Museum Visions: A Blog Space

Samantha Theriault

This space was created by the Museum Education Roundtable to expand upon the most recent Journal of Museum Education (JME) issue, reflect on member events, and address timely issues that we face in the field of museum work. Read about how to write for our blog here.

Open Call for BIPOC/Historically Underrepresented Museum Voices

Do you identify as a BIPOC individual? If so, consider submitting a blog post proposal to the Museum Education Roundtable’s blog, Museum Visions, in order to continue pushing the field toward greater equity for museum professionals. Tied to the current issue of the Journal of Museum Education, this open call’s theme is “Museums & Partnerships.” This invitation is intended to … Read More

Social Media, Facilitation, and Rapid Response Collecting: Queer Appalachia’s Approach to Activism and Community Building

Introduction Bryn Kelly was a good artist. Her pieces appeared in the New Museum as well as several galleries and other art institutions. Unfortunately, she was never adequately compensated for this work, which factored into financial hardship. Bryn’s situation was further compounded by being an HIV-positive transwoman. In 2016, she died from suicide. The project Queer Appalachia began as a … Read More

MER Responds: Anti-Asian Violence

March 19, 2021 The Museum Education Roundtable mourns Soon Chung Park, Hyun Jung Grant, Suncha Kim, Yong Ae Yue, Delaina Ashley Yaun, Paul Andre Michels, Xiaojie Tan, and Daoyou Fen, who were murdered in Atlanta this week – six of whom were Asian women.  We stand in solidarity with those who have experienced and resisted anti-Asian racism, misogyny, and violence. … Read More

MER Talks: AAM’s Museum Education Mentoring Program

The American Alliance of Museum’s professional network for museum educators (EdCom) is currently recruiting mentors and mentees for the committee’s Museum Education Mentoring Program (EdMEM). Currently in its fifth year, EdMEM continues to support the next generation of museum educators by connecting them with established professionals. Applications for the program are now open and will close on Sunday, February 21st.  … Read More

From the Membership: Results of MER Survey 2020

Last spring, amidst the unfolding and intersecting pandemics—COVID-19, anti-Black racism and structural inequity, climate change—the future of museums, and museum educators was anything but clear. In a “normal spring” (please excuse the incredible understatement here), the MER Board of Directors would have been planning our annual, in-person forum; recruiting and welcoming new Directors; connecting ideas for JME topics with authors … Read More

Banned Books: Museums and Libraries Respond

In October, author Kelly Yang received notification that a parent had filed a complaint about the use of her book, Front Desk, in a school’s curriculum. The parent deemed the book propaganda, and believed the school was teaching racism by including the book in an anti-racism curriculum. Front Desk, an award-winning middle-grade novel, follows 10-year-old Mia Tang and her parents … Read More