As the "Journal of Museum Education" reaches its fifty-year publication milestone, this article traces the roots of the Museum Education Roundtable (MER) and the organization's resulting journal, both critical to professionalizing and shaping the field of museum education. Central to this publishing effort were the relationships amongst…

Volunteer programs, especially those for docents, may often be overlooked as learning opportunities rather than as a strategy for program delivery. Thinking about docents first as learners themselves, and then as partners in creating learning experiences for visitors, can create a meaningful shift in the relationship. By integrating concepts from…

National identity is a complex and contested issue, and it is often debated in the fields of social and cultural studies. Museum collections, and the way they are presented and interpreted, are closely linked to national identity. National museums, as symbols of national unity, can manipulate perceptions about dominant ideologies and the…

I am because we are; and since we are, therefore I am. This statement from Kenyan John Mbiti, one of the first post-colonial scholars of African philosophy and religion, provides deep insight into African modes of thought. It is also valid in a universal sense. Indeed, it reflects the theme of this 50th anniversary edition of the journal: our…

As part of a broader evolution of our K-12 programming, the Art Institute of Chicago transitioned our docent program into a newly designed Volunteer Program, a process that was informed by rigorous research, reflection, and evaluation of our engagements with students and teachers. This case study offers a perspective on designing a new structure…

Play Africa, with over 40 innovative exhibits and/or programs since inception, was created as a means to address the inequalities and lack of high-quality experiences that affect the early development of children from birth to age 10 in South Africa. The results from the 2021 Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS) paint a dire…

In recent years, the role of the professionally trained volunteer docent has taken many twists and turns. Guided by institutional strategies and missions, docent programs have flexed, shifted, and altered to meet institutional needs. This article provides an overview of recent trends and practices presented at the National Docent Symposium…

The wisdom of Audre Lorde informs us that "the master's tools will never dismantle the master's house." The origins of many museum collections are that their objects were obtained by colonizers who became the masters of colonized people's cultural heritage. One of the master's tools has always been to create and benefit from a system of…

University research labs focusing on education, psychology, and cognitive development have been collaborating with museums more and more over the past decade. Nevertheless, cognitive science labs that primarily engage in basic as opposed to applied research may find it difficult to entice museums to collaborate, and existing collaborations may…

Recent literature on mentoring revises the long-held notion of a dyadic, master-apprentice affiliation to better reflect the fluid, flexible, and even non-hierarchical dynamics that occur between mentors and mentees today. Relational mentoring, intersectional mentoring, and co-mentoring models offer frameworks for reconsidering the role of…

Peace museums play an important role in peace education by offering visitors informal and non-formal education. As sites of remembrance, peace museums are rich pedagogical spaces for experiential learning and reflection. Educating children in the spirit of peace, tolerance and harmony between nations has been central to the work of the Museum of…

Over the past 10-15 years, the Volunteer Program at the Natural History Museums of Los Angeles County has undergone an immense transition. This program overhaul tackled historical methodology that had been creating barriers to participation, addressed the changing needs of modern volunteer audiences, and worked to highlight access and inclusion in…

Microplastics have been found in the most remote locations on Earth as well as in where we live, work, and play. Despite increasing research focus on microplastics, efforts to inform the public about their omnipresence have lagged. To bridge this gap between research and public knowledge, we developed a museum exhibit with interactive and…

Museum education is a dynamic and evolving field, requiring a commitment to continuous professional growth and the integration of best practices as they develop. As the field has shifted towards creating participant-centered experiences that encourage active learning and dialogue, museum educators have been seeking new ways to enhance their…

The virtual museum tour has claimed new audiences during the pandemic, but not all virtual tours are created equal. First, this paper will explore the world of virtual museums and UX scholarship. Secondly, the paper will propose a viable set of options in determining effectiveness of virtual museums. Thirdly, the paper will discuss specific…