We work together with our Affiliate collaborators in making our communities and the nation better, putting education and public service first and foremost.

Collectively, we explore opportunities to provide spaces for communities to come together—virtually and in-person—to have informed conversations on current issues. While museums—including the Smithsonian—are traditionally seen as places for scholarship and unique objects, they may also be gathering places for the community for all kinds of societal events.

We think about how museums and educational and cultural organizations have fallen short or failed in the past and how we can work with our Smithsonian partners and Affiliate collaborators to address these shortcomings. For example, how might we consult with Indigenous communities to ensure we are not perpetuating stereotypes of Native Americans or other historically excluded groups? And how might we more deeply reflect on the ways in which our own organizations have perpetuated or benefited from systemic racism and then take actions to ensure we develop new more equitable practices? We work with Affiliates to address questions like these and, through consultations with Smithsonian colleagues, community members, and others, change collecting and interpretation practices.