Washington Museum Association 2006 Annual Conference Strong Museums, Strong Communities Hosted by the Museum of Flight Sponsored by Washington State Historical Society

Strong Museums - Strong Communities
WMA Annual Conference
June 22-23, 2006
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PROGRAM
Friday, June 23, 2006

Registration – 8:00AM – 5:00PM  Skyline Room

Breakout Sessions: Friday, June 23, 9:00 – 10:15AM

Building Strong Collections to Interpret Diverse Communities
Skyline Room

Presenters: Marsha Rooney, Curator of History, Northwest Museum of Arts & Culture (MAC); Rose Krause, Curator of Special Collections, MAC

Eastern Washington population is low in diversity, but there’s still a rich heritage that defies the stereotype. Regional museums must counter this image by actively collecting and sharing diversity stories and collections. Exhibits can be a great stimulus for both collecting and building
relationships with diverse community groups.  This session highlights MAC efforts to represent a century of local African American and Japanese culture. Discussion includes the challenge of maintaining these relationships while expanding the program to include Hispanic culture and others.

It’s All About Access: The American Indian Collection at the MAC
North View Lounge

Presenters: Kris Major, Curator of Education, MAC; Tisa Matheson, Curator of American Indian Collection, MAC; Barry Moses and Heidi Abrahamson, Educators, MAC

As awareness of the MAC American Indian Collection rises, so do demands for public access to this collection. Two MAC initiatives are working to meet in-house and public demands, as well as tribal requests that objects and images be accompanied by accurate interpretation. An IMLS grant supports correct documentation digital imaging, and computerizing of a large portion of this collection, in support of requests for study, loan, publication, and in-house exhibition. An educational Traveling Trunk Program, accompanied by American Indian MAC staff, helps meet educators’ pleas for accurate materials, traveling trunks, and speaker resources for classroom use.

New Strategies for Successful Fund Raising 
South View Lounge

Presenters: George Shipe, CSA; Mark Albertson, Attorney-at-Law; Pamela Kruse-Buckingham, museum consultant

Hear from a museum consultant, a certified senior financial advisor, and an attorney as they present new concepts for fund raising and increasing monetary donations and major gift planning, complete with an overview of the tax ramifications for both the Museum and the donor. This session provides fresh insight into building relationships, cultivating a strong donor base, and looking at new ways to raise money that are beneficial to both the institution and the donor.

Oral History: Archiving Interviews for Access
South View Lounge

Presenter: Dave Dreher Teen Liaison Coordinator, The Museum of Flight
           
What do you do with fascinating interviews after you collect them? Do they sit and gather dust because no one knows about them and they are hard to access? This session illustrates how The Museum of Flight’s Museum Apprentice Program is improving the accessibility and usability of its oral history interviews.

Hidden Community Histories: Teaching Controversial Issues with Objects
North View Lounge

Presenters: Bud McBride & Richard Schneider, Co-Directors, Crow Valley School Museum, Orcas Island; Maria Pascualy, Curator of Exhibits, Washington State History Museum

What do an Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition pillow, a Spokane Pacific Coast Biscuit Company tin, and a 1910 Sears catalog have in common? Each bears the decoration of  “whirling logs” or swastikas. Before Hitler’s rise, this design was kin to four leaf clovers and lucky horseshoes, and postcards often featured all three. Schneider and McBride will discuss their experiences in creating a collection of pre-WWII artifacts decorated with “whirling log” inconography. Pascualy will explore how museum curators and schoolteachers can use artifacts to encourage visitor and student thinking about the cultural meaning of objects.

Julia Butler Hansen’s Home as a Community Leadership Development Tool
Lockwood Board Room

Presenter: Karen Bertroch, Wahkiakum Community Foundation

Using Hansen family history as a focus, the session will demonstrate methods of incorporating a historical home into a community vision of strong leadership, volunteerism, and sense of place.
Also featured is the story of how the Julia Butler Hansen Heritage Center developed and how it has made a difference economically and culturally to the area

Museum Education & the New State Standards: How Will We Connect?
North View Lounge

Presenters: Patricia Filer, 4Culture Heritage Education Consultant; Meghan Arnette, Director of Education and Programs, Museum of History and Industry; Amanda McGarty, Education Consultant, Museum of History and Industry; Bev Clevenger, Director of Education, The Museum of Flight; Tara McCauley, Curator of Education, White River Valley Museum; Carol Buswell, Education Specialist, National Archives Records and Administration.

Washington State is implementing new classroom-based-assessments for arts and social studies that will become mandatory in a few years. At the same time, educators are focused on passing WASL tests, which exclude arts and social studies. Explore the basics of the new CBAs; the challenges and opportunities they present for the heritage community; and the model programs being developed to bridge existing museum  resources with the CBAs.  Heritage education experts from various local museums describe current steps to adapt on- and off-site education programs to complement the CBAs and to become more effective and usable for area schoolteachers and students.

Developing, Marketing, & Implementing Museum Public Programs
Lockwood Board Room

Presenters: Harold Rubin, Public Programs Coordinator & Eden Hopkins, Public Relations & Promotions Manager, The Museum of Flight

The Museum of Flight case study includes identifying suitable topics, finding appropriate presenters, marketing the program to the public, and implementing a museum-wide process to facilitate the programs. Learn the thought process to justify, plan and project these Public Programs; the working process to market them; and the production mechanics.

The History Channel Effect: What Can History Museums Learn About Community & Audience-Building from Modern Media?
South View Lounge

Presenters: Feliks Banel, Museum of History and Industry; Harriet Baskas, Radio Documentary Producer & Freelance NPR Correspondent; Jim Dever, KING TV Correspondent, EVENING  Magazine; Tom Ikeda, Executive Director, Densho Project; Stephen Sadis, Documentary Filmmaker

The rise in modern media has put history at everyone’s fingertips—via cable TV, glossy magazines, public radio, and of course, the Internet. How can history museums use techniques employed by media producers to make their exhibits and museum programs more successful? How do we avoid the “lowest common denominator” effect often seen in the media? Panelists will include Seattle-area documentary filmmakers, radio producers, and web professionals who are willing to share their secrets for making historic material come to life via modern media.

Putting Our Collections to Work
North View Lounge

Presenters: Dick Wagner, Founding Director; Heron Scott, Boatwright; and Jake Beattie, Waterfront Program Director, The Center for Wooden Boats

How have the hands-on programs at The Center for Wooden Boats made the organization in integral part of the community fabric? Boat restoration engages volunteers, interns, and apprentices. A wide number of programs afloat provide for every age and ability. And the environment of learning-by-doing has had a positive effect on the community

Nearby History: Ordinary People Research History from Scratch
South View Lounge

Presenters: Lorraine McConaghy, Museum of History and Industry; Darby Langdon & Anne McDuffie, Nearby History program participants

Since 1998, the Museum of History and Industry has provided a Nearby History program for people interested in local history research for their own use and to successfully develop interpretive products: exhibits, short stories, articles, web features, and curricula. Learn about the Nearby History format: an introductory series to organize, develop research strategy, and learn of Internet and local resources; day-long training sessions to teach basic oral history skills; and a writing seminar serves those writing fiction and non-fiction. Explore the reasons for this adult program’s success and discuss ways to meet your own community’s needs for these methods, skills, and resources.

Creating Amazing Exhibits: The Museum of Flight’s Personal Courage Wing
Skyline Room

Presenters: Cory Graff, Exhibits Research and Development Manager, & Chris Mailander, Exhibits Director, The Museum of Flight

Follow the process of developing, researching, and installing two dynamic exhibits about fighter airplanes from both WWI and WWII.  Explore the challenges that the Museum staff faced with difficult subjects and short timelines, and the ultimate installation of 28 aircraft accompanied by rich, informative, and interactive exhibit environments.