The resources on this page fit under the topics of outreach, education and programing. They include resources for both assisting those representing your organization and creating an engaging experience for those interacting with it.

  • Course Catalog – Society of American Archivists
    • The courses available relating to outreach, advocacy, and promotion seem to focus on accessibility and inclusion, and some General Knowledge courses may be helpful in ensuring a solid foundation in understanding your archives.
    • Courses are either in-person or webcast. Some webcasts are live, but others are recordings.
    • Be aware: some of these courses listed are “retired”. Check the calendar for live and in person sessions or the “online learning” link on the right side of the page for recorded sessions.
    • The cost of these courses, found here, is significantly less for members. 
  • Core Standards for Education and Interpretation – American Alliance of Museums
    • This is one of the topics listed under the Core Standards on the Ethics, Standards, and Professional Practices page.
    • Formatted as a bulleted list, these standards relating to education and interpretation serve as key reminders to ensure high quality, accessible and effective practices.
  • Handouts and Forms – Museum-Ed
    • Striving to connect the museum educator community, Museum-Ed provides various resources for visitor engagement. 
    • The Handouts and Forms page, while brief, seems the most helpful. Forms include those regarding evaluation, photo release permissions, and Volunteer check-in/out forms.
    • The quarterly publication, The Docent Educator, ran from 1991-2003. It has some interesting articles, although they may be a bit dated.
  • Museum on Main Street: Local Exhibition and Programming ideas – Smithsonian
    • The Smithsonian created this 5 page document to help brainstorm outreach ideas related to their exhibit “The Way We Worked” about the work lives of Americans.
    • It provides broad themes and programing ideas related to 5 sections: introduction, where we worked, how we worked, America works, and community and identity.
  • Creating Digital Content for Museums and Historic Sites – Technical Leaflet – AASLH 
    • This leaflet provides insight into creating high quality digital content and how to sustain digital engagement throughout and beyond Covid-19. 
    • I found their tips for understanding audience, and planning process and tips for content especially helpful.
    • While the authors are museum professionals at a state historical society, the content translates well for smaller historical organizations.
    • Cost: $5 for non-members