Language Inclusion in Museums (American Alliance of Museums)

Museums are responsible for sharing and preserving cultural records in an accessible way with and for the communities around them. In the United States, over 100 million people speak languages other than English, yet most museums prioritize solely English. This causes visitors who speak languages other than English to feel othered, ignored, and excluded, hindering their relationships with museums. Museums must dismantle these monolinguistic pillars by committing to language inclusion outside of accessibility. This book addresses reasons to remedy the lack of language inclusivity, explains research-based benefits of multilingualism, and establishes translation guidelines to make museums more equitable and accessible.