Rather than simply being a box to be checked, WMA approaches diversity & inclusion (D&I) as a process that must be committed to, regularly reaffirmed, and woven into our everyday activities. We view the work of D&I as the constant examining and questioning of the makeup of the museum field, to ensure that the systems and structures that exist within our organizations are, and remain, equitable and accessible to all.

In an effort to provide access to trusted, valuable, and educational resources, our Diversity & Inclusion Resources page is an assemblage of articles, books, journals, toolkits, assessments, and other actionable resources.

Designed to help you determine where your museum or organization is now with respect to your journey towards equity, The MASS Action Readiness Assessment is a great place to start.

The Museum Arts Culture Access Consortium has a well-developed list of guidelines and resources useful for museum professionals who are looking to provide more accessible facilities and programs for people with disabilities.

In The Inclusive Historian’s Handbook Diversity and Inclusion essay, Chris Taylor – Chief Inclusion Officer for the State of Minnesota ­­– examines inclusion as a practice, experience, and philosophy in both social and workplace environments. Taylor notes that “As practitioners, we need to focus on employing more inclusive practices and using our work to address societal inequities. We also need to make sure we are addressing those same inequities that exist within our organizations and institutions.”

When it comes to educating oneself and developing concrete action plans for moving forward, one of the best, more practical ways to learn is by hearing from experts in the field. The Museum Learning Hub has a free 4-part webinar module on Digital Accessibility & Inclusion. In these recorded webinars, you will learn best practices, gather tips and tricks from small museum professionals, & receive “how to” instructions for improving accessibility and inclusion on museum digital projects.

For additional resources on D&I, please check out our Diversity & Inclusion page here.

View WMA’s full Diversity & Inclusion Statement here.

Written by Jessica Noyes, Communications Coordinator, WMA