In the United States, the emergence of community museums in the 1960s and 1970s has a direct correlation with the greater social movements of the time.
As they grew in stature and wealth, some museums started to stray from their mission and commitment to local communities and began tackling broader global issues.
Starting in the late 1970s, The Anacostia Community Museum began to create specialized internal departments and emphasize expert credentials in its hiring process.
They often practice participatory methods, involving their audiences in various processes, particularly exhibition development and public programming.
The Wing Luke Museum conducts outreach at the beginning of exhibition projects, convenes advisory committees composed of audience members at various stages in the curatorial process, and has even hired full-time community organizers to join their staff.