Who We Are

The Resiliency Collective is a collaborative project to help museums expand their impact by supporting the mental health and wellbeing of the communities they serve. Mental health is an essential component of overall wellbeing and is often left out of conversations about inclusion and access. Integrating it could provide a tremendous benefit to communities and the museums serving them. The Resiliency Collective offers a next step in supporting the relationship museums have with their audiences by addressing their needs beyond learning and leisure and focusing on their wellbeing to include mental health.

Launched in 2021 as a partnership between Illinois Association of Museums and NAMI Illinois, the goal of the project was to create mental health-themed exhibits and programs at participating locations across Illinois. In May 2023, The Resiliency Collective led three unique exhibits alongside three unique museum partners. Since its conception and initial run, the project has grown to encompass a variety of services, resources, and guidance designed to help museums reach new and returning audiences in deeper, more connected ways. The strategies used in the project can be incorporated into any museum’s new and ongoing exhibits and programs and can serve as a model for how to get started.