Note to readers: Not sure why my old post on museums in India went out earlier today. Apologies for something your in-box doesn’t need. Here is current post: Ever notice an idea that you thought was original popping up in a number of places simultaneously? That’s what’s happening with the topic of museums and…
Following up on June 7 and June 29 posts on empathy in museums, six museum colleagues from a variety of areas in the field are proposing a session called “The Empathetic Museum” for the May 2014 American Alliance of Museums Conference in Seattle, WA. I’m one of the panelists, so this is a shameless plea for…
Now that the 24/7 discussion of the George Zimmerman/Trayvon Martin case has died down, it’s time to look at the implications of a discussion that flared briefly in the aftermath of the not-guilty verdict for Zimmerman. On July 31, 2013, Lonnie Bunch, Director of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC)…
In early June I posted a summary of a “Pop-Up” session I organized at the recent meeting of the American Alliance of Museums in Baltimore, MD. About ten participants joined in a round-table conversation about what might be meant by “The Empathetic Museum.” Daryl Fischer was part of the discussion, and here are some of…
Those who have read my March 26. 2012 post on Trayvon Martin will know that my answer to the question about museums’ role is “yes.” This case is a part of U.S. history, African American history, social and cultural studies, research on race relations, the history of social media, and digital humanities, to name just a…
Since my last post, on the pop-up discussion about The Empathetic Museum at the American Alliance of Museums conference, Regan Forrest of the blog Interactivate has picked up on this theme and examined it from the perspective of interpretation and design. Her posts are well worth reading, and have generated more widespread discussion on this…
Last week I posted a reflection on the varied responses of museums in Boston in the immediate aftermath of the Marathon Bombings–from closing in honor of the victims to free admission in solidarity with the community to direct outreach to the injured children and families.This week I direct you to two thoughtful and heartfelt posts, Our…
Compassion+Systems in Place+Timeliness=Community Impact In the midst of the international outpouring of support and sympathy for the victims of the two bombs that went off near the finish line of the Boston Marathon on April 15,2013, what role did museums, especially Boston museums, play in their beleaguered community? As readers of Museum Commons know, I…
I’m interrupting the series of posts I’d planned on next steps for museum educators to reflect a bit about Superstorm Sandy and museums. A few days after the storm, I saw a notice from the New York Public Library that it was working to re-establish power in all of its branches, and as each one opened,…
(now the ears of my ears awake and now the eyes of my eyes are opened) –e. e. cummings Recently I have been attending an Episcopal church where there are both men and women priests. This is a new experience for one who has spent a lifetime in a church that is inclusive in many…