Washington Museum Association 2004 Annual Conference Ballard, Washington June 9 - 11, 2004

Map to Nordic Heritage Museum 3014 Nw 67th St Seattle, WA 98117-6215

The museum community has faced difficult times during the last few years. New approaches to these challenges have been necessary. The 2004 Washington Museum Association annual conference to be held on Thursday and Friday, June 10th and 11th, at the Nordic Heritage Museum will be a venue for sharing ideas for new approaches to overcoming the challenges that we all face.

The Nordic Heritage Museum is located in Seattle’s Ballard neighborhood, a community well known for being home to Nordic immigrants past and present. Ballard’s shopping streets are home to Scandinavian food shops and gift stores, as well as contemporary boutiques and restaurants. Just 14 blocks south of the Museum are the Ballard Locks, a popular tourist attraction where visitors can watch boats pass through the locks between Lake Union and Puget Sound, as well as watch salmon swimming upstream though the fish ladder. On view at the Nordic Heritage Museum during the conference will be diverse temporary exhibitions, from the contemporary paintings of Norwegian-Danish artist Royal Nebeker, presented in collaboration with the Lisa Harris Gallery, and local Nordic-American artists Randy James and Libbie Masterson, to an historical exploration of Jewish life in Norway, The Wergeland Legacy: Jewish Life and Culture in Norway – in addition to three floors of permanent exhibitions on the history of Nordics in the Pacific Northwest and Nordic folk arts.

Wednesday June 9th
8:30 to 5:00*Registration - Nordic Heritage Museum

9:00-5:00 *Pre-conference workshop - Nordic Heritage Museum
   **Advance Registration Required
   **$ 50.00 Includes Lunch

Emergency Preparedness and Response for Museum Collections
Facilitated by Beverly Perkins, Western Region Field Officer, Balboa Art Conservation Center
Is your institution prepared for an emergency? What risks do you face and who will respond? Participants will develop a risk assessment document and build, or strengthen a response team for their institution. Participants will also respond to a mock emergency and carry out salvage techniques. The day will include morning, lunch and afternoon breaks.

Psittacosaurus from the Dinosaurs of the Darkness exhibit

EVENING EVENT AT THE BURKE MUSEUM
From 5-7pm, the Burke Museum is the place to meet and greet your WMA friends. Enjoy light refreshments and wonderful exhibits, including one from Australia, Dinosaurs of Darkness, featuring recently discovered dinosaurs that lived in the extreme polar regions of the globe.

The Burke Museum is located on the NW corner of the University of Washington campus, near the corner of 17th Ave NE & NE 45th St. in Seattle.

Thursday June 10
8:00 - 4:00   Registration

8:00 - 11:00   Silent Auction Check-in

8:00 - 9:00   Breakfast Buffet - Sponsored by the Museum of History and Industry, Seattle

9:00 - 10:00   Opening Ceremonies & WMA Awards

10:00 - 11:00   Keynote Speaker: Senator Jeanne Kohl-Welles, D- Seattle, 36th District

Preserving Our Diverse Heritage Through Museums
Senator Jeanne Kohl-Welles, D-Seattle, has taken a pivotal role in closing the gender gap and addressing issues relating to education, health care, children and women. In addition, she has a great interest in the Nordic Heritage Museum, in no small part due to her own heritage. In addition to her legislative duties, Ms. Kohl-Welles is a Lecturer at the University Of Washington (Sociology, Education, Women Studies), and is affiliated with many community organizations and community groups for women's issues and education.

11:00 - 11:15 Break

11:15 - 12:30 Concurrent Sessions

Packing on a Shoestring
When necessity demands transporting objects without the benefit of an ample budget, much can still be done to protect and secure objects in transit. This workshop will present some lower cost solutions to the challenges of packing and transporting art objects, and offer hands-on presentation of soft packing techniques, materials and relative costs.

Presenter:

John Lucas, Artech Fine Art Services, Seattle

School Talk: State Standards and Other Educational Issues for Museums Teachers and museums can work naturally together - if you are talking the same talk. Learn about Washington State Essential Academic Learning Requirements (EALRs) and other "teacher talk" necessary for making your museum into a partner with your school district and beyond.

Presenter:

Janet Oakley, Curator of Education, Skagit County Historical Museum

Health Risks From Pesticide Residues in Collections
Pioneering research uses portable x-ray florescence spectronometers to analyze specimens for residue of prior arsenic and mercury pesticide applications, a common problem dating from before 1960. Learn important conclusions about the likelihood of such contamination and its health risks for museum staff and others. Speakers will demonstrate how this technology works and share new guidelines for collection management and for visitors and researchers.

Presenter:

	Dr. James Nason, Director, Museology Program, Burke Museum
	Dr. Rolfe Hahne, Director of Research, (Ret) Deparment of Environmental Health, University of Washington

12:30   Luncheon and Speaker: Capt. Les Bolton, Grays Harbor Historical Seaport Authority
"Making Movies for Fun and Profit?" or how to work with the entertainment industry without losing your shirt, your sanity or your organizational integrity (hopefully).
Capt. Les Bolton will discuss Grays Harbor Historical Seaport's involvement with various production companies, two feature films, documentaries, televisions programs and commercials. A "tale of two ships," contrasts the experiences of the Lady Washington in Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl and the HMS Rose in Master and Commander.

1:30   BREAK AND SILENT AUCTION OPENS

1:45 - 3:00   Plenary Session
Big Business or Big Headache? Historical Societies and Curation of Archaeological Collections in Washington State Local museums are increasingly approached to curate collections made by contract archaeologists for two main reasons: federal mandates give preference to facilities in the geographic area of the site and(probably more importantly) most societies will take these collections for free. The recently formed Washington Curation Interest Group has identified the situation as a concern and is actively pursuing solutions. Session will focus on the benefits, responsibilities, and challenges of accepting systematic archaeological collections and encourage participation in the Curation Interest Group.

Presenters

	Paula Johnson, Curation Specialist, Paragon Research Assoc, Seattle
	Steve Denton, Program Manager, Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture, Seattle
	Betty Ramsey, Director, Two Rivers Museum., Washougal
	Stephanie Kramer, Assistant State Archeologist, Office of Archaeology and Historic Preservation, Olympia

3:00 - 3:15 Break and Silent Auction Bidding

3:15 - 4:30   Concurrent Sessions

Consortiums: A Model for Collaboration
This session introduces the benefits of collaborative partnerships. With their shared collections, the Washington Art Consortium is creating a web-based database which will not only engage a wider audience, but also make these collections (and those held by the individual museums) available for research and scholarship. This session will take a critical look at the consortium model, especially what can be accomplished in a collective manner that cannot be done separately.

Presenter:

Patricia Relay, Program Coordinator, Washington Art Consortium

"The A, B, C's of Educational Kits"
This workshop will explore different approaches to the design, construction and use of educational kits for K-12 students and community members. Ms. Arness shares her experiences in developing a Japanese Internment kit for the Kitsap County Historical Society Museum, with a grant from the Washington Civil Liberties Grant Program. Steve Crowell will describe his kits and how they augment programs at the Paul H. Karshner Memorial Museum, supported by the Puyallup School District.

Presenters:

	Suzanne Arness, Principal, Halcyon Consulting, Kingston
	Steve Crowell, Director, Paul H. Karshner Memorial Museum, Puyallup

Building Community, Sustaining Culture
A designer, community member, and a museum professional explore how the design and construction of cultural facilities, like museums, must also be mechanisms for building community. As a result of the homogenization of our surroundings and the loss of cultural diversity, cultural institutions must respond vigorously to their constituent communities' increasing needs to express articulately who they are. Capital projects are an important means towards this goal. How do we collectively create surroundings that explore and reflect "who we are" in a satisfying way and what steps can be taken during the planning and execution of capital projects that help museums fulfill their missions?

Presenters:

	Mark Johnson, Architect, Jones & Jones, Seattle
	Mario Campos, Principal, Jones & Jones, Seattle

4:30 - 6:30   The Nordic Heritage Museum offers extended hours and activities:
Enjoy a no host bar with beer, wine and soft drinks, music, craft activities, Nordic handicraft demonstrations, performances, a movie and more. The Museum will be open with exhibitions and activities throughout the facility plus five temporary exhibitions: Royal Nebeker, Randy James, Libbie Masterson, Wergeland and the Jews and Jewish Refugees in Norway After WWII.

6:30-8:00   A SCANDINAVIAN EXPERIENCE ~ SMORGASBORD DINNER
Join us at the Nordic Heritage Museum for an evening of Nordic culture complete with dance and fiddle music by NHM Lilla Spelmanslag and the teaching of simple Scandinavian dances by Carla Wulfsberg and her group.

Friday, June 11~ WMA Annual Conference
8:00 - 10:00   Registration and Silent Auction Bidding

9:15 - 10:30   Concurrent Sessions

Cyber Collections: Creating Image Databases on the WWW
Providing access to your image collection on the internet not only allows easier access and cross-referencing for the public, but digitally preserves the collection and limits physical contact with original photographs and negatives. Explore how these image collections have moved from the file drawer to the internet. Session features a museum-library collaboration, a major education digital initiative, and expertise from a university curator and the developers of CONTENTdm, an internet accessible collections database software.

Presenters:

	David Lynx, Curator of Education & Technology, Yakima Valley Museum
	Martha Lance, Head of Education, Washington State Historical Society, Tacoma
	Jill Fluvog, Vice President, DiMeMa Inc.
	Nicolette Bromberg, Visual Materials Curator, Special Collections Division, Univ. of Wash.Libraries

8:00 - 10:00   Registration and Silent Auction Bidding

9:15 - 10:30   Concurrent Sessions

Street Clock Restoration: A New Approach to Building Community
Why restore a street clock? Who contributes and gets involved? Such community projects can promote connections and identify with a city agency and can reveal aspects of community trade and business history. This session also covers the nuts and bolts of the project.

Presenters:

Paul Middents, Vice President Board of Trustees, Kitsap County Historical Society Museum, Bremerton

Institutional Change and Exhibitions: A Dynamic Relationship
When change triggers a shift in the direction and role of a museum, the effect on exhibits can be substantial. Sometimes a new approach to exhibits is the impetus for a museum to undertake strategic planning. Two museum directors and a consultant share case studies and diverse perspectives on the relationship between institutional change and exhibit development.

Presenters:

	Jerry Ostermiller, Director, Columbia River Maritime Museum, Astoria, OR
	John Baule, Director, Yakima Valley Museum
	Alice Parman, Museum Consultant, Eugene, OR

10:30 - 10:45   Break and Silent Auction Bidding

10:45 - 12:00   Concurrent Sessions

Taking Care of Paintings and Murals in Your Collection
Participants will gain a broad understanding of painting and mural conservation and the importance of informed decision-making when considering cleaning or restoration of such museum collections. Learn how to determine when and if conservation is necessary, and the dangers of improper cleaning. Workshop includes hands-on examination of paintings and discussion of conservation techniques.

Presenters:

	Dan Tarnoveanu, President/Owner, Renaissance Art, Restoration and Architecture, Inc
	Karen Marshall, Director, Skagit County Historical Museum

Getting on the Web - Without Getting Tangled Up
Review the basics of website design, content, visibility, management and legalities. Learn about URL registration, hosting and software and hardware needs; tips for site architecture, design and content; search engines and ranking strategies; and copyrights and other legal issues. Presenters include staff and consultants of www.historylink.org, the online encyclopedia of local and state history in Washington, which has served 50 million files to 3 million visitors since 1998.

Presenters:

	Walt Crowley, History Ink and Executive Director of HistoryLink. org, Seattle
	Chris Goodman, HistoryLink Site Administrator, Seattle
	Alan Stein, Links Coordinator and Staff Historian, HistoryLink, Seattle
	Robert S. Gruhn, General Counsel, WMA and History Ink, Seattle

Growing Your Operating Fund
The WMA museum survey indicated that the # 1 museum need is for more operating funds. This session will explain different operating fund sources, discuss how museums combine resources to make up their operating budgets and give examples of how museums have increased some sources. Participants will receive a template they can use to analyze their own museum's fund resources. Whether your budget is small or large, this session can fertilize your operating fund and help it grow.

Presenters:

	Chris Fiala-Erlich, Museum Consultant, Gig Harbor
	Leonard Garfiled, Director, Museum of History and Industry, Seattle

12:00 -1:15   Lunch & Dessert Demonstrations

1:15 - 2:00   WMA Annual Meeting

2:00 - 2:15   Silent Auction Bidding

2:15 - 3:30   Concurrent Sessions

How to Succeed in Tourism!
George Sharp has more than 24 years experience in exceeding customers expectations, managing tourism destinations, and assisting in raising millions of dollars for public and private organizations. He will share with you the formula for success in creating, enhancing and sustaining a cultural tourism destination. You will learn at least one new idea to assist your organization or George will buy you lunch.

Presenter:

George Sharp, Tourism Development Manager, Washington State Department of Community, Trade and Economic Development, Olympia

Engaging Visitors Beyond the Gallery
This session will explore opportunities for interpretation, education and inspiration outside of the gallery, to create a holistic visitor experience of a place and its culture. Architecture, art installations, education programs and cultural landscapes are essential elements that encourage the visitor to go beyond the gallery's mediated story to direct engagement with a place. Case studies will demonstrate successful strategies for incorporating these elements into a complete interpretive program.

Presenters:

	Bruce Arnold, Architect, Jones & Jones, Seattle
	Ren Senos, Landscape Architect, Jones & Jones, Seattle
	Keith Dunbar, Project Manager, National Park Service
	Jean Harrison, Chief of the US Fish and Wildlife Division of Visitor Services

Director's Forum - www.museumsurvivalist.org
Ethics issues frequent the news headlines and extend to good dialog among museum directors, board members, staff and volunteers. This lively, moderated session will explore ethical issues specific to asset accountability, including ethical issues related to both collections and financial responsibility.

Moderators:

	Bruce Weilepp, Pacific County Museum
	Steve Anderson, Renton Historical Museum
Facilitators
	Margaret Winch, Consultant, Communication Resources, Seattle
	Bob Gruhn, Attorney, Seattle

3:30 - 4:00 Break - Silent Auction Final Bidding

To download a registration form for the 2004 WMA conference, click here.

The WMA provides three scholarships to its annual conference. The conference, New Approaches in Challenging Times, will be held at the Nordic Heritage Museum in Seattle, Washington, on June 9th – 11th, 2004. Each of the three scholarships consists of gratis conference registration including meals and events connected with registration, a $200.00 stipend, which can be used to defray travel and lodging costs, and a one-year complimentary membership in the WMA. Scholarship recipients must attend the conference to receive the stipend and the complimentary membership. One need not be a WMA member to apply for a scholarship. The 2004 scholarship program is partially underwritten by a generous monetary contribution from Artech Fine Arts Services in Seattle, and by the WMA Silent Auction. Click to download an application in Microsoft Word or Adobe Acrobat format.