This book analyzes the relationship between museums and families--how they view one another, how museums can facilitate free-choice learning in families, and how both together can serve as powerful allies to enact social and community change. Leading museum researcher Lynn Dierking identifies the family as a learning institution and details the implications for programming and exhibits in history, art, science, children's museums and other cultural institutions. In describing museums with excellent family programs, she provides exemplars for other museums to improve family learning within their institution.

Author Biography

Lynn Dierking is Sea Grant Professor in Free-Choice Learning at Oregon State University, co-directing a comprehensive learning research program integrating K-12, Collegiate Teaching and Free-Choice Learning concentrations. Over a 30+ year professional career, Lynn has worked in a variety of educational settings: Middle and high school science classrooms, the Smithsonian Office of Educational Research, University of Maryland's College of Education and as director of a middle school curriculum project, Science in American Life, at Smithsonian's National Museum of American History. Her work centers on the long-term learning of children, youth and families, the development and evaluation of community-based efforts and efforts to involve historically under-represented communities in free-choice learning.