Museums across the United States are experimenting with youth-curated exhibitions, handing curatorial authority to teenagers and children. The Orange County Museum of Art's "Piece of Me" exhibition, part of its larger biennial, was organized by 15 members of the Orange County Young Curators program, who surveyed the museum's collection, selected a theme and artworks, collaborated with conservators and designers, and wrote wall text. Similar initiatives are underway at the Clyfford Still Museum in Denver and the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, where young people are curating shows with staff guidance.
This trend matters because it challenges traditional museum hierarchies and offers audiences an authentic, unfiltered perspective from younger generations. By treating youth-curated shows as equal to professional exhibitions, institutions signal a commitment to inclusivity and fresh viewpoints. The approach also provides young participants with rigorous, hands-on experience in museum practice, potentially diversifying the future pipeline of curators and arts professionals.