Stories of service should be shared where they happen. Every community has people and organizations who serve, and every community has the power to create a museum that celebrates service.
You already have what you need.
To create a museum or service, you don’t need a professional curator or a massive budget. Every community already has the three most important resources:
- People and groups committed to serving their communities.
- Places where people naturally gather, such as schools, libraries, and community centers.
- Local skills, talent, and passion to make your museum possible.
Types of museums
From school hallways to public libraries, you can turn everyday spaces into museums of service.
Community museums
These are uplifting museums located in public spaces like libraries, town halls, sports stadiums, businesses, and community centers, wherever people go in their daily lives.
Campus museums
These museums are created by students and faculty at K-12 schools and colleges.
Steps to create your museum
Here is how you can create a museum in your community:
1. Access free resources
Create a free account to access all our free resources to help you create your community or campus museum.
2. Find your “why”
Decide which stories of service you want to showcase in your museum.
3. Choose your location
Identify a public space that people in your community can visit.
4. Plan and prepare
Use our resources to help decide on the type of museum you want to create, collect stories of service to share, and create your roadmap for your museum.
5. Gather support
Reach out to local partners, service organizations, and your neighbors to get them involved in creating your museum.
6. Register your museum
Add your museum to our [national map] so that others can find you.
7. Open your museum
Promote your museum and host a celebration for its opening.
8. Sustain your museum
Use our guides to keep your exhibit fresh and inspiring for years to come.