Writing for Museums - 2nd Edition by Margot Wallace (Paperback)

About the Book

Book Synopsis

Whether written by administrators, staffers, freelancers, or interns, words are delivered by people in your museums with the knowledge, to be interpreted by strangers. This new edition features seven new chapters and a focus on inclusivity and accessibility.

Review Quotes

Margo Wallace has produced an expansive resource in the newest edition of her book. Centering connection and inclusiveness within a running theme of thoughtfulness, she will make all museum professionals reevaluate their approach to writing. Truly a book that belongs on every shelf; it will certainly be on mine.

This is an impressively expanded edition of Writing for Museums, which takes as its focus the ways that writing and communication make it possible for museums to connect meaningfully with their audiences. Wallace also acknowledges, much more than in the first edition, the roles that diversity and equity must play in museum writing; of particular note are the added chapters on 'Audiences, ' 'Inclusiveness, ' and 'Collaborations, ' which make this a valuable and developed resource for museum-based writers and educators.

This is an invaluable resource for working professionals and students in the museum field, providing useful examples of how language engages audiences in a variety of real-world situations. The book is also a model of effective writing, presenting ideas in a style that's easy and fun to read.

Wallace brilliantly showcases the range of writing styles used in museums, cultural institutions, and public humanities, providing examples and guidance useful for everyone from students to skilled practitioners. New chapters in this revised edition spotlight important topics including social media and inclusivity. A must read for professionals in museums and adjacent fields!

About the Author

Margot Wallace is a marketing professional, a former writer and creative director at a global advertising agency. When she segued into academia, becoming an associate professor of marketing communication, she focused her area of inquiry on museums and their competitiveness in the arts and leisure market. She has written four books about museum branding, writing and research. Her numerous articles and talks surveyed topics such as Museum Branding: Competing for Loyalty and Dollars, Loyalty Dining, Pax Guggenheimia, academic museums, the symbiosis between museums and their stores, and beyond the brass plaque on house museums.
As a docent for a large Chicago museum, Professor Wallace has learned the museum business from the inside, and observed the many audiences that enter from the outside. As a coordinator of lifelong learning classes - in person and virtual - through a major university, she understands the expanded demands of contemporary communications.