The Stories Museums Tell

AHA Session 24A
Thursday, January 8, 2026: 1:30 PM-3:00 PM
Williford A (Hilton Chicago, Third Floor)
Chair:
Margaret Salazar-Porzio, Oatlands
Panel:
Erica Griffin, Chicago History Museum
Omar Eaton-Martinez, National Trust for Historic Preservation
Katherine Ott, Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of American History
Margaret Salazar-Porzio, Oatlands

Session Abstract

This session will focus on how mainstream museums’ work with communities to tell their histories. Communities can be suspicious of working with mainstream museums, because they feel like their histories haven’t always been included. Meanwhile, telling the histories of particular communities hasn’t always been of interest to museum donors or board members. Panelists will discuss the opportunities and challenges.
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