Empowering individual growth through engaging educational experiences

Anna Slafer is an award-winning museum educator and author, recognized for her innovative approach to developing and managing programs, experiences, exhibits, publications and strategic planning at institutions that address history, design, and natural history/the environment both in the U.S. and abroad. Currently, she is an Adjunct Professor in The Johns Hopkins University Master of Arts in Museum Studies Program. Previous positions include serving as the Vice President of Exhibitions and Programs at the International Spy Museum in Washington DC, where she oversaw the divisions of exhibitions, curatorial, education, and collections, Director of Education at the National Building Museum, Executive Director of the environmental organization, Renew America,  Project Director of the Rolling Rainforest for Discovery Creek Children’s Museum of Washington and The Humane Society of the U.S. and Manager of the Hands On History Room at the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of American History.

Who Anna Helps:

• Museums & Cultural Institutions: Designing dynamic exhibitions, interactive experiences, and immersive programs that tell compelling stories and engage diverse audiences.
• Nonprofits & Businesses: Providing consulting services to enhance educational outreach, program effectiveness, and organizational impact.
• Universities: Collaborating on program development, research projects, and offering guest speaking on museum education.
• Professional Organizations: Delivering keynotes, presentations, and training sessions to advance industry standards and practices.

How Anna Helps: Anna approaches each project with a tailored strategy, beginning with an in-depth analysis of the client’s objectives and challenges. She collaborates closely with stakeholders to design custom experiences and exhibitions for all ages that are both educational and fun. By integrating cutting-edge educational techniques, inquiry and object-based learning, and a focus on audience learning styles and accessibility she creates experiences that resonate with target audiences and foster meaningful engagement.

Engagement Tools:

• Exhibition & Program Development: Crafting compelling and educational exhibitions and programs that inspire learning.
• Immersive Experience Design: Creating interactive experiences that engage audiences on multiple levels.
• Web & Media Integration: Utilizing digital platforms and media to enhance educational outreach and audience engagement.
• Accessibility Innovations: Implementing creative solutions to make educational experiences accessible to all.
• Keynotes, Training Sessions & Strategic Planning: Providing expert insights and training to empower organizations and professionals.

Select Partners:

• • American Alliance of Museums
  • American Planning Association
  • Centre Pompidou and Panthéon-Sorbonne University (Paris, France)
  • Children’s Museum/Museo de Los Niños (San Diego, CA)
  • International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions
  • Mayor’s Office for the City of Las Vegas
  • National Center on Accessibility
  • Norwegian Aviation Museum
  • Science Museum of Minnesota
  • Sloan Museum (Flint, MI)
  • The Allied Museum (Berlin, Germany)
  • The Smithsonian Institution
  • U.S. National Park Service

Notable Achievements: Anna has a track record of success; her work has received prestigious awards, including a TEA (Themed Entertainment Association) Award for Outstanding Achievement, Museum Exhibit, the New York Public Library’s Best Books for the Teen Age, ComputEd Gazette’s Best Educational Software Award (BESSIE), and a Washington Ed Press Gold Award. As Project Director charged with overseeing the reimagining of all the exhibitions for the International Spy Museum’s move in 2019, she played a pivotal role in creating award-winning exhibitions and interactive installations earning honors like the AAM Award for Excellence in Label Writing, the AAM MUSE Award for Onsite Digital Experience, and the Telly Award for Best History (Non-Broadcast) Programming.

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