A compilation of vaccine resources for museums that include science communication approaches and public engagement strategies that apply to discussions about most viruses and vaccines.
Educational products for public audiences
Viruses
- Lawrence Hall of Science, Berkeley, CA vaccine confidence activities
Read more about the activities and the development process - Children's Museum of Houston, TX
- Mr. O video "It Snot Funny" video (for kids) about coronavirus
- NISE Network
- Building with Biology: VirEx Delivery activity
https://www.nisenet.org/catalog/building-biology-virex-delivery - Health and Medicine resources
https://www.nisenet.org/health
- Building with Biology: VirEx Delivery activity
- Exploratorium, San Francisco, CA activities
- Antibody Attack https://www.exploratorium.edu/snacks/antibody-attack
- Viral Packaging https://www.exploratorium.edu/snacks/viral-packaging
- New York Hall of Science, NY
- Transmissions: Gone Viral is a digital interactive comic book
https://nysci.org/transmissions-gone-viral
- Transmissions: Gone Viral is a digital interactive comic book
- Museum of Science Boston
- What is Herd Immunity video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rCLgJyhb4lo
- What is Herd Immunity video
Vaccines - General
- History of Vaccines educational website created by The College of Physicians of Philadelphia - includes online activities, image library, and educator resources
https://www.historyofvaccines.org
COVID-19 Coronavirus
- The Franklin Institute, Philadelphia, PA
COVID-19 Update videos (for adults) with Jayatri Das about the changing science news surrounding the virus (link goes to full playlist on YouTube) - Georgie & the Giant Germ free downloadable children's book
Developed to support caregivers and children in having conversations about the pandemic and to give children a way to express and manage their worries (translated into many languages) - PBS Kids for Parents:
How You and Your Kids Can De-Stress During Coronavirus (includes kid videos) 3/13/20
How to Talk to Your Kids About Coronavirus (includes kid videos) 3/6/20
Helping Children with Tragic Events in the News 2/12/20 - Brains On! Children's podcast coronavirus-related episodes
https://www.brainson.org/page/coronavirus
Science of Vaccines Resources
- WHO - How do vaccines work
https://www.who.int/news-room/feature-stories/detail/how-do-vaccines-work - Answering Common Questions About Herd Immunity and Vaccination
https://online.nursing.georgetown.edu/blog/questions-about-herd-immunity-vaccines/#how-to-talk-to-family-and-friends-about-vaccines-and-herd-immunity
Posters, Signs, Graphics, and Social Media Images
- Smithsonian DIY exhibit "Outbreak: Epidemics in a Connected World"
https://naturalhistory.si.edu/exhibits/outbreak-epidemics-connected-world - Vaccine Equity Community Engagement materials
https://vaccineequitycooperative.org - Public Health Collaborative resources
https://publichealthcollaborative.org/resources/
Science Communication about Vaccines
- Public Health Communications Collaborative
- Bridging statements can be an effective communications tool to stay grounded in core messages and build trust with fact-based messaging
https://publichealthcollaborative.org/resources/communications-tool-building-bridges - Messaging recommendations, do’s and don’ts, and tips about language and tone
- Resources for public health communication
- Misinformation management guide
- Bridging statements can be an effective communications tool to stay grounded in core messages and build trust with fact-based messaging
- de Beaumont Foundation
- Language That Works to Improve Vaccine Acceptance (infographic and list of terms to use and avoid)
- COVID Communications Cheat Sheet (infographic and list of terms to use and avoid)
- Slides: Changing the COVID Conversation - Words That Work in COVID Communications (Powerpoint) Insights and practical tips for communicating about COVID-19 (Published 12-9-2020)
- Slides: The Language of Vaccine Acceptance (Powerpoint) Insights and practical tips for communicating about COVID-19 vaccines (Published 12-28-20)
- Vaccine Equity Cooperative
- Community Engagement Resources tailored to different audiences
https://vaccineequitycooperative.org
- Community Engagement Resources tailored to different audiences
- The National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine Societal Experts Action Network (SEAN)
- Building Trust in and Access to a COVID-19 Vaccine Within Communities of Color and Tribal Nations (December 2020) co-authored by Trust for America’s Health (TFAH), the National Medical Association (NMA) and UnidosUS
- Science Up First - how to talk about vaccines with hesitant people
https://www.scienceupfirst.com/project/how-to-talk-about-vaccines-with-hesitant-friends-and-family/ - Nature tips for talking with a vaccine skeptic (2025)
https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-025-02105-9
Framing
- Reframing the Conversation about Child and Adolescent Vaccinations (January 2023)
This Frameworks Institute report focuses on how to have conversations about childhood vaccination; takeaways you can use include: shifting the focus from the individual to the collective and shifting the focus from vaccines fighting disease to the immune system preparing itself. - Communicating About Vaccination in the United States: A FrameWorks Strategic Brief (September 2021)
A research partnership between the FrameWorks Institute and the American Academy of Pediatrics to understand attitudes and behaviors about vaccination and identify framing strategies that can build public understanding of the science and benefits of vaccines and increase support for structural and policy changes that will improve vaccination access and uptake
Recorded Online Workshop
The COVID-19 Vaccine: What role can museums play in the rollout of the new vaccine?
This workshop focused on effective communication strategies around the importance of vaccinations and what role museums can play in educating their communities about the vaccine
View a recording of the workshop here (recorded February 2, 2021)
COVID-19 Coronavirus Resources for Museums
A compilation of resources for museums including safety practices, closures, digital engagement, evaluation resources, and more.