ABSTRACT
The American Association of Museums (AAM) Report, Excellence and Equity: Education and the Public Dimension of Museums issued the following as its first principle recommendation, "Assert that museums place education in the broadest sense of the word at the center of their public service role." The report offers clearly articulated strategies related to learning, interpretation, scholarship, collaboration, and professional development. In larger institutions, museum educators handed over the responsibility for collecting data on visitor learning to other departments or outside consultants-further marginalizing themselves in the process. Museum educators can and should play a critical role in shaping the future of museums in America, but they will require leaders who understand their role as change agents. These new educational leaders must pioneer new practices, advocate in new ways for their staffs, and come together to articulate a new role and a consistent identity for the museum educators they serve.
