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.
Knowledge in Action ™
More Than Meets the Eye: Children, Wonder, and the Museum Experience
Introduction “Oh, it looks like a man burping flowers,” a student exclaimed, eyes fixed on Tau Lewis’ strikingly beautiful piece in the Making Their Mark exhibition at the Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive (BAMPFA). The work, Saint Mozelle in the Aphid Orgy, is a hand-stitched, freestanding textile sculpture—bold, majestic, and wide open to interpretation. The child’s comment, delivered … Read More
“What Do You Notice?”: An Interview on the Museum Education Experience Program
Across the museum field much conversation has centered on the efforts of diversifying collections and the perspectives that they represent. How can these efforts parallel and propel progress in diversifying our museum professional community? How can we break down the perceived and very real barriers to museum career paths for the next generation?
Gen Z Perspective: How Museums Can Cultivate Civic Wellness
What is civic wellness? The Journal of Museum Education’s spring 2025 issue draws on the term, used as an umbrella term to describe explicitly social justice and community-oriented programming in museums, to explore partnerships between museums and civic organizations. This blog post invites the reader into a case study of civic wellness in action through Gen Z engagement in Made … Read More
Rediscovering Palestine Before 1948: Teaching History and Pride Through Images and Art
Growing up in a house with Palestinian immigrant parents, the story of our people always began with the Nakbah with the Catastrophe of 1948. We always spoke about that event as the starting point of our history, our people, our legacy. I had no idea that our history was not confined to the sorrowful glimpses recorded in its annals but … Read More
From the Field: Re-imagining Docent Engagement
Interview with Jenna S. Green – Student Gallery Guide at the University of Arizona Museum of Art This current issue of the JME “Re-imagining Docent Engagement” looks at the role of docents in museum settings — the history of programs and continuing changes in the field. The articles featured in this issue consider current issues in docent training and re-imagine … Read More
The Big Picture: Balancing Collections Care and Access with Project Design and Student Engagement
Professionals in arts and cultural heritage organizations, whether at large institutions or smaller ones, manage the delicate balance between utilizing collections and meeting their preservation requirements. Academic museum and gallery professionals balance the demands of collections use and care while meaningfully supporting student success. Educators practicing within these spaces call upon a dynamic skillset to engage audiences and foster opportunities … Read More
Let’s Discuss: Transforming Teaching and Learning about the Holocaust
The Journal of Museum Educations issue 49.1, Transforming Teaching and Learning about the Holocaust, shares how museum educators are engaging with the stories and lessons of the Holocaust and how those stories are relevant in different ways today. Both the MER Board and Guest Editor Wolfgang Schmutz have provided context for this issue, and through this suggested dialogue guide, we … Read More
I 💚 Heart Museums 2024 Playlist
To celebrate International Museums Day, MER is revisiting a fan-favorite blog feature: the I 💚 Museums Playlist! We’ve put together another eclectic playlist that captures the wide range of emotions people feel when exploring museums. A big thank you to everyone who contributed to this list, and don’t forget to also check out the OG playlist from 2020! “You’ve … Read More