The M (the Minnesota Museum of American Art) is a St. Paul–based museum with a small, dedicated staff and a big mission: to explore American identities and experiences through art and creativity. A primarily visual arts museum, the M's exhibitions and programs are co-curated with M staff in collaboration with diverse community partners, focusing on lived experiences and creativity of the many artists, cultures, and communities that have been historically, and continue to be, underrepresented by American museums. This model has developed organically over the past few years and has fostered strong multi-year partnerships that benefit both the museum and its partners, as well as the people they serve.