To Be Part of the Solution: Asian American Museum Staff’s Experiences in Navigating Museum Careers

Authors:

• Lillian Xie, Museology Graduate Program
• Chair: Jessica Luke
• Rick Bonus
• Charlene Mano-Shen
• PeiPei Sung

Abstract:

As museums move forward in increasing diversity, equity, accessibility, and inclusion (DEAI) and anti-racism initiatives within their institutions, so has the need for research and evaluation on the experiences of Asian American staff and their paths into the museum field. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to understand how Asian American-identifying staff came to and are sustaining their full-time careers in museums. The literature review researched the ways in which the model minority myth influences and shapes the academic and professional experiences of Asian Americans. Qualitative data was collected through semi-structured interviews with 23 participants who self-identified as Asian American, attended middle and high school in the United States, and have been employed full-time in the museum field for at least three years. The results showed four common themes in the barriers and systems of support they experienced when entering their museum career and throughout it: 1.) education ceilings and financial difficulties; 2.) racial isolation and relationships; 3.) racialized expectations; and 4.) racialized tokenism and buffering. The data showed the participants' roles and lack thereof in DEAI initiatives, mentoring emerging museum professionals, and the dismantling of systemic barriers gatekeeping the field from moving forward in diversity and inclusion. Participants also reflected on common Asian American experiences, namely the model minority myth, varying approximations to Whiteness, racial identity denial, and possible solutions to these barriers. This research includes implications for practice in DEAI, anti-racism, Asian American community engagement, and the museum's role in the development of emerging museum professionals.