Make Change
Call To Action 2021
Women have a long and often storied history as museum founders, philanthropists, collectors, and volunteers. As both employees and volunteers, they were and are catalysts in the creation of museums large and small, building a legacy of successful preservation efforts, a commitment to education and public engagement, an early embrace of modernism, the creation of the first children’s museums, and breaking audience color barriers.
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Those of us in 21st-century museums are forever indebted to them for their courage, imagination, and entrepreneurship. As individuals, you honor their legacy and keep their vision alive by:
Don't Stay Silent
Start conversations and talk about gender equity at your workplace, or in your state, regional, or national museum association.
Advocate for Change
Identify actions your museum can take to address equity issues. Advocate among colleagues and champions to move these issues to the top of leadership agendas.
Create a Statement
Encourage your museum to create a values statement.
Museums that can’t state what they believe in
have a hard time
acting on those beliefs.
Talk to EMPs
Have conversations with emerging professionals about the next steps and aspirations for their careers and the field
Support Mentor Programs
Involve yourself in a mentorship program as a mentor or mentee, either inside or outside your museum.
Address Workplace Equity
Make sure your museum’s strategic plan addresses workplace equity at all levels, from board members to staff to volunteers.