Museum Exhibitions and Difficult Content: How to Support Visitors

  • Saturday, October 7, 2023
  • 9:00 am – 10:15 am
  • Hilton Pasadena, California Ballroom

Presenter(s): 

Noelle Kahanu, Assistant Specialist, Public Humanities and Native Hawaiian Programs, University of Hawaii at Monoa
Edward Tepporn, Executive Director, Angel Island Immigration Station Foundation

Moderator: 

Gail Mandel, Deputy Director, Oregon Jewish Museum and Center for Holocaust Education

Track: 

  • Community Engagement, Visitor Experience

Learning Format: Conversation

Exhibition content can be difficult, and it is vitally important for museums to anticipate how to help visitors not only engage with challenging content but also to provide support after they have viewed an exhibition. The panelists in this session will share their experiences presenting exhibitions at their institutions that contained difficult content, strategies for supporting visitors, and suggestions for museums who are looking to best serve their audiences.