Pa Museums

PA MUSEUMS WILL PARTNER WITH THE PENNSYLVANIA HISTORICAL AND MUSEUM COMMISSION AND EXPERTS IN ACCESSIBILITY TO DESIGN AND IMPLEMENT A METHODOLOGY AND TOOLKIT TO HELP MUSEUMS IMPROVE ACCESSIBILITY FOR TRADITIONALLY MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES. THE PROJECT WILL GO BEYOND ADA ACCOMMODATION TO TACKLE THE UNCONSCIOUS BIAS THAT CREATES AND REINFORCES SYSTEMIC BARRIERS TO ACCESS AT ALL LEVELS OF MUSEUM OPERATIONS. FOLLOWING AN INITIAL RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT PHASE, 20 MUSEUMS WILL PILOT AND EVALUATE THE PROGRAM. THE PROJECT TEAM WILL ANALYZE DATA FROM THE TESTING PHASE AND REFINE THE PROGRAM FOR SHARING WITH THE MUSEUM COMMUNITY. THE ACCESSIBILITY TOOLKIT WILL BE DISSEMINATED THROUGH WEBINARS, ARTICLES, SOCIAL MEDIA, AND PRESENTATIONS AT PROFESSIONAL CONFERENCES. THE TOOLS WILL ALLOW MUSEUMS TO ESTABLISH THEIR OWN ACCESSIBILITY BASELINES, MEET NATIONAL STANDARDS FOR MUSEUM ACCESS, AND FOSTER SYSTEMIC CULTURAL CHANGE IN THEIR ORGANIZATIONS.

PENNSYLVANIA MUSEUMS WILL CREATE AN INTERNSHIP PROGRAM FOR INDIVIDUALS FROM DIVERSE BACKGROUNDS TO JOIN THE PIPELINE OF MUSEUM PROFESSIONALS. THIS INITIATIVE WILL IDENTIFY BEST PRACTICES IN INCLUSIVE HIRING FOR MUSEUMS AND HISTORICAL ORGANIZATIONS BY WORKING WITH A HUMAN RESOURCES CONSULTANT OF COLOR TO PROVIDE PAID OPPORTUNITIES FOR A COHORT OF YOUNG PEOPLE OF COLOR FROM COMMUNITIES GREATLY IMPACTED BY THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC AND TRAIN THEM FOR PROFESSIONAL MUSEUM POSITIONS. THROUGH THE INTERNSHIP PROGRAM, PENNSYLVANIA MUSEUMS ALSO WILL FOSTER INCLUSIVE HIRING PRACTICES IN ITS MEMBER MUSEUMS AND ORGANIZATIONS. THE ASSOCIATION WILL SUPERVISE AND ADMINISTER THE INTERNSHIPS AND MEET WITH INTERNS TO GATHER FEEDBACK AND EVALUATE THE EXPERIENCE.