Community and campus
museums of service
Inspiring service from coast to coast
Service is a universal endeavor, yet there is no dedicated space to celebrate and inspire it. While the National Museum and Center for Service aims to create a landmark museum near the National Mall in Washington, D.C., we recognize that not everyone can visit. The stories of service should be shared where they take place.
Every community in America is home to talented individuals and organizations dedicated to service, and each has public spaces where these contributions can be acknowledged. To support local efforts, we have partnered with national organizations to develop comprehensive toolkits designed to assist communities and schools across the country in creating their own museums of service. These toolkits offer guidance and resources, ensuring that every school and community can honor its unique contributions to civil society.
Community Museums of Service
The first Community Museum of Service was created in partnership with the YMCA of Metropolitan DC, DC Rotary Club, and the DC Public Library. Through this collaboration, NMCFS developed a toolkit to assist other communities in establishing their own museums of service. These tools and resources are designed to make such museums accessible to communities of all sizes across America. By linking local service organizations with familiar community spaces like libraries, community centers, sports stadiums, and museums, communities can create service exhibitions and programs that celebrate service, share impactful stories, and connect people with opportunities to get involved.
Register your exhibition of service
Want to stay informed on the development of these programs and open-sourced resources? Sign up to stay in touch!
As a non-profit organization, the development of these programs and open sourced resources isn’t possible without the gracious support of our donors. Inspire service in communities across the country, donate today.
Campus Museums of Service
The Campus Museum of Service toolkit was created specifically for educational institutions to highlight their unique stories of service, supporting the importance of service and service learning in schools. These toolkits assist schools in establishing their own museums of service through a collaborative process. By connecting students with public spaces like libraries, student centers, and auditoriums, educational communities can develop exhibitions and programs that celebrate service, share impactful stories, and link students and the wider community with opportunities to get involved.
The Higher Education toolkit was created in partnership with Campus Compact, through a co-creation process with representatives from higher educational institutions across the country. The K-12 toolkit was initiailly developed as a school resource by an educator with Fairfax County Public Schools.
Register your museum or exhibit
Communites across the nation are launching local museums of service, register yours today.