Museums have traditionally served affluent, educated audiences by focusing on collections and objects, but are now evolving to better serve communities and promote social justice. They are becoming tools for self-expression, spaces for negotiating power dynamics, and strategies for empowering people to shape their own destinies. The best museums now measure their impact, understand diverse audience needs, and recommend inclusive strategies through participatory design, informal learning, and addressing issues like public health.

1. MUSEUMS& social Justice
@KatieSmiley #GlobeMedSummit

2. Do museums do
social Justice work?

3. ...Sometimes

4. WORST
Museums at their...
for the affluent & educated
about dead white men and their stuff
not responsive
not accessible

5. Evolution of Museums
donorsfor objects
about something
for someone
curators
communities
to preserve
to educate
to empower
powerPurpose goal

6. “For the moment, in my country, [museums] are
being used in a new way, as tools for self-expression,
self-recognition and representation; as spaces of
power negotiation among social forces; and as
strategies for empowering people so that they are
more able to decide their own destiny.”
- Maria de Lourdes Horta addressing AAM in 1997
Best
Museums at their...

7. What I actually do
Evaluation Audience Research
measure impact
identify improvements
understand needs
recommend inclusive
strategies

8. Issues I’ve worked on

9. participatory
design
informal
learning
public
health
The Future
the
dream