This post is by Jennifer DePrizio. Jenn has worked in art museums across the country for more than twenty years, leading audience-centered program development and interpretive strategies that are grounded in the belief that art helps people better understand themselves and others. She has held leadership positions at the Cleveland Museum of Art, Portland MuseumContinue reading “Why is self-awareness an essential leadership skill?”
Author Archives: Rebecca Shulman
How can different groups in the museum agree on impact?
This post is by Robert Weisberg, the author of the blog Museum Human. I have had the pleasure of talking to Rob about museums, museum problems, and how we can do better. Last week, he shared my post on “Museums as Workplace Communities” on Museum Human. A little more about Rob: Robert J Weisberg (he/him/his)Continue reading “How can different groups in the museum agree on impact?”
How can workplaces function when employees are recovering from recent COVID trauma?
This post was first published on Museum Human. I have had the pleasure of a few conversations with Rob about the state of museums, and as a result, we are sharing some of each other’s ideas on our blogs. Stay tuned for a post by Rob on alignment and impact, which will appear here nextContinue reading “How can workplaces function when employees are recovering from recent COVID trauma?”
What is Dialogic Questioning? Interview with Sarah Pharaon
In 2010 I published a book that outlines one way of teaching with works of art – a thematic, inquiry-based approach. Although my ostensible audience for this book was teachers, this book was developed from practice in the museum field, and is used by museum practitioners. Since then, although I still use this approach, IContinue reading “What is Dialogic Questioning? Interview with Sarah Pharaon”
What is Burnout? A Conversation with Mike Murawski
Last week I had the pleasure of talking to Mike Murawski about burnout for his Agents of Change conversation series. You can listen to our conversation here. We came together to talk about burnout because it’s such a pressing topic in museums right now. I hope my previous post on burnout, along with Mike’s interview,Continue reading “What is Burnout? A Conversation with Mike Murawski”
How can we grow membership programs in a way that strengthens and connects the museum as a whole?
Becky Pierson Davidson is a community-driven product strategist. Her background is in digital transformation tech working with both Fortune 500 companies and startups before she pivoted to the information industry and was Head of Product at bossbabe, managing a membership program for female entrepreneurs. She has taught user experience design courses with General Assembly, andContinue reading “How can we grow membership programs in a way that strengthens and connects the museum as a whole?”
How Can Museums Help Visitors Effect Social Change?
Museums have long sought a role for themselves in changing our society. For example, art museums once aimed to acculturate the working class by fostering specific ideas about high art and high culture, understanding themselves as “an agency for molding as well as for reflecting public taste and opinion” intended “to educate and uplift theContinue reading “How Can Museums Help Visitors Effect Social Change?”
What Is “Burnout”?
Burnout was a hot topic in 2023. Attention to burnout was prompted by COVID-19, which made nearly everybody’s life more complicated and difficult, and post-COVID changes to the work environment and feelings about work. But even before 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) included burnout in it’s 2019 revision of “International Classification of Diseases.” And, furtherContinue reading “What Is “Burnout”?”
How can museums measure social impact? Interview with Johanna Jones
Johanna Jones is the Director of Evaluation and Visitor Insights at the Oakland Museum of California (OMCA). Johanna leads the Museum’s audience research, evaluation, and social impact measurement work. Before joining OMCA in 2016, Johanna was an evaluation consultant for 20 years. In 2020, you wrote about the work OMCA has been doing to evaluateContinue reading “How can museums measure social impact? Interview with Johanna Jones”
What are alternatives to traditional strategic planning?
The other day I mentioned strategic planning to a colleague, and got an eye roll in response. The eye roll (paired with some clarifying words) said, “Yes, I know, we have to do it. But is it really helpful? Is it really a good use of my time?” Strategic planning is a systematic approach toContinue reading “What are alternatives to traditional strategic planning?”
Museum Questions 