ASTC was shocked and saddened to learn about the death of Brad Larson just a few days after his 62nd birthday.

A longtime member of our community, Brad was the Founder of StoryHabitat (the successor to Brad Larson Media). ASTC was pleased to be partnering with StoryHabitat on the collection of stories for ASTC’s 50th anniversary, and Brad brought his story kiosk to the ASTC Annual Conference several weeks ago in Charlotte, as well as ASTC 2022 last year in Pittsburgh.

A native of South Dakota, Larson attended St. Olaf College in Minnesota, where he had the opportunity to participate in Global Semester, where he was part of small cohort of students that lived and studied their way around the world. With a subsequent master’s degree in interactive technology in education from the Harvard Graduate School of Education, Brad began his museum career in 1988 as a Technology Developer at Boston Children’s Museum.

It was there that he began to develop exhibits and activities to collect people’s stories, which ultimately led to StoryHabitat, a platform that has been used not only by ASTC and museums, but also as part of city history projects, libraries, institutional anniversaries, alumni associations, and more.

“He was a highly respected and very much-loved exhibit developer and consultant to the museum field, said Carole Charnow, President and CEO of Boston Children’s Museum, in a statement. “He advocated for the critical importance of sharing stories and inspired Museum professionals to evolve their thinking around storytelling.”

He was a kind and generous person who loved to connect with people through their unique stories and he focused on how stories could inspire empathy and understanding. We are shocked to learn of this tragedy. Brad will be mourned by the entire Museum field. It is a tremendous loss.

Carole Charnow, President and CEO, Boston Children’s Museum

Longtime friend Paul Orselli remembers Brad as “joyful,” a practitioner of a practical martial art of Shintaido, and a writer of haikus. “Brad also loved to dance! Because he was so tall, it was not unusual to see Brad’s head bobbing above the crowd near the front of the stage at many a conference dance party.”

Here are just a few additional memories and tributes shared on social media:

• “Someone so filled with joy – and the intent to solicit it wherever he was. His work and impact will carry on, and his inspiration will be terribly missed.” (Julia Blank)
• “Brad was a bright light whose work was also focused on the most important part of our work in museums – people, what they thought and what they felt.” (Anne Fullenkamp)
• “Each year I made time at our annual gathering to sit and spend time with Brad-his kind soul and light chuckle were a treat. He inspired me in so many ways. For one year each day a haiku came to me.” (Deb Gilpin)
• “Being in a room with Brad was like sitting in beam of sun on a cold day. Such a fantastic person.” (Simon Lashford)
• “He connected people through his work—people that would never meet but their stories created a bond—even if just for a moment.” (Stephanie Ratcliffe)
• “Always greeted everyone with a smile as if you were a long lost friend. So kind and humble.” (Christine Reich)
• “He was so open, so welcoming, so helpful. Just such an excellent person.” (Patrick Tevlin)

A memorial service will be held on Sunday, November 12, 2023, at 2:00 p.m. at Unitarian Church of Sharon, 4 North Main Street, Sharon, Massachusetts. A second service will be held on Friday, November 17 at First United Methodist Church, 208 W 11th Street, Yankton, South Dakota.

Brad leaves a son, his parents, two sisters, and a mourning community of family, colleagues, and friends.