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bridging the gap between teens and museums



What works through experience?
How do we reach our audiences?
How do you maintain a community?



HISTORY



Since the 1990’s specialized programming for teens within museums have been exciting places for experimentation and innovation. From drop-in film programs and youth advisory councils to artist interviews and after-hours parties, the programming created for young people has altered how young people interact with museums. In an era of increasingly narrow approaches to education, we have much to learn from the innovative educational practices that have grown out of museum teen programs in the past twenty years. Inherent in the work of teen programs is a deep respect for what young people have to offer the conversation and how they can be mutual partners in programming. Because of this, we are uniquely situated to involve young people in actual research on and development of teen programs.


In the summer of 2011, with support from the City College of New York, we launched the first Museum Teen Summit (MTS)—a youth leadership initiative in which young people involved in museums across New York City document, analyze, and share their reflections on museum teen programs. With advice from a college professor, our diverse team of teens––representing over eighteen different museums and cultural institutions* and each nominated for our active participation in museum teen programs––spent seven weeks discussing the nature of museums, learning basic research skills, and conducting our own studies about the relationship between teens and museums. At the end of the summer, we realized our work had only just begun and our team of teens decided to turn our initial findings into practical solutions by continuing our work into the school year.


MTS participants identified three major goals to pursue over the school year’s weekly meetings: build a community of teens interested in museums; develop outreach tools that will better serve museums and teens; and continue to research the best practices and educational significance of museum teen programs. Since then, we have shared our findings at the NYC Museum Teen Programmers meeting, served as external consultants to sponsor teen night events at local museums, offered consulting services for museums developing and evaluating their own programs, and presented at the National Art Education Association’s Pre-Conference on Museum Education. Over the summer of 2012 we embarked on a second series of action research projects on topics including teen programs retention, barriers to participation, effective outreach strategies, and successful teen nights and teen programming. The findings from these projects continue to shape the direction of our advocacy work.


Since the first teen night at the New Museum, MTS has continued to collaborate with museums around the city including Guggenheim, Frick Collection, Museum of the City of New York, Museum of Art & Design, National Academy School & Museum, Brooklyn Museum, and more. MTS was a participant in a research session on teens and the community in the Hudson Valley, through a project spearheaded by the Center of Urban Pedagogy and Dia: Beacon.


Through experience and continuous conversations since its establishment, MTS continues to present their ideas at conferences that include the American Alliance of Museums Annual Meeting, National Art Education Association Conference, New York City Museum Educators Roundtable, New York University, and more. MTS will take a leading role in organizing and facilitating the Youth Summit at the New Museum in the fall of 2017.


MTS maintains three main goals: to build, promote and establish a community of young people active in museums.



CURRENT MEMBERS



Summer Research Group 2017



Bryan Cervantes
Emma Lien
Gavin Moore
Jinjae Kim
Joshua Wiggan
Nicole Bass
Samuel Clark
Violette Walker


MTS Summer Research Group is advised by Marit Dewhurst, Joygil Moriah, Jackie Du, and Billy Zhao



Alumni group



Abiel Wilson
Adam Wickham
Adora Evans
Alice Zeng
Allie Blankenhorn
Alya Albert
Amanda Shen
Angela Munoz
Angelica Modabber
Angelina Salgado
Anna Kheyfets
Anna Usvitsky
Billy Zhao
Brandon Engg
Carlos Guevara
Chloe Briggs
Cliff Tang
Dalia Wolfson
Dan Kerr
Daria Mateescu
Devon Ma
Emanuel Picardo
Emily Da Silva-Prado
Evan Batov
Evelin Munoz
Garnet Ahmed
Georgia Galligan
Gia Grier
Grace Cho
Hammie Park
Hanna Khalil
Harry Vartorella
Isabela Espinal
Isabelle Montesinos
Iveethe Molina
Iyana Jones
Izzy Cao
Jack Lazar
Jonah Bleckner
Jonathan Birns
Joseph Strong
Joygill Moriah
Joygill Moriah
Julia Westerman
June Lei
Katie Zhao
Kevin Park
Khachoe Ronge
Kiana Alize
Laura Gutierrez
Lawrence Ciulla
Lu Yi Wu
Mackenzie Hammer
Marcus Wong
Margaret Borozan
Marisol Morales
Marit Dewhurst
Maya Fell
Maya Whalen-Kipp
Moke Hein
Nataja Flood
Nathalie Torres
Nicole Marino
Nicole Rosengurt
Oriana Gonzalez
Rachel An
Ramona Venturanza
Robin O'Hara
Rose Fischer
Ruth Schoenfeld
Ruth Schoenfeld
Saranya Vijayakumar
Savannah Lagmay
Sean Davey
Seung Hee Kim
Shawn Yu
Sofya Zeylikman
Solomon Dworkin
Sophia Inkeles
Stephanie Dukich
Suzanna Petot
Tazkia Alam
Thomas Hsu
Victoria Greene
Vivian Guo
Wicy Wang
Winston Klapper
Yasmin Salih
Zahin Rahman


© 2017 Museum Teen Summit



Museum Teen Summit was founded in 2013.
It is a self-organizing, teen-led group that meets at various locations.


Email: museumteensummit@gmail.com