Space Center Houston
We’re committed to continuing to learn, to confront our perceptions and assumptions, and to grow our understanding and empathy.
Space Center Houston
Annual operating budget: $20 million +
Total number of employees: 265
Annual visitorship: 1.2 million
**Numbers reported in 2022
Our plan:
For our efforts to engage Latinx communities to be successful, we needed to build on a strong foundation that was inclusive, grounded in equity, and culturally sensitive. We embarked on a deliberate effort to be more attuned to the needs and perspectives of our Latinx communities. This entailed taking proactive steps to meet those needs, and to ensure that we understand and respect the new perspectives we hear from our visitors.
Our projects:
Our activities involved partnering with local community organizations, hosting events in community spaces, and providing experiences in Spanish. To reach a larger and more diverse group of Latinx community members in the Houston area, we sought input from Latinx community members on their needs, interests, and preferences as they relate to Space Center Houston. We did this by conducting surveys, holding seven listening sessions with community members (including a local Congressional representative, Latinx media CEO, and education specialist), and attending community meetings to gather feedback. To express our gratitude to our listening session participants, we provided them with courtesy tickets, gift cards, and refreshments. These efforts took planning and time to launch, but provided a foundation we could build on in the long-term.
We also wanted to make sure our exhibits, programs, and staff reflect the diversity of the Latinx community. To cultivate a more diverse staff and volunteer base, we created new positions to expand our Spanish programming and support live presentations in the Center. We hope that by providing timely bilingual exhibitions and programs, 1.3 million visitors a year can see our commitment to our Latinx communities.
Our takeaways:
We’re committed to continuing to learn, to confront our perceptions and assumptions, and to grow our understanding and empathy. Some of our deepest learnings have been:
- little changes can make a big impact—and can also take time
- both individual action and museum-wide buy-in ensure success of equity initiatives
- co-creation with our Latinx community requires trust and follow-through
Change can be overwhelming, and isn’t always something you can see right away. It’s an investment that picks up speed as it starts rolling along.
To read other museums’ stories of change, visit our Cambio Stories page.
