked in illustration and graphic media for over 20 years. Her graphic artworks have been utilized by Carnegie Museum of Natural History and Buhl Planetarium, Houston Museum of Natural History Science Planetarium, Louisiana Art and Science Museum, and National Geographic Television. Currently, she works by contract with museums, tribal communities, contract resource management firms, planetariums, and educational agencies.
2023 • 182 pages
9781538148877 • $90.00 / £65.00 • Cloth
9781538148884 • $81.00 / £58.50 • eBook
& EXHIBITIONS
THINGS GREAT AND SMALL
Collection Management Policies
Third Edition
By John E. Simmons
“Simmons takes a complicated subject matter and presents it in an approachable and understandable manner for museums of all sizes. Things Great and Small spells out the intricacies of museum policies writing in a thorough way, proving useful to the novice museum professional as well as the weathered museum veteran and everyone in between. Whether it is a person’s first museum position or their 30th year in the field, Simmons’ work is a must-have for all museum professionals.” — s E bastián E. E ncina , a ssociat E D ir Ector of c uration & E xhibition , M inn E trista M us E u M & g ar DE ns , M unci E , in
Collection care is a fundamental responsibility for museums and other collecting institutions, and the foundation of collection stewardship is good collection management policies. The new third edition of Things Great and Small continues to be a comprehensive resource for developing, implementing, and revising collection management policies and includes new information for addressing prolonged or permanent closure of museums, wider parameters for collection storage environments, and sustainable collection management practices to cope with climate change.
John E. Simmons reviews the most recent collection management thinking and literature, helps determine which policies an institution needs, and provides guidance on policy content. In this new edition, coverage of critical areas is expanded, including digital objects, intellectual property rights, deaccessioning, decolonization, standards and best practices, collection storage environment parameters, managing offsite storage facilities, health and safety, laws and regulations, risk management, and sustainable collection management practices. With more than 50 tables and charts and model policy templates, this major publication is aimed at museums of all kinds, historic houses and sites, and other collecting institutions.
John E. Simmons has worked in museums for more than 50 years. He currently runs Museologica museum consulting and teaches museology workshops and university classes.
2024 • 312 pages
9781538183786 • $51.95 / £38.99 • Paper
9781538183779 • $115.00 / £85.00 • Cloth
9781538183793 • $46.75 / £35.09 • eBook
TO GIVE AND TO RECEIVE A Handbook on Collection Gifts and Donations for Museums and Donors
Second Edition
Edited by Sharon Smith Theobald
2021 • 210 pages
9781538128848 • $54.95 / £42.99 • Paper
9781538128831 • $115.00 / £85.00 • Cloth
9781538128855 • $49.45 / £38.69 • eBook
ON THE ROAD AGAIN
Developing and Managing Traveling Exhibitions
Second Edition
By Rebecca Buck, Jean Gilmore,
and Irene
Taurins
“On the Road Again, 2nd edition, provides a useful and practical introduction to planning, preparing, and successfully circulating a traveling exhibition. The title is directed especially to small and mid-sized museums, but its content may also benefit special collections, archives, and other cultural heritage practitioners interested in the topic. ”— rb M: a J ourna L of r ar E b oo Ks , M anuscri P ts , an D c u Ltura L h E ritag E
ACTIVATING THE ART MUSEUM Designing Experiences for the Health Professions
By Ruth Slavin, Ray Williams, and Corinne Zimmermann
This book offers a framework for collaboration between art museum educators and health professionals. It includes advice on selecting meaningful and provocative works of art, models of responsive workshop design, compelling descriptions of gallery experiences, and references to supporting medical literature.
Ruth Slavin has over thirty years of leadership experience in art museums, most recently as deputy director for education at the University of Michigan Museum of Art (UMMA) where she initiated partnerships with faculty in medicine, nursing and social work.
Ray Williams has established robust partnerships with medical educators and clinicians as the director of education at both the Harvard Art Museums and, since 2012, the Blanton Museum of Art at The University of Texas at Austin.
Corinne Zimmermann has been a museum educator for thirty years. Through Corinne Zimmermann Consultancy, she custom designs trainings and workshops for the health professions and business organizations.
“Cleverly organized around common design tropes, the book proves to be a comprehensive look at the history of exhibition design right up to the presentday proliferation of various cutting-edge technologies. The book will be welcomed by the field and embraced as foundational in exhibition design curriculums.” —J a ME s v o LKE rt , M us E u M consu Ltant , E xhibition a ssociat E s
This full-color book uses real-world examples, museum and exhibition design studio profiles, historical and contemporary voices, and draws on the author’s own creative practice and exhibition making experience, as well as contributions from his extensive network of international museum, attraction, and design professionals.
Timothy J. McNeil is a professor of design and director/curator of the UC Davis Design Museum at the University of California, Davis.
2023 • 292 pages
9781538157985 • $115.00 / £85.00 • Cloth
9781538157992 • $103.50 / £76.50 • eBook
MAKING DINOSAURS DANCE A Toolkit for Digital Design in Museums
By Barry Joseph
This book takes the readers behind the scenes to learn how the American Museum of Natural History innovated visitor digital engagement through a public-facing iterative design process while highlighting design techniques used both there and at museums around the world.
Barry Joseph is a driving force at both the strategic and the tactical level in digital engagement, youth development and digital learning. At Global Kids, Inc, and then at the American Museum of Natural History, Barry oversaw the design and implementation of over 100 new digital learning youth programs. He worked for over 15 years with museums to innovate visitor-facing experiences through iterative design, with a focus on prototyping and evaluating cutting-edge visitor-facing experiences.
2023 • 192 pages
9781538159743 • $59.95 / £49.99 • Paper
9781538159736 • $130.00 / £100.00 • Cloth
9781538159750 • $53.95 / £44.99 • eBook
CREATING GREAT VISITOR EXPERIENCES A Guide for Museum Professionals
By Colleen Higginbotham
“An excellent tool for the field, this volume is a necessary resource for libraries supporting museum studies and aligned programs. Highly recommended.”
— c hoic E r E vi EW s
Creating Great Visitor Experiences helps museums define their service, hire and train a dynamic front-line team, and spread a culture of service throughout their institution.
Colleen Higginbotham is the deputy director for visitor experience at the Chrysler Museum of Art in Norfolk, VA.
2022 • 140 pages
9781538150221 • $47.95 / £36.99 • Paper
9781538150214 • $100.00 / £75.00 • Cloth
9781538150238 • $43.15 / £33.29 • eBook
Steven E. Lott
is a corporate communications executive with more than 20 years of experience developing strategic public relations strategies and brand campaigns across diverse industries including aerospace, manufacturing, transportation, consumer brands and international trade policy. He is currently an adjunct professor in the American University (AU) School of Communications and is an advisor to the Northern Virginia Science Center on communications matters.
NEW MUSEUM FLACK
A Public Relations Guide for Museums
By Steven E. Lott
“Steve Lott’s guide is an essential resource for museum professionals committed to mastering the art of public relations and dealing with the news media. As a former museum director, I understand the profound impact effective storytelling can have on a museum’s success. Lott’s book is a rare gem that so adeptly simplifies the process of communicating the positive narratives museums cherish. Additionally, it provides indispensable strategies for managing crises when they arise. This book is truly a must-have for anyone seeking to elevate their museum’s voice and resilience.”
—J
In the turbulent realm of modern media, where museums often find themselves thrust into the limelight for less than favorable reasons, this book emerges as an indispensable public relations manual for thriving amid crises. It equips readers with the tools to craft magnetic narratives, secure positive press without hefty expenses, and deftly maneuver the modern media tapestry. Through a blend of highstakes campaign insights and museum-specific case studies, the book demystifies complex communication challenges into tangible strategies. Every chapter offers step-by-step tactics and real-world examples, transforming communications struggles into clear, actionable strategies.
The time to master museum public relations is now. Readers who embrace these lessons will champion their institutions, protect their legacies, and help museums thrive, even under the sharpest media lens.
What does effective museum advocacy look like in today’s media environment?
“Effective advocacy today is story-first and audience-aware: it speaks in plain language, leads with human stakes, and connects the museum’s work to issues people already care about right now. It also balances earned media (third-party credibility) with owned channels (message control), using each strategically instead of treating public relations like a lastminute megaphone. The best advocacy is built on speed, transparency, and authenticity in a fast, fragmented news cycle where misinformation and hot takes can outrun facts. And it embraces modern reach multipliers—smart social strategy, compelling multimedia, and aligned influencer partnerships—without losing the museum’s ethics or mission.”
What is the most underrated communication tool museums have?
“The biggest secret communications weapon many museums have is their own employees. Museum staff aren’t just workers; they’re your most credible storytellers, culture carriers, and early-warning system.”
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT & OUTREACH
STORYTELLING IN MUSEUMS
Edited by Adina Langer
This book demonstrates how museums can use personal stories to make visitors feel welcome while inspiring them to engage with new ideas. It also explores the responsibilities of museum practitioners toward the storytellers included in their narratives and how those responsibilities shift over time and manifest in different contexts.
Adina Langer has focused her museum career on interpreting traumatic historical events for diverse audiences while emphasizing the dignity and individuality of the people who experienced them. She is an active curator, oral historian, educator, presenter, editor, blogger, and published author.
By Julia Forbes and Marianna Adams With Jeanine Ancelet
Here is a practical guide based on deep research that helps art museum educators understand the role and value of spaces designed for families and helps them to create dedicated spaces for intergenerational play and learning.
Julia Forbes is the Shannon Landing Amos Head of Museum Interpretation at the High Museum of Art in Atlanta, Georgia.
Marianna Adams, president of Audience Focus Inc., has designed, managed, and implemented a wide range of visitor research, interpretive planning, and professional development across the country, Canada, Bermuda, Mexico, and the EU.
2022 • 112 pages
9781538148853 • $40.95 / £31.99 • Paper
9781538148846 • $110.00 / £80.00 • Cloth
9781538148860 • $36.85 / £28.79 • eBook
MUSEUM METAMORPHOSIS
Cultivating Change Through Cultural Citizenship
By nico wheadon
2022 • 260 pages
This book uses curated roundtables, case studies and interviews with cultural innovators and changemakers in contemporary art who offer tools to dismantle institutional hierarchies and reshape museums into more vital and relevant forms.
nico wheadon is an independent art advisor, curator, educator and writer, and is founder and principal of bldg fund, LLC She is an adjunct professor at Brown University and Hartford Art School, and serves on the board of governors at the National Academy of Design.
9781538130438 • $44.95 / £35.99 • Paper
9781538130421 • $115.00 / £85.00 • Cloth
9781538130445 • $40.45 / £32.39 • eBook
COME, STAY, LEARN, PLAY A Guide to Making the Museum Experience
By Andrea Gallagher Nalls
2021 • 136 pages
9781538146637 • $42.95 / £35.99 • Paper
9781538146620 • $100.00 / £75.00 • Cloth
9781538146644 • $38.65 / £32.39 • eBook
MUSEUMS AS AGENTS OF CHANGE A Guide to Becoming a Changemaker
By Mike Murawski
2021 • 148 pages
9781538108956 • $39.95 / £31.99 • Paper
9781538108949 • $90.00 / £70.00 • Cloth
9781538108963 • $35.95 / £28.79 • eBook
BRINGING TEACHERS TO THE HISTORY MUSEUM
A Guide to Facilitating Teacher Professional Development
Edited by Lora Cooper, Linnea Grim, and Gary Sandling
This guide utilizes recent research and insights from the fields of museum education and teacher education to provide a how-to guide of best practices for museums and sites offering professional development fellowships and workshops to P-12 classroom teachers.
Lora Cooper, continuing education coordinator at Monticello, facilitates the interdisciplinary work of providing professional development to historical interpreters and classroom teachers.
Linnea Grim, vice president of guest experiences at Monticello, is passionate about creating meaningful learning experiences for all guests and is especially interested in building relationships with educators.
Gary Sandling, vice president and Chief Content Officer at Monticello, has worked in public history for more than two decades and at Monticello since 2005.
2022 • 158 pages
9781538145463 • $40.95 / £31.99 • Paper
9781538145456 • $90.00 / £65.00 • Cloth
9781538145470 • $36.85 / £28.79 • eBook
MUSEUM EDUCATION FOR TODAY’S AUDIENCES Meeting Expectations with New Models
Edited by Jason L. Porter and Mary Kay Cunningham
“One of the powerful things about Museum Education for Today’s Audiences: it feels as though it is written by friends and colleagues, by people you know well and who really understand what our work is like, by those who you would ask for advice from as you tackle some thorny issues. In being so, it works to uplift the reader and their practice through not just providing access to tools, but also giving us the opportunities to explore how best we might use them in our own settings and contexts.” g EM J ourna L
This book will help museum educators meet visitors’ changing expectations, train and prepare responsive educators, and develop models for the future.
Jason L. Porter is the Kayla Skinner Deputy Director for Education and Public Engagement at Seattle Art Museum.
Mary Kay Cunningham has served over 35 different cultural institutions or attractions in the diverse roles of consultant, manager, museum educator, volunteer coordinator, and docent. She is founder of Dialogue Consulting.
2022 • 314 pages
9781538148600 • $52.95 / £41.99 • Paper
9781538148594 • $130.00 / £95.00 • Cloth
9781538148617 • $47.65 / £37.79 • eBook
CREATING MEANINGFUL MUSEUM EXPERIENCES FOR K–12 AUDIENCES
DESIGNING FOR EMPATHY Perspectives on the Museum Experience
Edited by Elif M. Gökçiğdem
“Designing for Empathy is a timely and intriguing collection of essays that argues for museums to dedicate themselves to the creation of experiences which promote empathy and affective concern as a way to both strengthen society and heal our broken social fabric. . . . There is much to be admired in Gökçiğdem’s latest contribution to discussions about the role of empathy in museums.”
t h E P ub L ic h istorian
2019 • 466 pages
9781538118290 • $74.95 / £59.99 • Paper
9781538118283 • $150.00 / £120.00 • Cloth
9781538118306 • $67.45 / £53.99 • eBook
MUSEUM GALLERY ACTIVITIES
A Handbook
By Sharon Vatsky
2018 • 168 pages
9781538108642 • $44.95 / £35.99 • Paper
9781538108635 • $100.00 / £80.00 • Cloth
9781538108659 • $40.45 / £32.39 • eBook
INVISIBLE HISTORY OF MUSEUM COMPUTING
The Behind-the-Scenes Magic of Museum Technology Professionals
By Paul Marty and Katherine Jones
Filled with a positive spirit of inspiration, innovation, and boundless enthusiasm, this book brings to life the history of museum computing in a way that has never been done before as it explores the overarching trends that influenced the field of museum computing over the past sixty years and explains why that history continues to matter today as museums move forward into their digital future.
Paul Marty is professor in the School of Information in the College of Communication and Information at Florida State University.
Katherine Jones is program director for the Museum Studies program at the Harvard University Extension School.
Author Q&A
Museum computing has become so integral to the modern museum experience. How do you think this book can help bridge the gap between traditional museum practices and the growing digital needs of today’s audiences?
“This book will help today’s museum professionals move forward with a deeper understanding of the changing nature and purpose of technology in museums, articulate the case for funding and continued support for current and future museum computing projects, and inspire the next generation of museum technology professionals to take up the mantle and continue the work of museum computing.”
You have gathered oral histories from over fifty museum technology professionals. What surprised you most about the stories and insights shared by these individuals?
“When we embarked upon this project, we knew we would capture powerful moments in the history of museum computing, many of them never recorded before. . . . But what we did not expect from this project was the boundless enthusiasm for the field that pervades these histories.”
RICHES, RIVALS, & RADICALS
A History of Museums in the United States Third Edition
By Marjorie Schwarzer
This beautiful full-color book tells the stories behind the people and events that have transformed America’s museums from their beginnings into today’s vibrant cultural institutions. Updates include material on digital curation, emergent exhibitions about civil rights, immersive museum environments, and more.
Marjorie Schwarzer has been active in the museum field for over forty years, most recently as professor and administrative director of the graduate museum studies program at the University of San Francisco. She has published widely on museum issues, including: leadership, gender equity, digital technology, and exhibition typologies.
2020
Barry Lord
MUSEUMS IN A GLOBAL CONTEXT
National Identity, International Understanding
Edited by Jennifer Dickey, Samir
El Azhar, and Catherine Lewis
“[R]ecommended for museum professionals interested in creating impact in their careers as well as in the global community.”
Jessica HerczegKonecny is the Lead Technical Analyst, Digital Asset Management, at The Metropolitan Museum of Art. She has been working in the museum industry for over fifteen years in archives, collections management, and rights and reproductions, with a focus on digital asset management for the past ten years.
Margaret C. McKee is the Digital Asset Manager at the Menil Collection where she manages the museum’s first Digital Asset Management System.
NEW DIGITAL ASSET MANAGEMENT FOR MUSEUMS
Edited by Jessica Herczeg-Konecny & Margaret C. McKee
“Drawing upon their rich professional experience and careers, Jessica Herczeg-Konecny and Margaret C. McKee have written an easy-to-read and practical handbook on the fundamental issues facing the management of digital assets from software procurement to metadata to implementation. This book is a highly engaging read that will become a prominent go-to resource in your DAM and museums work.”
Museum holdings throughout the world require careful management—from access, to storage, to conservation—and they create the wonder we experience in the hands of gifted museum staff. This idea is at the core of Digital Asset Management for Museums. This book guides readers through strategies for unlocking an asset’s potential, implementing digital assets into cultural institutions successfully, managing potential failures in implementation, and training museum staff to utilize digital assets effectively. Digital asset management strategies consider the ever-evolving nature of technology, making this book’s approach relevant to the needs of cultural institutions today and those of the future.
Author Q&A
How is digital transformation changing the relationship between museums and their audiences?
“People may be interacting with your online resources for years before ever stepping foot inside your museum. Collections are more accessible than ever and serve as a source of authoritative scholarly information in a time when we have to carefully scrutinize what we see online.”
How can museums ensure their digital assets remain accessible and usable as technology evolves?
“If ‘digital preservation’ isn’t a buzzword at your museum yet, it will be soon! Like physical records, digital assets have a lifecycle and need to be actively managed. Dedicating adequate staffing to digital asset management (DAM) is essential in order for museums to safeguard the investments they have made in imaging and digital projects.”
What is the biggest misconception museums have about digital assets?
“There are a few common misconceptions about DAM. First and foremost: despite (and in a lot of ways, because of) emerging technologies, it is important to state that DAM doesn’t work without people. Also, DAM is not a project—it is a process and a program. There is no ‘set it and forget it.’ And, finally, digitizing something does not mean you are preserving it. There are more steps in the process.”
SO YOU WANT TO WORK IN A MUSEUM?
By Tara Young
“With decades of museum work under her belt, Young is uniquely qualified to answer the titular question. Indeed, this is a thorough, thoughtful book that will be of interest to a variety of job seekers, from teens just starting to consider a path to subject specialists looking for a career change to committed potential museum workers who aren’t sure if a professional degree is necessary. . . . Each chapter ends with a profile of a museum worker that describes their career path and the best and worst parts of the job. A realistic, practical guide.”
— b oo KL ist
This book discusses some of the benefits of working in museums; explains how museums differ according to size, type, and organizational structure; and goes through dozens of museum positions in detail. It is designed to introduce college students, graduate students, and/or young professionals to the museum field.
Tara Young is an experienced museum professional and a professor of museum studies at Tufts University. Currently an independent consultant, she has held positions at several museums on both coasts.
2022 • 192 pages
9781538169407 • $27.95 / £20.99 • Paper
9781538124093
A LIFE IN MUSEUMS
Managing Your Museum Career
Edited by Greg Stevens and Wendy Luke
A Life in Museums is the guide for museum workers of all ages and stages— full of sound advice, practical tips, and illuminating personal stories that span the array of museum disciplines. Topics range from personal branding and resume writing to managing from the middle and leadership at all levels; from professional writing to keeping a career journal; and from navigating within your institution to knowing when it’s time to move on.
Greg Stevens is a lecturer in the Museum Studies master’s program at Johns Hopkins University and founding principle of Purple Cow Career and Talent Development LLC, which empowers individuals to navigate professional journeys with confidence and creativity.
Wendy Luke is the founder of The HR Sage and has over twenty years of experience working with museums to solve their toughest people problems.
2012 • 222 pages
9781933253701 • $57.95 / £42.99 • Paper
9781442276765 • $52.15 / £38.69 • eBook
TEACHING THE MUSEUM
Careers in Museum Education
Edited by Leah M. Melber
2014 • 160 pages
Teaching the Museum offers insights, anecdotes, and valuable advice on how to get started and how to succeed in this rapidly growing field. Twenty contributors with decades of museum experience point out the opportunities for new graduates and seasoned teachers alike who want to explore this exciting profession.
Leah M. Melber is president & CEO, Adventure Science, Nashville, Tennessee.
