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Modern Museum Education

Modern Museum Education

By: Rachel E Gibson
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Rachel Gibson is a museum education researcher, consultant, and former frontline educator helping museum professionals create engaging, sustainable programs for children and families. On the Modern Museum Education Podcast, she explores topics like family learning, audience engagement, museum strategy, program design, intergenerational learning, and the real-world challenges museum educators face every day. Part conference session and part coffee shop chat, each episode blends research-backed insights with practical strategies you can actually use—whether you're planning field trips, designing family programs, leading education teams, or trying to keep your creativity alive in a stretched-thin museum world. If you believe museum education matters deeply—and that your work isn’t childish just because you work with children—you’re in the right place. Discover more at modernmuseumeducation.com!Copyright 2026 All rights reserved.
Episodes
  • Episode 25: How to Transition from Museum Educator to Strategic Museum Leader

    Episode 25: How to Transition from Museum Educator to Strategic Museum Leader
    Jun 3 2026

    When I transitioned from a frontline educator to an education director in 2016, I quickly realized that being a great educator and being a strategic leader are completely different skill sets. In this episode of the Modern Museum Education Podcast, I am sharing the essential frameworks you need to stop spinning in circles and confidently step into your strategic museum leadership role. We are diving into how to transition from museum educator to strategic museum leader by using simple systems thinking techniques for museums to shift our perspective from daily frontline chaos to macro-level institutional impact. Whether you are facing a linear logistical hurdle or a complex people-centered challenge, these techniques will help you reclaim your creative authority and design a sustainable, thriving department.

    By tuning in, you will discover: • How to identify structural friction using the EPIC framework (Explore, Produce, Intervene, Check).
    • The exact difference between hard systems thinking (logic models) and soft systems thinking (the iceberg model).
    • Ways to avoid "shifting the burden" with temporary band-aid solutions so you can implement long-term structural changes.


    For the full show notes and resources mentioned in this episode, head to modernmuseumeducation.com/25.

    Resources Mentioned in Today's Episode

    • Join the Engagement Lab: https://modernmuseumeducation.com/lab

    Related Episodes and Blog Posts

    Episode 2: The History of Museum Education

    Ways I Can Help You

    • Custom Made Museum Education Program Materials: https://modernmuseumeducation.com/museum-ready-materials
    • Museum Education Professional Development: https://modernmuseumeducation.com/frontline-focus-workshops
    • Museum Education Program Evaluation & Design: https://modernmuseumeducation.com/full-program-design

    Connect with Rachel

    • Email: rachel@modernmuseumeducation.com
    • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachelegibson/
    • Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/modernmuseumed
    • Website: www.modernmuseumeducation.com
    Show More Show Less
    40 mins
  • Episode 24: Using Game Mechanics to Increase Museum Engagement

    Episode 24: Using Game Mechanics to Increase Museum Engagement
    May 27 2026

    Ready to transform your gallery space from a quiet viewing room into a dynamic learning environment? In this episode, we explore how to use game mechanics to increase museum engagement and unpack why playful learning belongs in every institution—even when tackling tough subjects. We discuss the pervasive tension between our responsibility to our collections and our responsibility to our visitors, shifting our focus toward game-based learning as a rigorous pedagogy rather than a frivolous distraction.

    By the end of this episode, you will know how to:

    • Diagnose specific learning bottlenecks where visitors lose narrative momentum.
    • Map action verbs directly to intentional game mechanics.
    • Implement the "5 Rs" of engagement principles: Random, Rapid, Rival, Reward, and Role (for more see Joe Bisz and Victoria Mondelli’s ALLURE framework).

    If you’ve been wondering how to make learning and engagement a smoother process for your visitors, this episode is the episode for you!

    For the full show notes and resources mentioned in this episode, head to modernmuseumeducation.com/24.

    Resources Mentioned in Today's Episode

    • Join the Engagement Lab: https://modernmuseumeducation.com/lab

    Related Episodes and Blog Posts

    • Episode 22: Designing Programs for Kids and Adults
    • Episode 21: How to Foster Family Engagement

    Ways I Can Help You

    • Custom Made Museum Education Program Materials: https://modernmuseumeducation.com/museum-ready-materials
    • Museum Education Professional Development: https://modernmuseumeducation.com/frontline-focus-workshops
    • Museum Education Program Evaluation & Design: https://modernmuseumeducation.com/full-program-design

    Connect with Rachel

    • Email: rachel@modernmuseumeducation.com
    • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachelegibson/
    • Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/modernmuseumed
    • Website: www.modernmuseumeducation.com
    Show More Show Less
    33 mins
  • Episode 23: Is Play in Museums OK?

    Episode 23: Is Play in Museums OK?
    May 20 2026
    Is play in museums ok, or is it a complete distraction from serious learning? In this episode of the Modern Museum Education Podcast, we tackle the deep tension many museum educators feel when incorporating play into their programming. It’s easy to doubt your work when colleagues or the public brush off creative family programs as "just fun," but I’m here to tell you that play and learning aren't mutually exclusive. We dive into the concept of childism to uncover why society views play as frivolous and how adult-centric expectations shape the public's view of museum exhibits. By placing solid research behind our practice, we can confidently confront these normative assumptions. You will discover how play motivates personal learning, learn how Harvard's Pedagogy of Play framework supports autonomy, and explore how to apply Keller’s ARCS model of learning to your programs. Whether you call it choice-based learning, embodied engagement, or play, it’s exactly what our visitors need to thrive.Ready to implement these playful strategies without getting bogged down in academia? Come join the conversation in our free Telegram community, the Engagement Lab (modernmuseumeducation.com/lab), or check out my professional workshop services to train your staff on handling play in your space. Head over to ModernMuseumEducation.com for all the links and resources mentioned in today's episode!For the full show notes and resources mentioned in this episode, head to modernmuseumeducation.com/23 Resources Mentioned in Today's EpisodeJoin the Engagement Lab: https://modernmuseumeducation.com/labFind out how to partner with Rachel to improve your museum programs You can find all the books I recommend on this podcast on my Bookshop.org Podcast Recommendations & Resources ListAcademic Articles Referenced:Harvard’s Project Zero: The Pedagogy of PlayMardell, B., Ryan, J., Krechevsky, M., Baker, M., Schulz, T. S., & LiuConstant, Y. (2023). A pedagogy of play: Supporting playful learning in classrooms and schools. Project Zero. https://pz.harvard.edu/resources/pedagogy-of-play-book https://pz.harvard.edu/projects/pedagogy-play The ARCS Model of LearningKeller, J. M. (1987). Development and use of the ARCS model of instructional design. Journal of Instructional Development, 10(3), 2–10. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02905780 What is play?Sutton-Smith, B. (1997). The ambiguity of play. Harvard University Press.What is childism?Wall, J. (2019). From childhood studies to childism: Reconstructing the scholarly and social imaginations. Children’s Geographies, 20(3), 257–270. https://doi.org/10.1080/14733285.2019.1668912Related Episodes and Blog PostsEpisode 22: Designing Programs for Kids and Adults Episode 21: Fostering Family Engagement Ways I Can Help YouCustom Made Museum Education Program Materials: https://modernmuseumeducation.com/museum-ready-materialsMuseum Education Professional Development: https://modernmuseumeducation.com/frontline-focus-workshops Museum Education Program Evaluation & Design: https://modernmuseumeducation.com/full-program-designConnect with RachelEmail: rachel@modernmuseumeducation.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachelegibson/Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/modernmuseumedWebsite: www.modernmuseumeducation.com
    Show More Show Less
    26 mins
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