Call for Article Ideas: Journal of Museum Education
Vol. 50 No. 3 September 2025
Ageless Activations: Museums as Intergenerational Learning Hubs
Guest Editors: Anne Matlock, Tiffany McGettigan
The Journal of Museum Education (JME) invites submissions for the September 2025 issue exploring the theme of Ageless Activations: Museums as Intergenerational Learning Hubs. This issue aims to explore how museums can engage audiences of all ages, abilities, and backgrounds through active, participatory experiences that address contemporary societal issues and foster a vision for a better future. This theme has strong relevance to the field, as museums around the world feel the pressure to help build stronger social cohesion and forge ties across social groups. Intergenerational programming plays a crucial role in fostering these connections by bringing together people of different ages for shared learning experiences.
Authors from institutions of all sizes and content areas are welcome to contribute. We are particularly seeking submissions from science and history museums to highlight different avenues of intergenerational learning, such as community-based projects, community science, storytelling, and more. These contributions will help showcase the diverse ways museums across disciplines can engage audiences of all ages in meaningful learning experiences.
Articles could address the following questions and topics:
- Case studies or examples of successful intergenerational programs in museums.
- Strategies for designing exhibitions that engage visitors of all ages.
- Approaches to creating interactive spaces that facilitate active participation and learning.
- How museums can use design to make collections more accessible and engaging to intergenerational audiences.
- The role of specific educational approaches (maker education, storytelling, interviewing, community science) in fostering cross-disciplinary intergenerational learning in museums.
- How hands-on, creative processes can enhance educational outcomes and visitor engagement.
- Integrating STEAM education into museum programming.
- How museums can create inclusive spaces that cater to diverse audiences.
- Collaborations with external organizations to enhance intergenerational learning.
- The role of museums as community hubs supporting lifelong learning.
- Emerging trends in intergenerational learning.
- Speculations on the future role of technology and community partnerships in museum education.
Submission Process and Criteria
Interviews, essays that complement scholarship with personal reflection, or articles that take on a more conversational tone are encouraged, as well as more traditional academic writing.
We will prioritize submissions that:
- Share a clear and well-supported argument with practical takeaways that readers/practitioners can act on that advances and improve upon current practices
- Are rooted in antiracism and center the pursuit of social justice
- Have a clear connection to museum education
- Use plain language and jargon-free language
As a whole issue, we aim to ensure the articles represent a variety of museum types, sizes and locations, and that authors with disabilities and authors with historically marginalized identities are prioritized.
To be considered for the issue, potential authors must complete this brief online form with author contact information, a clear thesis and an abstract for your proposed article, and answers to the following questions 1.) how your article and the work it outlines advances Civic Wellness practice in museums 2.) how your article and the work it outlines is rooted in the pursuit of social justice, and 3.) how your article and the work it outlines specifically relates to museum education.
Article ideas must be submitted via the online form by November 8, 2024.
The guest editors will review submissions with the support of the MER Editorial Team and contact potential authors to discuss their proposed article ideas.
Once an article idea is accepted, authors must submit a maximum of 4,500 word draft paper and short bio to the guest editors on or before January 10, 2025. All submissions accepted by the guest editors will then undergo the standard peer review process, in which authors will not know who reviewed their work and reviewers will not know who authored the submission. Reviewers recommend publication, revision, or rejection of a submission.
Visit our Journal Submissions page for more information or feel free to contact the editors at [email protected] with questions.
As an organization based in the United States, MER is committed to the principles of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). In addition, with international authors and readers, we strive to make the Journal of Museum Education as accessible as possible and will provide accommodations. For specific accommodations at any point during the submission or writing process, please contact: [email protected].
The Journal of Museum Education (JME) is the premier peer-reviewed publication exploring and reporting on theory, training, and practice in the museum education field. Journal articles—written by museum education practitioners and scholars—explore such relevant topics as museum-related learning theory; visitor engagement and community involvement; evaluation; teaching strategies for art, science, and history museums; and the responsibilities of museums as public institutions.