In this article, Janice Klein, Director of the Mitchell Museum of the American Indian, describes how she and her staff reevaluated the museum collection and audience needs during a reinstallation process in 1999. The methods they used helped the team complete the renovation and opening on time as well as made it possible to pursue an active exhibits program for minimum cost.
This article is a summary of the"What's Going on VII: Hot Topics in Exhibit Development" discussion at AAM's pre-conference Roundtable. Participants include Paul Martin, VP of Exhibits, Janet Kamien, President of Janet Kamien Museum Consulting, and Tamara Biggs, Director of Exhibits at the Chicago Historical Society.
In this article, Lisa Eriksen, Executive Director of the California Exhbition Resources Alliance (CERA), describes the structure and success of this traveling exhibition consortium for small institutions. Eriksen discusses why CERA is a model for museum professionals in small institutions on how to collaborate to provide varied and quality exhibitions and programs to their audiences.
DATE:
TEAM MEMBERS:
Lisa Eriksen
resourceresearchProfessional Development, Conferences, and Networks
In this article, Lynne Friman, principal of Envisions Design, Ltd., draws on her experience writing and responding to Request for Proposals (RFPs). Friman presents an outline checklist as well as a list of defined terms to guide you through the process.
This article describes how science centers and museums can better engage ethnic-specific communities that, overall, historically do not visit these institutions. Cecilia Garibay, principal of the Garibay Group, summarizes her research in this area, specifically focusing on Latino families in the United States and shares several key values that influence Latino parents' leisure choices. Examples of how leading institutions have used these findings are included and highlight ways museums can use research to better engage diverse communities.
In this article, Paul Orselli, president and chief instigator at Paul Orselli Workshop (POW!), discusses the impact of "internal capacity" or a museum's ability to handle core functions like exhibit development, design, and fabrication with its own resources. Orselli explains the value of internal capacity for individual museums and for the broader museum field.
In this article, evaluator Randi Korn details the importance of a museum's mission as "key to an institution's success." Korn recommends museums clarify their intent, before evaluating their impact , and provides three mission-based filters that museums must use to examine all operational activities: clarity of intent, alignment of practice and resources, and reflective inquiry.
In this article, Julie Packard, executive director of the Monterey Bay Aquarium, shares her experience launching the Center for the Future of the Oceans policy and advocacy center, in hopes that the story may serve as a useful roadmap for other institutions considering expanding their role in conservation efforts. Packard describes how the center came to fruition, the goals of the institution, public response, recommendations for future work, and implications for the broader museum community.
This article describes the mission, approach and success of the New Jersey Academy of Aquatic Sciences' Community and Urban Science Enrichment Program (CAUSE). Through the CAUSE program, local high school students receive training in marine science and biology, and work as mentors for younger students and as educators. This article also points out that an enrichment program to increase visitorship from underrepresented youth is not enough; science centers must utilize Positive Youth Development (PYD) strategies to "lay the foundation" toward individual learning. Key findings from project
In this article, Jim Spadaccini, director of Ideum (Corrales, NM), highlights nine free or nearly free internet-based opportunities for museums. Spadaccini provides a brief description, benefits, participants, tips, and costs associated with each web software or service. Examples include blogging, RSS feeds, and photo sharing.
In this article, Paul Tatter and Kristin Leigh of Explora (Albuquerque, NM), describe museum membership as "a sense of belonging." Tatter and Leigh argue that museum membership should be conceived as a nurtured relationship not as a commodity. Four commitments--participation, trust, acceptance, and respect--guide museum practices including membership and serve to enhance museum visitation and engagement.
In this article, Emily O'Hara, education associate and marking assistant, and Beth Krusi, director of marketing and communications, both at the Montshire Museum of Science (Norwich, Vermont), share their perspective on the importance of repeat visitation. O'Hara and Krusi describe how they use evaluation to refine new and existing exhibits to encourage repeat visitation.