About The Exhibition
The Project
The Bias Inside Us is a Smithsonian traveling exhibition and community-engagement project that will raise awareness about the social science and impact of implicit bias. This exhibition provides an opportunity for people to learn about implicit bias and reflect on their own biases and how they impact their actions. Projects like this can expose us to other ideas and groups outside our own. This exposure can lead to meaningful dialogue, positive change, greater empathy, and increased inclusivity.
What to Expect
The Bias Inside Us unpacks and demystifies the concept of bias through compelling images, hands-on interactive and powerful testimonials and videos. The exhibition features six sections:
- Introduction
- The Science of Bias
- Bias in Real Life
- Serious Consequences—Bias is All Around Us
- #RetrainYourBrain
- Personal Reflection
The Bias Inside Us is grounded in decades of scientific research and educational work by psychologists Mahzarin R. Banaji of Harvard University and Anthony G. Greenwald, professor emeritus at the University of Washington. They defined the term “implicit bias” through their work on unconscious and conscious mental processes. Their book Blindspot: Hidden Biases of Good People (Delacorte Press, 2013) explores the biases people carry based on their exposure to cultural attitudes on areas such as gender, race, social class, and disability status.
Workshops for Educators and Students
Go beyond the exhibition and join us for these interactive learning sessions hosted in partnership with the Diversity Center of Northeast Ohio.
For Educators
Monday, March 9 | 12:00 PM – 4:00 PM
$15 registration fee, CEUs available
A professional learning experience that helps educators explore the exhibition, anticipate student engagement, and gain practical tools for facilitating thoughtful
conversation in their classrooms.
Register for the Educator Session
For Students
Thursday, March 19 | 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM
$5 per student, lunch to be provided
*CMSD students receive free registration. Transportation subsidies are available for CMSD and schools with 50% or more students enrolled in the National School Lunch Program. An interactive field trip experience where students explore the exhibition, share perspectives, and connect big ideas about the everyday impact of implicit bias. Students will collaborate on a creative project that connects the exhibition themes to real-world and local experiences.
Register for the Student Session
*Open to individual students as well as full classes and school groups. To register an entire
class please contact Lucy Wedding, Museum Interpretation Administrator, at
lwedding@mmjh.org.
Education Resources
The Bias Inside Us Maltz Museum Educator Guide
The Bias Inside Us Educator Toolkit
The Bias Inside Us is organized by the Smithsonian Institution Traveling ExhibitionService. Major support is provided by The Otto Bremer Trust.