Making Inclusive Museums Now

JSA/MIXdesign in collaboration with The Architectural League of New York has released Making Inclusive Museums Now, a report which documents the research that led to, and the proceedings of a two-day workshop and symposium co-organized by JSA/MIXdesign and The Architectural League. Held in January 2024, the event brought together museum staff, architects, artists and activists to discuss how we can design museum spaces that consider the spatial consequences of accessibility beyond code compliance to better meet the needs of their diverse visitors, regardless of ability, age, race, or gender.

The first day of the symposium consisted of a public lecture by JSA/MIXdesign members Joel Sanders and Seb Choe followed by a panel discussion with representatives from partner museum collaborators. On the second day, the League and JSA/MIXdesign convened a day-long workshop attended by an invited cohort of museum professionals, architects, and accessibility advocates to respond to the challenges and opportunities posed by implementing inclusive design projects.

Written by JSA/MIXdesign and co-edited by The Architectural League, JSA/MIXdesign, and Emily Ladau the report compiles the results of the MIXmuseum Study, consisting of five years of research derived from collaborations with the Queens Museum, the Brooklyn Museum, Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum, the Whitney Museum of American Art, Yale University Art Gallery, and the San Diego Museum of Art to understand the common and conflicting inclusive design challenges they face. The report presents these findings alongside documentation of the January symposium, including responses from panelists and workshop attendees, as well as an overview of the participatory design process that guides JSA/MIXdesign's approach to its work.

Credits

Author
JSA/MIXdesign

Editors
The Architectural League of New York, JSA/MIXdesign, and Emily Ladau

Publisher
The Architectural League of New York

JSA/MIXdesign
Joel Sanders and Seb Choe, with support from Nathaniel Sloan, Camille Esquivel, Elsa Mäki, Marco Li, and Matthew Liu

The Architectural League of New York
Jacob R. Moore, Anne Rieselbach, Zoe Fruchter, and Demasi Darby-Washington, with support from Rosalie Genevro, Alicia Botero, Daniel Cioffi, and Kevin Ritter.

Graphic Design
Jena Sher Graphic Design

Support
This publication is supported, in part, by the National Endowment for the Arts. The programs referenced in this report were supported, in part, by the National Endowment for the Arts; by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council; and by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.