Peer Groups
Peer Groups offer NYCMER members the opportunity to gather with colleagues and explore topics of shared interest.
Peer Groups are a NYCMER membership benefit and meet throughout the year. We invite non-members to attend one peer group meeting to learn more about NYCMER. A schedule of upcoming meetings can be found on our event calendar.
To suggest a new group, please email info@nycmer.org for more information. New peer group proposals are reviewed and processed every winter.
Join a Peer Group!
Our Currently Active Peer Groups
- NYCMER Reads Book Club
- Docent, Intern and Volunteer Supervisors
- Early Childhood
- Historic Sites
- K-12 and Family Programmers
- Managers
- Neurodivergent Educator Peer Group
- Queer Peers
- Regional Meetup: North Jersey
Scroll down for descriptions and contact information.
NYCMER is currently seeking Peer Group Leaders for the following groups:
- Access
- Adult Programs
- Artist/Educators
- Digital Media and Technologies
- English Language Learners & Cultural Diversity
- Evaluation
- Exhibitions and Interpretation
- Outdoor Education
- Regional Meetups (Manhattan, Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens, and Staten Island)
- Teen Programs
We're taking applications on a rolling basis for these Peer Group Leader roles.
To apply, please complete this form. For any questions related to Peer Groups, please reach out to NYCMER Secretary at info@nycmer.org.
Peer Group Descriptions and Contact Information
Access
The Access Peer Group is a forum for museum education colleagues interested in accessibility. The goal of the group is to be a convener for best practices, professional development, and resources.
The Access Peer Group is currently without a Peer Group Leader. For more information on leading the Access Peer Group, please email info@nycmer.org.
Adult Programs
Adult Programs Peer Groups discusses all aspects of adult programs production from conception to evaluation. Sessions provide opportunities to talk about best practices and resource sharing among peers.
The Adult Programs Peer Group is currently without a Peer Group Leader. For more information on leading the Access Peer Group, please email info@nycmer.org.
Artist/Educators
This peer group serves teaching artists as well as practicing artists working as educators in museums, schools, and other cultural organizations. In this group, we will address the challenges of balancing work as an artist with teaching responsibilities, share strategies for engaging students with all types of art-making experiences, and discuss other issues at the intersection of contemporary art and informal education. You need not be teaching directly from an art practice to share your experiences with the group. Meetings include lively discussions, guest speakers, studio shares, and field trips.
The Artist/Educators Peer Group is currently without a Peer Group Leader. For more information on leading the Access Peer Group, please email info@nycmer.org.
NYCMER Reads
Book Club
NYCMER Reads brings together arts & culture professionals to read and discuss nonfiction and fiction books related to museums at monthly meetups. The goal of NYCMER Reads is to encourage members to expand their museum knowledge and engagement through reading and discussing both nonfiction books about museum pedagogy and fiction books with museum-related themes because reading can be both for learning and FUN!
NYCMER Reads Book Club is currently looking for a peer group co-leader to help shape this next iteration of Book Club. Please contact Peer Group Leader Alicia Juillet if you're interested or for more information.
Digital Media and Technologies
How are digital media and technologies transforming museums and their missions? What challenges and opportunities come with keeping pace in an ever-evolving digital landscape? If you’re curious about how museums are leveraging innovative digital tools, technologies, and strategies to reimagine programming, exhibitions, storytelling, learning, and visitor engagement in museums, this is the community for you.
Digital Media and Technologies Peer Group is currently without a Peer Group Leader. For more information on leading the Digital Media and Technologies Peer Group, please email info@nycmer.org.
Docent, Intern and Volunteer Supervisors
Working with docents and volunteers can present its own challenges, uniquely different to the supervision of paid employees. This peer group seeks to bring together docent,volunteer, and intern supervisors from various museums and cultural institutions across New York City to learn from each other, share resources and ideas.
For more information, please contact Barbara Cohen-Stratyner and Jade Johnson, Docent, Intern, and Volunteer Supervisors Peer Group Co-Leaders.
Early Childhood
Join the Early Childhood Peer Group to exchange ideas about audience development, program evaluation, pedagogy, professional development, programs for early childhood, family audiences, and more.
For more information, please email Laura Kujo and/or Kristin Scarola, Early Childhood Peer Group Co-Leaders.
English Language Learners & Cultural Diversity
The English Language Learners & Cultural Diversity Peer Group supports museum educators in better serving the huge variety of linguistic and cultural communities in the NYC area, including people learning English as a new language (ENL/ELL).
The English Language Learners & Cultural Diversity Peer Group is currently without a Peer Group Leader. For more information on leading the ELL & Cultural Diversity Peer Group, please email info@nycmer.org.
Evaluation
Mention the word 'Evaluation,' and chances are anxiety levels will rise and palms will sweat. But it doesn't have to be that way! The Evaluation Peer Group is intended to serve any educational professional who has been tasked with answering "Were we successful?" in program design and delivery. Join us as we explore and share best practices in evaluation -- from strategies and methods to tools and techniques.
The Evaluation Peer Group is currently without a Peer Group Leader. For more information on leading the Evaluation Peer Group, please email info@nycmer.org.
Exhibitions and Interpretation
Join the E&I peer group to share ideas as we discuss a wide range of topics, such as interactive exhibit design, the latest tech, and how to tackle sensitive material in interpretation. Meetings alternate between site visits for a close look at exhibits, and casual happy hour meet-ups for networking and discussion. For professionals at all stages of their careers.
The Exhibitions and Interpretation Peer Group is currently without a Peer Group Leader. For more information on leading the Exhibitions and Interpretation Peer Group, please email
info@nycmer.org.
Historic Sites
Historic sites offer specialized support to educators working in a wide variety of cultural institutions of all sizes including historic houses, libraries, and City, State, and Federal sites. Our meetings happen 4-6 times per year and feature a combination of virtual meetings and site visits.
For more information, please email Emily Vieyra, Historic Sites Peer Group Leaders.
K-12 and Family Programmers
This peer group provides a space for museum professionals and teachers to share best practices and explore resources that will help us enhance our work with K-12 students, teachers and families both at our sites and off our sites. We explore equity, diversity, and inclusion within the educational landscape and invite diverse perspectives and voices. Programming includes both presentations/workshops as well as more informal discussions on the state of the field.
For more information, please email Julia Butterfield, K-12 and Family Programmers Peer Group Leader.
Managers
This group will be a space to share ideas, resources, workshop issues, and to expand your professional network. Managing staff, programs, and "managing up" can be tedious at times. We will be here to offer help and support. Join us as we reestablish this community and bring a question you'd like to talk through.
For more information, please email Tyrone Santana Copeland, Managers Peer Group Leader.
Neurodivergent Educator Peer Group
The term neurodivergent has been around for many years. In recent years, it’s come to the forefront, with more people understanding and identifying as neurodivergent. Come to a peer group with fellow educators/museum workers who identify as neurodivergent. A safe space to discuss how we are each feeling professionally, train together, and share readings, tours and even games.
For more information, please email Christine Quigley, Neurodivergent Educator Peer Group Leader.
Queer Peers
Queer Peers seeks to provide a safer, braver space for LGBTQ+ museum educators, museum workers, and museum professionals. This NYCMER Peer Group is for connecting and networking, sharing ideas and best practices, building community, and developing programming about/for the LGBTQ+ community within museums and cultural institutions.
Founded in 2019 by Michael Stevens, Queer Peers continues to meet each year - starting with LGBTQ History Month in October and ending with Pride Month in June.
For more information, please email Maria Wood and/or Jane Sheedy, Queer Peers Group Co-Leaders.
Teen Programs
The Teen Programs Peer Group is a dedicated community within NYCMER, created to bring together professionals who work in, or are interested in, teen programming. This peer group will serve as a platform for members to share insights, research, and best practices while fostering collaboration, networking, and professional growth. By participating in this group, members will have the opportunity to discuss current trends, tackle common challenges, and enhance the overall quality and impact of their respective teen programs.
The Teen Programs Peer Group is currently without a Peer Group Leader. For more information on leading the Teen Programs Peer Group, please email info@nycmer.org.
