Open Forum

Hello all,

Some of you are in areas already experiencing record temperatures (Phoenix and Palm Springs both hit 114 degrees* on Saturday!) A this story from NPR notes "More than 25 major cities tied or broke record-high temperatures Saturday, during a dangerous heatwave that enveloped much of the Southwestern United States over the weekend. Approximately 53 million people are still under excessive heat warnings as extreme temperatures begin to shift east."

I am looking for examples of museums proactively helping their communities during extreme heat events, for example, opening their (air conditioned) spaces as cooling centers, providing free, safe, indoor activities for people who are particularly vulnerable (including children and elders).

Replies here in the forum thread are welcome, or reach out to me at emerritt@aam-us.org.

*My thanks to Emlyn Koster for catching a typo in my original post (the temperature did NOT reach 144 degrees. Yet. Thank heavens.)

Thank you!



------------------------------
Elizabeth Merritt
VP Strategic Foresight & Founding Director, CFM
American Alliance of Museums
Arlington VA
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 6/13/2022 9:39:00 AM
From: Elizabeth Merritt
Subject: Museums being good neighbors in the comming heat wave

Hello all,

Some of you are in areas already experiencing record temperatures (Phoenix and Palm Springs both hit 114 degrees* on Saturday!) A this story from NPR notes "More than 25 major cities tied or broke record-high temperatures Saturday, during a dangerous heatwave that enveloped much of the Southwestern United States over the weekend. Approximately 53 million people are still under excessive heat warnings as extreme temperatures begin to shift east."

I am looking for examples of museums proactively helping their communities during extreme heat events, for example, opening their (air conditioned) spaces as cooling centers, providing free, safe, indoor activities for people who are particularly vulnerable (including children and elders).

Replies here in the forum thread are welcome, or reach out to me at emerritt@aam-us.org.

*My thanks to Emlyn Koster for catching a typo in my original post (the temperature did NOT reach 144 degrees. Yet. Thank heavens.)

Thank you!



------------------------------
Elizabeth Merritt
VP Strategic Foresight & Founding Director, CFM
American Alliance of Museums
Arlington VA
------------------------------

When I was a kid there was a menthol cigarette (yikes) brand that used a penguin in its logo. All manner of air-conditioned businesses would post the cigarette’s ads on their doors and windows displaying the tag line “It’s KOOL inside!”. Seemed to work.

Seriously though, thus far no matter how hot Santa Fe gets, the major museums on the plaza don’t ever seem to be crowded.

James Bryant
SOJOURN Science - Nature - Education
Santa Fe, NM
https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-bryant-0598a940/


Original Message:
Sent: 6/14/2022 8:31:00 AM
From: Lisa Ortega-Pol
Subject: RE: Museums being good neighbors in the comming heat wave

This is, as always, very thoughtful. 

	Lisa Ortega Pol, MFA
	Educadora de Museo
	Museo de Historia, Antropología y Arte Universidad de Puerto Rico Recinto de Río Piedras
	787-764-0000 ext. 83096   787-763-3939   lisa.ortega1@upr.edu   museo.uprrp.edu

Original Message:
Sent: 6/13/2022 9:39:00 AM
From: Elizabeth Merritt
Subject: Museums being good neighbors in the comming heat wave

Hello all,

Some of you are in areas already experiencing record temperatures (Phoenix and Palm Springs both hit 114 degrees* on Saturday!) A this story from NPR notes "More than 25 major cities tied or broke record-high temperatures Saturday, during a dangerous heatwave that enveloped much of the Southwestern United States over the weekend. Approximately 53 million people are still under excessive heat warnings as extreme temperatures begin to shift east."

I am looking for examples of museums proactively helping their communities during extreme heat events, for example, opening their (air conditioned) spaces as cooling centers, providing free, safe, indoor activities for people who are particularly vulnerable (including children and elders).

Replies here in the forum thread are welcome, or reach out to me at emerritt@aam-us.org.

*My thanks to Emlyn Koster for catching a typo in my original post (the temperature did NOT reach 144 degrees. Yet. Thank heavens.)

Thank you!



------------------------------
Elizabeth Merritt
VP Strategic Foresight & Founding Director, CFM
American Alliance of Museums
Arlington VA
------------------------------