Museums in the Life of a City was a four-year initiative that began in 1999 between museums and community-based organizations in Philadelphia to work toward greater equity in their relationships and, ultimately, toward change.  The initiative included eleven pilot partnerships, an information clearinghouse, newsletters, a conference, and focus groups to reflect on the experience at the end of the four years. The Museums in the Life of a City report that resulted from the initiative shares what the Philadelphia museums learned about forming partnerships with community organizations and provides insights, ideas, and strategies for museums and communities seeking to develop long-term partnerships.

Resources

AAM Bookstore

Museums in the Life of a City: Strategies for Community Partnerships

This final report of the four-year initiative describes the goals, pilot partnerships, and results of the Museums in the Life of a City Initiative.

Museums & Community

The Museums & Community initiative explored the potential for dynamic engagement between American communities and their museums.  Read more about this initiative.