This paper presents the results of a collaborative study highlighting the pedagogical approaches used by faculty during visits to the Musée acadien de l'Université de Moncton (MAUM). This qualitative-based study was conducted with a sample of nine participants representing various disciplines from three major faculties. Thematic analysis revealed…

This case study traces the initial investigations in developing a culturally responsive intervention in museum education and curation entitled Elusive Desires. I explore the ways in which curatorial and pedagogical work in an art museum may disrupt traditionally held notions of "Canadian art," the archive, and belonging. Embracing an…

Cultural institutions strive to integrate Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA) practices. Trauma-informed approaches to education are one way to support DEIA initiatives. This article demonstrates how to move from awareness of trauma-informed approaches into active practice. It explores how one museum developed programming to…

This case study of an art education program for medical students examines the efficacy of different types of content and modes of delivery. Through the delivery of art analysis, art history, sculpting, and life drawing seminars, art educators were able to teach empathy, observation, and flexible thinking to first-year medical students. This…

For museums and historic sites that grapple with the legacies of historical trauma, collective and intergenerational grief can become embedded in both the museum's identity and practices. In this article, the authors discuss collective loss and grief through the case of the Nikkei National Museum & Cultural Centre in British Columbia, Canada.…

This article explores the development of public programs on the theme of grief, death and dying at the Royal British Columbia Museum in Canada, and how these programs have grown with the involvement of community partners. Although the programs started as a response to a small historic sign in the gallery, they now honor the interests of our…

Public museums are increasingly exhibiting difficult histories that aim to challenge traditional national narratives of exclusion. This paper examines the "Being Japanese Canadian: Reflections on a Broken World" exhibit at the Royal Ontario Museum to provide insight into how innovative museum pedagogy might challenge hegemonic narratives…

Botanic and public gardens attract a significant number of people throughout the world who visit these spaces for a wide variety of reasons. Notwithstanding, the study of visitor experiences in such spaces is a much under-researched foci in the fields of museum education and visitor studies. This exploratory study examined the reflective…

Art has the power to activate learning and emotion in unique ways--this is true of humans generally, and museum visitors specifically. Yet art galleries are often overlooked in the museum field as forums for dialogue and sites of learning about climate change. This article investigates the significance of artist-led projects and art museum…

The "Curator's Curiosities" program was launched at Fort Henry National Historic Site in the summer of 2017 as an object-based interpretive program. In addition to learning the history of an artifact from the collection, participants were taught how to properly handle and catalogue the artifact, under the supervision of trained museum…

The introduction of online elements to museums and cultural sites has opened up new ways for visitors to engage with the past, with nature, with culture, and all other treasures of the museum. However, docent training has lagged behind visitor-facing educational initiatives. By blending online elements into docent education programs, staff…

This research was conducted as part of a project designed to offer guidance on the development of a youth oriented online space for a popular Canadian museum of heritage and immigration. This space would allow young people to learn about heritage, ethnicity, and cultural identity, and, ideally, aid in the development of a positive ethnic identity.…

For this author, the in-depth conversation about Comprehensive Interpretive Plans (CIP) began at an AAM Task Force meeting in May of 2004. Building on that initial discussion, the author explores the reasons, costs and benefits of engaging in the CIP development process, and makes the case for the museum field to develop proficiency in this…

This paper looks at how two art museums are striving to create relevant, dialogic gallery spaces where broader audiences can make meaning. Using the writings of theorist bell hooks as the framework, it proposes museum educators' experiences working from the margins of their museums' hierarchical organizations is fundamental to their work in…

This article examines how curriculum studies can inform training and development programs for museum teachers (docents, interpreters, guides, gallery educators, and so on). It focuses on the results of a year-long study done with eight museum teachers in three Canadian informal learning settings. A key aim of this research was to examine the…