Industry, Identity: How oral histories enhance industry-based exhibitions

Presenter: Molly Dano, Graduate Student, Syracuse University

About: This session will explore the importance of incorporating oral history interviews into exhibitions about industry - an idea that is largely based in the significance of one's occupation to their personal identity and the impact of one's personal identity on the place that they work. The session will provide strategies for engaging the local community, conducting these interviews, and how the interviews can enhance exhibitions that are primarily object-based.

Digital Content and Museums: Community Outreach in a Virtual Space

Presenter: Saanika-Jeet Dhillon, Graduate Student, Syracuse University

About: This session will examine how museums can harness the power of digital content, such as online exhibitions and virtual tours, to increase their audience and community interaction. Through discussion of case studies and survey results from museum visitors and staff, this session will offer an insight into how museums need to use such digital content to improve their accessibility, attract in-person visitors, and engage with a wider community beyond the local. It will discuss the authenticity of in-person versus online experiences and illustrate how museums can offer a rewarding and engaging online experience to those unable to visit in person.

Chairful Encounters: Increasing Accessibility Through Seating - A Study of Five Art Museums

Presenter: Sarah Lennox, Graduate Student, Drexel University

About: How can seating be optimized to create a more accessible museum environment? Museums serve a broad range of audiences which include older adults and people with specific disabilities among others. Relevant factors in seating decisions might include number and location of seating options, seat height, the presence or absence of armrests and backrests, and so forth. This session uses public seating research and museum accessibility guidelines to establish best practices around this question. Based on a study of five Philadelphia art museums, I identify strengths and weaknesses in current museum galleries and offer recommendations to improve accessibility.

Community Engagement in Museum as a Catalyst for Sustainability and Public Awareness

Presenter: Chiagoziem Offor, Graduate Student, Syracuse University

About: Museums are recognized for their potential to foster community engagement, public awareness, and sustainability by integrating local voices and creating culturally resonant experiences. Traditionally valued for collections, research, and educational programs are now transforming into active community partners, emphasizing their role as cultural spaces created with and for the people. Modern challenges for museums include remaining relevant in an increasingly digital and socially conscious world, building trust with diverse communities, and addressing sustainability goals in both their operations and programming. The focus is on how museums can actively engage communities to foster sustainability and increase public awareness.