This is an Eval Central archive copy, find the original at rka-learnwithus.com. Emlyn Koster, PhD, delves into why museums should illuminate the environmental and societal impacts of climate change. The Earth’s wafer-thin atmosphere, looking like a blue halo, is life’s protective envelope. Image credit An undergraduate geologist in the UK in 1969, I was glued […]
Relevance Revisited
This is an Eval Central archive copy, find the original at rka-learnwithus.com. I wrote this blog post before the outrageous events of January 6, 2021 when a mob of Trump supporters made a violent, anti-democratic attack on the United States Capitol. I hesitated to post this so soon afterward, fearing poor timing, especially as the […]
RK&A’s anti-racism pledge
This is an Eval Central archive copy, find the original at rka-learnwithus.com. Over the last month, we have actively been drafting an anti-racism pledge as we study and reflect on equity in our work. We are hopeful that under the leadership of President Elect Joe Biden and Vice President Elect Kamala Harris, who both addressed […]
If we cannot define “museums,” how do museums survive?
This is an Eval Central archive copy, find the original at rka-learnwithus.com. Last year, my colleagues and I chatted about the work of the International Council of Museums (ICOM) to propose a new definition of museums. We listened to the MuseoPunks podcast, which featured different speakers talking about their perspectives on the definition process. At […]
Five Ways Evaluators Can Further Accessibility Efforts in Museums
This is an Eval Central archive copy, find the original at rka-learnwithus.com. Sunday marked the 30-year anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). My first thought was, “Really, only 30 years?” It is shocking that people in the United States with disabilities had to wait so long to have their rights acknowledged by our […]
Caution: Laying Off Museum Educators May Burn Bridges to the Communities Museums Serve
This is an Eval Central archive copy, find the original at rka-learnwithus.com. I started this blog about a month ago in frustration about the layoffs of museum educators (and other front-of-house staff although I am going to speak specifically about my experiences with museum educators). I wrote it in a fury one night, and each […]
Black Lives Matter
This is an Eval Central archive copy, find the original at rka-learnwithus.com. We have been working to actively post on our blog over the past few months in response to how COVID-19 is affecting the museum field. However, considering the unjust deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and others, and in solidarity with the protests […]
Remote Audience Research for Museums — Download the Guide!
This is an Eval Central archive copy, find the original at rka-learnwithus.com. As evaluators, our work depends on being able to gather data on and from museums’ audiences. It probably goes without saying that this has become trickier in a world transformed by a global pandemic. Museums and cultural organizations are temporarily closed, and we […]
Will they say yes (pre-pandemic and now)?
This is an Eval Central archive copy, find the original at rka-learnwithus.com. Upon commencing a study that requires intercepting visitors on the museum floor, we are often asked by staff (sometimes nervously), “Will people say yes to participating in a survey, interview, etc.?” Our answer is always yes, and we often state that you would […]
Reaching Audiences Beyond the Internet During a Pandemic
This is an Eval Central archive copy, find the original at rka-learnwithus.com. When museums started closing to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in early March, there were surges of digital initiatives across all institutions meant to reach new and existing audiences while doors were closed. It’s an amazing and overwhelming time to be involved in […]