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AAMI Steering Committee Uncategorized

AAMI Virtual Session Recap: To Touch or Not to Touch

Written by the Convening Committee: Deb Clearwaters, Alison Crites, Courtney Morano, Melanie Parker, Meagan Rust, Sarah Rasich  On Friday, June 5th, AAMI hosted its first ever virtual session centered on in-gallery interpretation in the age of COVID-19.  The session, To Touch or Not to Touch, welcomed 56 participants from museums across North America.  AAMI would … Continue reading AAMI Virtual Session Recap: To Touch or Not to Touch

AAMI Steering Committee Uncategorized

Important Update to AAMI Bylaws

At the October 15, 2020 board meeting, the AAMI Board unanimously approved the following motions that temporarily amend our bylaws. Motion 1: Due to the unprecedented effects of the COVID 19 pandemic, AAMI canceled the June 2020 annual convening and meeting. In anticipation of continuing ambiguity surrounding travel, financial sustainability of our field, and limitations on … Continue reading Important Update to AAMI Bylaws

AAMI Steering Committee Visitor Research

Intersections of Art and Science in the Museum: a toolkit for engagement and evaluation

By Giannella Ysasi Tavano In 2017, the Art Institute of Chicago received a multi-year grant from the National Science Foundation that allowed the institution to explore the ways in which art conservation and scientific research can help create new, exciting, and relevant experiences in the museum. The grant aided the department of Learning and Public … Continue reading Intersections of Art and Science in the Museum: a toolkit for engagement and evaluation

AAMI Steering Committee Uncategorized

From the AAMI Board: Our Work is Anti-Racism Work

From the AAMI board: We grieve the killings of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, George Floyd and so many more who have died or lost their loved ones to unchecked police violence and within the nation's culture of white supremacy. Widespread protests and unrest shine light on long histories of systemic racism, violence, and silencing that … Continue reading From the AAMI Board: Our Work is Anti-Racism Work

AAMI Steering Committee Uncategorized

UPDATE: AAMI & COVID-19: A MESSAGE FROM THE AAMI BOARD

Dear Colleagues, Amidst this COVID19 pandemic, we are thinking of you all during this challenging time for our world and especially in our museum community. Out of consideration for health and safety, we have made the decision to postpone this year’s AAMI Convening, which was scheduled to take place in Richmond, VA June 18-19. We … Continue reading UPDATE: AAMI & COVID-19: A MESSAGE FROM THE AAMI BOARD

AAMI Steering Committee Convening Recap

Supporting Visitors in Exhibitions Dealing with Difficult Histories

Rosie May, Associate Director, Interpretation and Visitor Research, Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago talks about the design of a visitor response space for a challenging installation of Arthur Jafa's "Love Is the Message, the Message Is Death." "We learned from our training and reading that if an exhibition ends with a theme, artwork, or object that speaks to or recalls something traumatic, it’s likely visitors will walk away feeling sad and frustrated. Instead, we found, we can better support visitors by offering ways to participate and take action so they leave these experiences feeling empowered and heartened."

AAMI Steering Committee Convening Recap, We Tried This!

Centering Community Relevance in Reinstallation Planning

By Amelia Wiggins, Delaware Art Museum In the age of Black Panther and #metoo, how can art museum galleries transform into the relevant, representational, inclusive spaces our diverse communities are calling for? The planning process itself holds a key. Prototyping in the Pre-Raphaelite galleries. Photo by Stacey Mann As the Delaware Art Museum approached a reinstallation … Continue reading Centering Community Relevance in Reinstallation Planning