VAM Voice Newsmagazine - Spring 2012

Voice

3126 W. Cary St., #447 | Richmond, Virginia 23221-3504 | 804. 358.3170 | www.vamuseums.org | Spring 2012

James Chung

William J. Hennessey

VAM Town Hall MEETING 2012: “The Brave New World of Museums” plus...

Technical Insert: Nomenclature 3.0 Member Profile: The Army Museum System

The Brave New World of Mus A wise man (the Greek philosopher Heraclitus) once said, “Nothing endures but change.” VAM is trying something new for this year’s General Session at the Annual Conference – a Town Hall Meeting in talk show format, entitled The Brave New World of Museums.

Here is what the conference program has to say: “In five years white, non-Hispanic Virginians under 18 will make up less than 50% of that segment of the population. In 1960, one in two American households was composed of a married couple with children. Today, that number is one in five.

In addition, the current economic firestorm is threatening the sustainability of museums. These are issues museums cannot ignore. This town hall will examine the changing world around us and look at new business models that can help museums cope with the new millennium.

Our moderator will engage not only our worthy panelists but also the audience in a freewheeling talk show format.”

from the conference program imply for museums? Additionally, museum leaders should consider the Virginia Department of Education’s data, below, representing the changing demographics in Virginia’s schools since the year 2000. These are trends that continue and that directly impact museums’ way of doing business.

What do these numbers mean for your museum’s audience, it’s staffing, it’s donor base? What opportunities do these changes provide for museums and how can your museum stay ahead of the curve in engaging a continuously changing community? Of all the changes happening in America, which ones provide the greatest opportunities for museums? As Conny Graft (an organizer of this VAM session) states in The Future of Museums’ Blog, “We need to examine the assumptions we make about current and future audiences, and how these assumptions are shaped by the demographics of our staff and volunteers. Do visitors in fact value what we value? Do they want to consume what we want to provide, in the way we prefer to provide it?” (http:// futureofmuseums.blogspot.com).

History Museum, that radically changed its way of doing business: “Like so many institutions at the beginning of the twenty-first century...[the museum knew that] continuing to do business the way it always had was just not going to work.

Something radically new had to be tried, something that allowed the museum to get out of the downward spiral....the key change they had to make was to change their focus; they needed to move away from their historical approach of trying to serve “the masses” with “one size fits all” experiences to a new approach that emphasized intensive, long-term, customized, quality relationships with a more limited number of key constituencies.”

Before we can begin to consider change, we need to consider our current way of thinking. Your business model is a summary of how your organization plans to serve the needs of its customers. Every business (read: your museum) must create a business model designed to address and answer four key questions:

Cover Story

1. Why do you exist?

Sponsored by Stumpf and Associates and 2. What assets do you bring to the table? moderated by Mark Howell, our Town Hall 3. How will you forge and maintain partMeeting will engage the audience along Once we have taken a look at the Census nerships and collaborations with our speakers, James Chung and Wildata and what it can teach us, we will 4. How will you support your business? liam Hennessey (see box, opposite page) in move with the panelists to a discussion this discussion on the future of museums.

Finally, museum leaders and professionals of where to go next, and what business If that phrase sounds familiar, the Ameriplanning to attend the Town Hall Meeting models can help us get there. For excan Association of Museums (AAM) has a should consider the following questions: ample, in Thriving in the Knowledge Age: Center for the Future of Museums and they New Business Models for Museums and • Does my museum have a business model? host a blog by the same name, at www.

Other Cultural Institutions, authors John • How would I define that model? futureofmuseums.org. In fact, some of the H. Falk and Beverly K. Sheppard cite an ex• What works well with my current busiideas around this session took root during ample of a museum, The Alabaster Natural last May’s AAM conference in Houston. For example, our VIRGINIA STATEWIDE novel format that aims for STUDENT DEMOGRAPHICS a high amount of audience 2000-2001 2010-2011 10-year change engagement came from a similarly formatted session White 728,102 63.7% 678,017 54.1% -50,085 -6.9% at AAM. African American 310,321 27.1% 301,578 24.1% -8,743 -2.8% As a springboard for discusHispanic 55,823 4.9% 142,707 11.4% 86,884 155.6% sion about new business Asian 46,514 4.1% 73,237 5.8% 26,723 57.5% models and museum American Indian 3,083 0.3% 4,252 0.3% 1,169 37.9% sustainability, our Town Hall Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander 0.0% 1,715 0.1% 1,715 Meeting will explore data from the 2010 U.S. Census Other (2 or more races) 0.0% 51,214 4.1% 51,214 and how museums can Total Enrollment 1,143,843 1,252,720 108,877 9.5% learn from that data. For example, what do the demoSource: Virginia Dept. of Education graphics cited in the quote

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seums: VAM Town Hall 2012 ness model?

• What does not work well with my current business model?

• Who are my current constituents?

• Are those constituents representative of the demographic trends we’re seeing in the 2010 Census?

Resources and Suggested Reading American Association of Museums’ Future

of Museums Blog: http://futureofmuseums.blogspot.com/ Leading With Passion: Change Management in the 21st-Century Museum, Sherene Suchy Museum Audience Insight (Blog) Audience research, trends, observations from Reach Advisors and friends.

Posts relating to demographics and the fu-

ture of museums can be found here: http:// reachadvisors.typepad.com/museum_ audience_insight/future-of-museums/ Thriving in the Knowledge Age: New Business Models for Museums and Other Cultural Institutions, John H. Falk and Beverly K. Sheppard

About our Town Hall Speakers James Chung James Chung is the President of Reach Advisors, a NY-based strategy and research firm focused on emerging shifts in the consumer landscape. James serves some of the nation’s largest and most innovative organizations involved in sectors such as community development, tourism and resorts, healthy living, museums and culture, and arts and entertainment. Because Reach Advisors limits the number of new clients taken on each year, James is personally involved in overseeing each of the firm’s corporate engagements.

James founded Reach Advisors in 2002, following his experience as a client searching for game-changing insight.

Despite tapping into a sizeable budget that bought the services of the top research and strategic forecasting organizations in America, he found their work to be like looking in a rear-view mirror. He simply could not find advisors who could pick apart the key drivers for future shifts, deliver truly strategic work grounded in operational reality, and set a course leading to the intended impact. Reach Advisors was created to fill that need for strategic change, driven by data rather than guesswork, with the end goal of maximizing tangible impact for the client.

Before launching Reach Advisors, James founded a targeted media and research firm that was eventually acquired by a division of a Fortune 200 company. Prior to that, he served at Leo Burnett, one of the nation’s leading advertising agencies, where he helped one of the world’s largest marketers reshape its marketing analytics and plan for how the next decade in marketing would unfold.

James shares insights regularly as a featured speaker at many of the national and international conferences for the fields that he serves.

He is also a writer, analyst and recurring source for media organizations ranging from The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, NPR, NBC Nightly News, among many others. James is also the co-author of Life Stages of the Museum Visitor, published in 2009 by AAM Press.

He earned his AB and MBA degrees from Harvard, and spends his non-work time delighting in the marvels of childhood.

William J. Hennessey William Hennessey became the Director of the Chrysler Museum in March of 1997. Before moving to Hampton Roads he was Director of the University of Michigan Museum of Art, a position he held for eight years. Earlier in his career he directed the University of Kentucky Art Museum and the Vassar College Art Gallery. Bill has also taught art history at each of those universities and has held curatorial posts at the Guggenheim Museum in New York and at the Spencer Museum of Art at the University of Kansas.

Hennessey holds a BA in art history from Wesleyan University and a Ph.D. from Columbia University. He has studied management at the Columbia University and University of Michigan schools of business and has held a prestigious Ford Foundation Museum Curatorial Fellowship at the Worcester Art Museum.

Over the past thirty-five years he has published numerous exhibition catalogues, essays, articles, and reviews and is a frequent lecturer, speaking most often on issues involving the ways that art, people, and museums interact.

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Annual Conference 2012 will be March 17th - 20th at the Newport News Marriott at City Center We can’t wait to see you there.

Program Updates

What to Bring to the Conference

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• Your laptop , ipad, ipod, tablet, or other internet-enabled device so you can take advantage of our WiFi Café in the Exhibit Hall, sponsored

by Capitol Exhibit Services. Check email, visit our new website, or fill out online session surveys.

• Bell-bottoms (you know you have a pair) for our 1976-themed opening reception in the Exhibit Hall, sponsored by Savant. VAM’s very first conference was held in Newport News in 1976, so we’re bringing back that ‘70’s groove for an evening of fun.

• An open mind. Not all sessions will relate to your current job—but if you broaden your choices to include sessions that may be relevant for your career later, you’ll be doing yourself and your employer a favor.

• Sneakers if you’re signed up for the Circuit Walk, sponsored by OnCell Systems. Now, it might seem like a small distinction between sneakers and the comfortable shoes you should be wearing for the rest of the conference, but the leaders of this year’s walk have promised to walk your socks off, so be prepared! And if you’re not signed up for this fundraiser, you can add it to your registration to support our Circuit Rider program.

(You can also support the program while staying in bed by registering as a “sleepwalker”).

• Your Twitter account so you can tweet conference happenings to #VAM2012

• 80’s cruise wear for our Monday night theme reception in the Exhibit Hall, sponsored by Rudinec & Asssociates. We will be taking a ride on the Love Boat, so watch out for Julie your friendly cruise director. Can you guess who Margo will be?

• Earplugs…in case you think the Love Boat theme song will get stuck in your head and replay over and over and over and…well, you get the idea.

• Open job postings you have at your site, for our job board. As always, our Career Center, sponsored by the Museum Studies program at Lynchburg College, will be open throughout the conference.

• Your camera, to help VAM record the goings-on of this year’s conference.

We don’t have any surviving photos from our first conference in 1976, so we want to make sure that this one is fully documented. Feel free to email fun photos to Heather after the conference at hwidener@vamuseums.org, or post them to our Facebook page.

• Questions and ideas about the future of museums for our Town Hall meeting, The Brave New World of Museums. For details, see our lead article.

• A smartphone with a barcode scanner app to participate in our first ever QR Code Scavenger Hunt. Watch for the first clue at the registration desk.

Those who finish the scavenger hunt will be entered to win a prize from next year’s conference hotel!

Photos, from top: James A. Fields House, Marriott City Center, Virginia War Museum, Peninsula Fine Arts Center, The Mariners’ Museum.

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Nomenclature 3.0

by Marie Demeroukas

Marie Demeroukas is the photo archivist and research librarian at the Shiloh Museum of Ozark History in Springdale, Arkansas. She has been involved with the third revision of Nomenclature since 2000 and currently serves on the Nomenclature Committee, a group dedicated to promoting and improving the lexicon. Marie has worked on several collections management-related issues over the years, including publications concerning museum disaster preparedness and condition reporting. She is a long-time member of the Southeastern Registrars Association.

Introducing Nomenclature 3.0 Nomenclature 3.0 for Museum Cataloging is a structured and controlled list of 13,700+ object terms organized in a hierarchical classification system. It provides a way to index and catalog collections of human-made artifacts based on their function. A museum standard since 1978, the third edition of Robert G. Chenhall’s lexicon was published in 2010 by AltaMira Press for the American Association for State and Local History.

For over 30 years Nomenclature has offered a practical, flexible framework to make recording, retrieving, and sharing collection data easier and more consistent. Developed by people responsible for creating and managing collections records, it has been used by over 1,000 museums and is incorporated into the lexicons of many vendor-supported museum collections management systems. Nomenclature serves museums by offering a system to consistently name artifacts and facilitate the sharing of information with staff and researchers, other institutions, and the public.

How Does Nomenclature Work?

Nomenclature allows catalogers to assign names to the artifacts in their collection consistently and accurately.

Much like plants are grouped and categorized by family, genus, & species, Nomenclature groups items in hierarchical levels based on artifact function.

Thus, artifacts originally created to be used as toys or to carry on the activities of games, sports, gambling, or public entertainment are grouped in one category (Category 9: Recreational Artifacts) while those items originally cre-

ated as expressions of human thought alphabetical index, making it easy for (e.g., art, documents, religious objects) the cataloger to find terms. are grouped in another (Category 8: Objects are cataloged first by category, Communication Artifacts). then by classification and sub-classiThe lexicon has ten categories covering fication, and finally by object term, as all aspects of human-made artifacts: seen in the examples below: Built Environment Artifacts, Furnishings, • Tools & Equipment for Materials |AgPersonal Artifacts, Tools & Equipment ricultural T&E| Cultivation Equipment (T&E) for Materials, T&E for Science |Mattock &Technology, T&E for Communication, Distribution & Transportation Artifacts, • Personal Artifacts|Clothing|Clothing Communication Artifacts, Recreational Accessories|Dickey Artifacts, and Unclassifiable Artifacts.

• Tools & Equipment for Science & These categories are divided into Technology|Mechanical T&E| Mechaniclassifications and sub-classifications. cal Devices|Clamp For instance, Furnishings (Category 2) • Communication Artifacts|Ceremonial includes such classifications as Bedding, Artifacts|Religious Objects|Altar Floor Coverings, Furniture, and Household Accessories. Within Household How Does Nomenclature 3.0 Accessories are sub-classifications such Differ from Previous Editions? as Containers for Smoking & Tobacco, Decorative Furnishings, Furniture Cover- New & Updated Terms: The latest reviings, and Storage & Display Accessories. sion includes 5,000+ new object terms, contributed by over 75 institutions Classifications and sub-classification across Canada and the United States. are further divided into object terms.

Other authoritative lexicons were conFor instance, Decorative Furnishings sulted when developing the list, includincludes such things as “Knickknack,” ing the Getty Vocabulary Program’s Art “Doll, Decorative,”“Centerpiece,” and & Architecture Thesaurus. Not only have “Armor, Display.” past omissions been remedied (e.g., television, ski pole), but many terms Those unfamiliar with Nomenclature have been added or updated to reflect may find the inverted word order changing technology in the 20 years of the terms puzzling (e.g., “Armor, Display”), but there is a practical reason since the second edition was published for its usage. By having nouns precede (e.g., mouse pad, laptop computer). adjectives, it forces like objects to appear together alphabetically. This was especially important when the lexicon was first developed in the mid 1970s, when manual (rather than computerized) cataloging systems were the norm. Although computers have made this practice less relevant, it still serves a valuable purpose in Nomenclature’s

Spring 2012

In the new edition, a number of terms were moved from one category or classification to another, either to correct errors or to provide for a better fit.

In a few cases, entire classifications of terms were moved. For example, terms previously grouped under Plumbing Fixture (Category 2: Furnishings) are now organized in Building Compo-

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Technical Insert, continued...

nents (Category 1: Built Environment Artifacts). It just made sense to move essential building elements like toilets, bathtubs, and water heaters out of furnishings (where bedsteads and chairs are grouped) and place them alongside other infrequently replaced building components such as doors and skylights.

Definitions: Definitions for categories, classifications, and sub-classifications have been expanded and refined. Rather than being buried in an introductory chapter, they are now placed immediately before their list of associated terms.

Additional Hierarchical Levels: In the second edition there were only three levels of organization. Now, many terms can be further differentiated. For instance, where before the term “Cap” was used for several types of similarly structured head gear, now it can be defined by primary, secondary, and tertiary object terms, as seen in the examples below: • Cap|Cap, Sport| Cap, Jockey • Cap|Cap, Sport|Cap, Baseball • Cap|Cap, Military| Kepi • Cap|Skullcap|Beanie

Not only have object terms been expanded, but many new sub-classifications based on function have been added. For instance, Furniture has been sub-divided into such groupings as Storage & Display Furniture (bookshelves, cabinets, chests), Support Furniture (tables, stands), and Seating Furniture (benches, chairs, sofas).

Grouping of Similar Terms: Before, terms like “Chair, Potty” and “Highchair” were listed alphabetically in the lexicon, separate from one another.

Nomenclature 3.0 has positioned them as tertiary terms grouped under the new secondary term “Chair, Child’s,” which is organized under the primary object term “Chair,” along with garden chairs, armchairs, rocking chairs, etc.

Now, when a cataloger searches for an appropriate term, he or she will find all of the chairs grouped together,

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making it easier to determine the best musical instrument cases (e.g.,“Case, term quickly and accurately.

Clarinet,”“Case, Trumpet,”“Case, Flute”), the generic primary object term This hierarchical arrangement allows “Case, Musical Instrument” is provided. for artifact searches to be as broad Institutions with an extensive musical or refined as necessary. Working on instrument collection can modify the a sports exhibit? Choose the claslexicon by adding further specialized sification Sports Equipment. Putting instrument cases as secondary terms together an exhibition on baseball? under the generic primary term.

Choose the primary object term “Gear, Baseball” or look for specific As long as new terms are added withsecondary terms such as “Softball” or in the Nomenclature 3.0 framework, “Mask, Catcher’s.” the reasons for adding the terms are documented, and the additions are Unique Terms: For this edition, spemade after careful consideration, the cial effort was made to ensure that lexicon will function properly. When every term was unique, thus avoiding adding terms, it’s best to refer to the the confusion of having the same definitions given for the classificaterm listed under multiple classifications and sub-classifications and to tions. In the second edition “Mortar” review existing object terms carefully was listed under food processing, in to determine if any of them qualify chemical and medical manufacturas a broader term for the term to be ing, and under artillery armament. added by the institution.

In Nomenclature 3.0 generic terms like “Mortar” have been modified to How Can You Find out More better reflect their classifications (e.g., About Nomenclature 3.0?

“Mortar, Grain,”“Mortar, PharmaceutiAs a way to introduce Nomenclature cal,”“Mortar, Artillery”).

3.0 to the museum public, an online Non-preferred terms continue to be community has been established at listed in the alphabetical index, along http://aaslhcommunity.org/nomenwith the preferred term. So instead clature/. There visitors can find a tuof using “socket, wall” and “machine, torial explaining the changes found copier,” the cataloger is directed to in the third edition and keep up with use “Outlet, Electrical” and “Photocopi- the news on such issues as the lexier.” This consistency in naming is one con’s adoption by software vendors, of Nomenclature’s greatest strengths. upcoming presentations, etc. Users can also query experts about the How Can a Museum Adapt proper name for an object, propose Nomenclature 3.0 to Suit Their new terms, and find recent updates Own Needs? to the lexicon. Several of the people involved in the online community While museums with specialized collections will appreciate the level of participated in the recent revision. specificity they can achieve when cata- Although many improvements have loging, not all institutions will require been made to meet the needs of this level of naming. As Nomenclature its users and to reflect changing points out, museums are encouraged museum standards, Nomenclature to determine how far they want to will always be a work in progress. It go. Catalogers with a collection of is hoped that this new edition helps carpenter’s planes may decide to use museums improve their data manonly the primary object term “Plane” or agement and provides a firm foundathey may differentiate further between tion upon which future editions will “Plane, Leveling” and “Plane, Grooving.” be based.

The lexicon does not include all possible names for all possible museum artifacts. Rather than clutter Nomenclature 3.0 with multiple terms for

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Spring 2012

The Creative Company Dorfman Museum Figures Ecorite Imaging HealyKohler Design Hollinger Metal Edge Markel Insurance OnCell Systems Peninsula Museums Forum Studio AMMONS VAM Council

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The Army Museum

Member Profile

by Francoise B. Bonnell

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Many people are not familiar with the Army Museum System, an important component of the Army historical program overseen by the U.S. Army Center of Military History (CMH) at Fort McNair, Washington, D.C. The Army Museums are responsible for collecting and preserving artifacts and archival documents for technological research, training military Soldiers and providing outreach to the public. There are over 55 museums in the Active Army, and several more in the United States Army Reserve and Army National Guard. They are located around the world and are visited by hundreds of thousands of visitors every year. They range in size: some with small collections of a few hundred items, to others with larger collections up to 45,000 artifacts. Most of the museums have either an archive or a document storage facility. Some museums have exhibit specialists with fabrication capabilities and others are able to do their own conservation and preservation of objects.

The Army museum collections are varied and many have items that were gathered by Soldiers during wartime.

These trophies, relics and souvenirs compiled over numerous years and military campaigns eventually became museums. The earliest example is the West Point Museum in New York, the home of the United States Military Academy, which was established in 1854.

The museum’s very large and somewhat eclectic collection is an important part of

the institution’s curriculum.

Maryland where they were tested.

All Army museums are charged with the preservation of their objects in order to provide heritage training for Soldiers.

Two of these museums in Virginia, the Transportation Museum at Fort Eustis and the Quartermaster Museum at Fort Lee, host thousands of visits from Soldiers. Conducting training in their professional specialties at their respective schools, Transportation and Quartermaster Soldiers visit their respective branch museums to learn of their rich heritage. The Army Women’s Museum, also at Fort Lee, hosts thousands as well, and provides educational resources for Soldiers in all branches of the Army.

Often times one Army museum can assist another by transferring excess equipment. The Ordnance Museum recently provided the U.S. Army Women’s

Artifacts, specifically equipment and other types of objects, are sometimes used for research purposes. For example, one of the Vietnam era gun-trucks in the Transportation Museum proved valuable in 2004 as the Army looked for ways to better protect its vehicles in Operation Iraqi Freedom from improvised explosive devices (IEDs).

Over the years, enemies’ equipment has been collected by the U.S. Army for the purpose of research and technology.

Captured pieces are used to improve American equipment to better protect Soldiers. Many World War II objects, for instance, ended up in the U.S. Army Ordnance Museum collection, as did this German Krupp K5 rail mounted gun— nicknamed Anzio Annie. The Germans called the guns Robert and Leopold, and after they were discovered in 1944 in a town outside Rome, they were shipped to Aberdeen Proving Ground in

Source: U.S. Army Ordnance Museum

Source: U.S. Army Women’s Museum Museum with a 40mm Bofors Gun. This Bofors gun, a 40mm artillery piece, helps recount the story of the women who served in a highly top-secret experiment that put women in the anti-aircraft batteries tasked to defend the nation’s capitol in World War II. This outdoor exhibit was created to draw attention to the museum and highlight the unexpected stories visitors will find inside.

The Army Museums work diligently to ensure continued collection of artifacts from more recent conflicts. The director for the 1st Cavalry Division Museum at Fort Hood, TX went overseas to Iraq in 2004 to collect artifacts that were associated with the Division’s mission during Operation Iraqi Freedom. Many times objects are catalogued and stories are collected and then interpreted in the museum as the exhibit pictured on the opposite page represents.

m System piece is a prized part of the Quartermaster Museum.

All of the museums in the Army Museum System are unique and have varying collections that reflect the diversity of their story lines. Their missions are the same, and their purposes clear; to conserve and preserve the Army’s material culture. How they collect artifacts and archival documents is as varied as their story lines.

Source: 1st Cavalry Division Museum

Direct donations from Soldiers themselves or their family members often comprise Army museums’ most interesting artifacts. In 2011, Specialist Aleshia Johnson-Williams donated to the Army Women’s Museum her uniform and equipment worn the year before while providing earthquake relief in Port Au Prince, Haiti. Specialist Johnson-Williams supervised the tracking of over 2,000 containers that carried critical aid for the U.S. Agency for International Development and the World Food Program.

Accompanying these artifacts were extensive archival materials pertaining to the mission and her unit’s operations.

For more information on the Army Museum System and its facilities visit the Center of Military History website at: www.history.army.mil. Another excellent reference is The Guide to U.S. Army Museums, CMH Pub 70-51, by R. Cody Phillips, published by Center of Military History, 2005.

Army museums can receive items for a variety of reasons. The Quartermaster Museum received the Medal of Honor that was presented posthumously to George Watson in 1997. Given in recognition of his valor and courageousness in rescuing men from the ship he was sailing on in the Pacific Theater in March 1943, Watson had no known next of kin to whom the Medal could be presented.

Due to the rarity of Medals of Honor, this

Source: U.S. Army Quartermaster’s Museum

Source: U.S. Army Women’s Museum

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Museum News in Your VAM News

VAM will be electing new council members during our business meeting at the 2012 Annual Conference. The following council positions will be filled from our nominees: President Vice-President: Planning Vice-President: Programs Treasurer Director, Historic Houses

The Virginia Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) announced that Alison Byrne is the new director of exhibitions and education.

Byrne, previously the curator of education at MOCA, has been with the museum since 2002.

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MUSENET

The Cold War Museum announced that Jason Y. Hall, Ph.D., C.A.E., has agreed to serve as Executive Director. Dr. Hall brings a rich background in museum and nonprofit Coming later this month: Disaster Planning Lockup in Washington, D.C. leadership and administration. As owner and principal of Public Trust Strategies of - Monday, March 26th.

McLean, VA, Hall advises nonprofit executives and boards on organizational developComing in April: ment, branding, strategic planning and ERT Workshop April 12th in Lynchburg. more. In addition, Dr. Hall is a part-time proWearing Many Hats and Keeping Your Head - fessor at George Mason University in Fairfax, VA, teaching Masters courses in public Mini Conference April 18th in Norfolk. administration, lobbying, the media, ethics, Disaster Planning Lockup in Danville - April and association management. Previously, Dr. Hall was Director of Government and Media 23rd.

Relations for the American Association of Museums in Washington, DC, held variHails and Farewells ous positions at the National Endowment The Textile Museum announced that W. for the Humanities, and served as a senior Richard West, Jr. has been appointed interim legislative aide to Senator John Heinz. “Dr. director, effective February 27. West was Hall’s academic and professional credentials previously the founding director and is make him the perfect candidate to serve as director emeritus of the Smithsonian InstiThe Cold War Museum’s executive director. tution’s National Museum of the American The Board of Directors is eager to work with Indian. “The Textile Museum is delighted Dr. Hall to build on the museum’s existing to have someone of Rick West’s stature asstrong foundation and produce a first-class sociated with the museum at this signifieducational institution,” said Chairman cant moment in our history,” says Bruce P. and Co-Founder of The Cold War Museum, Baganz, President of The Textile Museum John Welch. The Cold War Museum is in the Board of Trustees. “Rick’s enthusiasm for process of opening a small facility at Vint joining The Textile Museum is a tribute to Hill, VA, which currently keeps weekend the strength of our present position and our hours only (Sat and Sun Noon to 4) or by promising future as the museum affiliates appointment. with the George Washington University.

The National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund (NLEOMF) today announced the hiring of Joe Urschel to be Executive Director of their National Law Enforcement Museum, which is scheduled to open in 2014 in Washington, D.C.’s historic Judiciary Square. Mr. Urschel, the former longtime Executive Director of the Newseum, officially assumed the office on March 5 and will oversee the development, construction, opening and operation of the Museum. Mr. Urschel was selected after a five-month national search to become the first Executive Director of the National Law Enforcement Museum.

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ordinator. Todd is a resident of Isle of Wight County and brings to Bacon’s Castle over 27 years of cumulative historic preservation experience. He has worked and volunteered with a diverse range of museums and historic sites including Preservation Virginia’s Lynnhaven House and Smith’s Fort Plantation, the National Park Service at Petersburg National Battlefield, Harper’s Ferry, and Gettysburg, Fort Ticonderoga, Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, Virginia War Museum, Endview Plantation, Portsmouth Naval Shipyard Museum, Bel Air Mansion, and Henricus Historical Park.

The James Monroe Museum and Memorial Library announced the hiring of Mr. Jarod Kearney as curator, following a national search that yielded more than 100 applicants. Jarod was curator of the Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library and Museum from 2007 to 2011. He also has held curatorial and administrative posts with the Rye Historical Society and Hallockville Museum Farm and Folklife Center, both in New York, and the Greensboro Historical Museum in North Carolina.

Preservation Virginia recently appointed Todd Ballance as Bacon’s Castle new Site Co-

Sherri Dillow became the general manager of the Wolf Creek Indian Village & Museum recently. The Bland County resident previously worked for Bland County Social Services for four years before coming aboard the Indian Village team.“I’m always excited about a challenge,” Dillow said.“I believe in this county and I feel we have something special to offer. I see huge potential for the Indian Village and am excited to be a part of it.”

The Virginia War Memorial Educational Foundation welcomes two new Directors to its board: Chief Kenneth Adams - King William County; Chief of the Upper Mattopani Tribe of Virginia Mr. G. William Beale - Richmond; CEO of Union First Market Bank; Alumnus of the Citadel The Virginia Historical Society welcomes a new staff member: Jessica DeRuosi, Assistant Retail Officer. Jessica previously worked at the Valentine Richmond History Center and the Museum of the Confederacy. She graduated from William and Mary with a B.A. in anthropology and a minor in history. Jessica focused her studies on early Virginia history, and she is especially fond of architectural history. This comes in handy when she is restoring her nearly 100-year old house in the Museum District. Jessica is eager to help our visitors as new Assistant Retail Officer.

Mark Howell recently joined the staff at the Library of Virginia as the Program and Education Coordinator. He is responsible for developing and implementing the Library’s educational and outreach initiatives as well as public programs and special events.

Backyard, and Beyond... man of the board of directors. “The Montpelier Foundation and its board are greatly in Mike’s debt for his vision, leadership, and energy that have driven the success of James Madison’s Montpelier during his tenure as president.”

Earl Alvin Gerhardt Jr., 81, of Johnson City TN, died at his home on Sunday, February 5, 2012, after a long battle with prostate cancer. While living in Lynchburg, Mr. Gerhardt served as volunteer director of the Lynchburg Historical Museum, then in the basement of the court- house building but now encompassing the entire courthouse. He was president of the Lynchburg Historical Society in 1970-71 and a founding member of the Virginia History Federation, now the Virginia Association of Museums, serving as its president in 1972-73.

Oatlands Historic House and Gardens welcomes Lori H. Kimball to the staff as Director of Programming and Education. Ms. Kimball said, “Oatlands has been at the forefront of historic preservation and education in Loudoun for five The Henricus Foundation with Chesterfield decades. I will be proud to develop a variety of and Henrico Counties are pleased to announce programs that increase Oatlands’ outreach in that Charles Lewis Grant has been named the local community and across the region and Executive Director of Henricus Historical Park, the nation.” after a nationwide search. Grant served as acting executive director since July 2010 and During the first week of January, Dr. Robert throughout the site’s 400th commemoration. Krause joined the Prince William County He previously served as operations manager Historic Preservation Division team as the Diviof the living history museum for two years. “It sion’s new Preservationist. A native of Rochelle, is an honor to represent the second successVirginia, Rob comes to Prince William County ful English settlement in North America and having served as Historic Site Administrator educate visitors about the significance of the with the Florida Division of Historical Resources Citie of Henricus,” said Grant. “I’m proud of the in Tallahassee. Dr. Krause earned his Ph.D in diverse talent, rich history and beautiful natural United States and southern History from the surroundings at Henricus Historical Park and University of Mississippi in 2010. Krause served the Dutch Gap Conservation Area.” During his as Curator of History at the Ole Miss Museum tenure, Grant directed and managed the plan- and Rowan Oak (the William Faulkner Home) ning, operation and coordination of programs, while completing his dissertation. From 2006staff and facilities.

2008, Krause served as Research Historian for James Madison’s Montpelier in Orange, Virginia.

Kelly Dierberger has left her position as public In addition to expertise in Public History, Dr. relations manager for the Norfolk Botanical Krause brings to the Division over ten years of Garden. Kelly’s last day at the Garden was Feb- experience in historic administration in federal, ruary 17th. We wish her all the best! state, and University settings.

The Board of Directors of the Visual Arts Center of Richmond has named Ava Spece the nonprofit’s new President and CEO. Anne Grier, Chair of the Board, said, “We are extremely fortunate to find a person of Ava’s remarkable experience, vision and energy to lead the Visual Arts Center as we approach our 50th anniversary.” Ms. Spece relocated from Elkridge, Md., where she held the position of Executive Director of the (Washington) D.C. Youth Orchestra Program (DCYOP) for seven years. Welcome, Ava!

Amanda Outcalt has left the Portsmouth Museums for a new position as Administrative Coordinator at the Virginia Museum of Contemporary Art in Virginia Beach. Best of luck to Amanda in her new position!

Oatlands Historic House and Gardens recently parted with Curator and Director of Education The Board of Directors of Oatlands Historic House Kirsten Edwards. Kirsten, who joined the staff at and Gardens announced the election of Michael J. Oatlands in 2008, made remarkable strides in O’Connor of Leesburg, VA as its new Chairman. cataloguing and properly archiving Oatlands’ collection. Thanks to her hard work, Oatlands The Montpelier Foundation President and now has a database containing informaChief Executive Officer Michael C. Quinn antion about most collections items. She also nounced his resignation to become president expanded our Girl and Boy Scout programs, and chief executive officer of the American continued and enhanced our school programs, Revolution Center in Philadelphia. “Mike has and offered new and innovative programming, made a transformative contribution to Montsuch as the popular paranormal tours. We wish pelier during his 12 years at the Foundation, her all the best! and he will be missed,” said Gregory May, chair-

Spring 2012

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Send museum and professional news to Heather Widener at hwidener@vamuseums.org for inclusion in our monthly Forum enewsletter and in this MUSENET section of the quarterly newsmagazine.

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Director’s Corner representatives from every Virginia congressional district!

Dear Members, In January, we invited you to our second annual Virginia Museum Advocacy Day. We are happy to report that it was a great success! Museum staff and supporters gathered at the General Assembly building on Jan. 25th. The day’s activities featured an open-house style continental breakfast for legislators where we were able to talk to 27 Delegates and Senators about the importance of museums to the Commonwealth’s education and economic development. An additional 20 other legislative offices were represented by staff - a very successful turnout.

Following the breakfast the museum contingent went over to the Capitol to be recognized in the House by Del. David Bulova (D-Fairfax) (watch the video on VAM’s YouTube Channel at http://youtu. be/D8xEaHvCFQQ) and Sen. Richard Saslaw (D-Springfield). Working in teams, we followed up with visits to 16 offices in the afternoon.

VAM then took museum advocacy to the U.S. Capitol, helping to organize and take part in The American Association of Museum’s (AAM) Museums Advocacy Day 2012 on February 27th and 28th.

During those days, the Virginia delegation of 10 participated in legislative briefings, training sessions and Congressional receptions before paying calls on the Virginia Congressional delegation.

We visited Senators Warner and Webb together, then split into teams to visit our

Our Governing Council President, Joe Gutierrez VP, Planning & Resources, Sean Fearns VP, Programming, Tracy Gillespie Secretary, Barbara Batson Treasurer, Al Schweizer Past President, John Verrill Ex-Officio Member, Robert C. Vaughan Directors Gretchen Bulova Anna Holloway Donald Buma Melanie L. Mathewes Norman Burns Robin Nicolson April Cheek-Messier Cheryl Robinson Diane Dunkley Barbara Rothermel Lin Ezell Gary Sandling Patrick Farris Charlotte Whitted Page Hayhurst

Remember, every day can be an advocacy day. Take advantage of advocacy resources from VAM at www.vamuseums.org and AAM’s advocacy resources at www.speakupformuseums.org. Get to know your legislators. Invite them to your museum. Leave information about your programs and O u r St a f f Director, Margo Carlock services at their of- Executive Deputy Director, Jennifer Thomas fices, and introduce Communications Dir., Heather Widener Accountant, Su Thongpan yourself to their staff. If you are not Project Manager, VCI, Christina Newton sure where to begin, O u r Vo i ce consider joining in a VAM Voice is a member benefit pubgroup advocacy ef- lished quarterly for museum professionals and volunteers. The editor fort such as one encourages readers to submit article spearheaded by VAM proposals. Contact the Communicaor AAM. Remember, tions Director for more information. although government budgets are tight, it is important to be “at the table” to make sure that when times get better museums are remembered!

O u r Co nt a c ts Phone: 804. 358.3170 Fax: 804. 358.3174 www.vamuseums.org membership@vamuseums.org mcarlock@vamuseums.org jthomas@vamuseums.org timetravelers@vamuseums.org hwidener@vamuseums.org O u r News D eadlines Spring: February 1st Summer: May 1st Fall: August 1st Winter: November 1st Our Mission The Virginia Association of Museums is a non-profit, professional membership organization for museums and individuals associated with museums, primarily in Virginia and Washington, DC, serving all museum disciplines.

The Association provides education, information, resource and support services, facilitates communication among the institutions and individuals of its membership, fosters inclusiveness and serves as an advocate to governmental and other decision-making authorities on issues relating to museums.

Exhibitors!

Sincerely,

Margo Margo Carlock Executive Director Virginia Association of Museums

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hwidener@vamuseums.org

Spring 2012

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