Voice
200 S. Third St. | Richmond, Virginia 23219 | 804.788.5820 | www.vamuseums.org | Summer 2011
Eyes on Art session for people with Alzheimer’s and their caregivers at the University of Virginia Art Museum.
Meeting Special Needs in Our Communities Through Programming
i Making the Most of the Picturing America: Virginia Style Outreach Kit for Senior Audiences Member Profile: The Mariners’ Museum & Distance Learning
Meeting Special Needs in Our C compiled by Heather Widener, with an interview with Sharon Celsor-Hughes Sharon Celsor-Hughes, docent coordinator for UVaM, is responsible for training student and community docents in the art of giving inquiry based tours. Celsor-Hughes oversees Eyes on Art, a program developed to encourage quality of life experiences for people in early to mid-stages of Alzheimer’s disease, and their caretakers. Celsor-Hughes holds an M.A. in Folk Studies and finds that the historical knowledge gained from recording oral histories helps her relate to many of the Eyes on Art participants. In addition, Celsor-Hughes supervises a pilot program that brings students from the Virginia Institute of Autism to the Museum for highly individualized tours. Celsor-Hughes completed VAM’s Museum Management certification in December 2007.
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Cover Story
he theme of our 2011 Annual Conference was “Anchoring Our Communities,” and the notion of “place” and relevance is a recurring theme for museums throughout Virginia, D.C., and beyond. This is especially true during times of economic challenge, when museums – indeed all organizations – are taking a magnifying glass to their operations, mission, and goals to ensure they are in line with established best practices and future trends. The self-examination doesn’t end there, though, because to remain relevant, we all must meet needs and provide valuable services within our communities. There are myriad ways to do this. Many museums are looking at their audience base, and engaging audiences that are traditionally underserved by cultural institutions.
One such type of audience is made up of patrons with special needs. There are so many populations with special needs; certainly that label is applied to a vast array of very diverse audiences. From patrons with physical disabilities such as those who are blind, deaf, or wheelchair-bound to those suffering from autism, epilepsy, downs syndrome, or Alzheimer’s disease, the special needs in our communities are plenty. How does a museum play a role – as a community institution – and offer something of value to these audiences and their families and caregivers? Certainly, in the years since the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was first passed in 1990, we’ve made great strides in our communities to ensure accessibility and opportunity for people with disabilities. These days, however, museums are taking
action above and beyond the Federal guidelines and meeting needs of special audiences through programming tailored to meet those needs. Examples of forward-thinking programs abound - whether it’s a children’s museum partnering with a social service agency to deliver therapeutic programs at the museum (check out the award-winning program at Port Discovery in Baltimore at www. portdiscovery.org/educators/specialneeds), or a small county museum partnering with a nursing home to hold outreach programs (see sidebar on the Isle of Wight County Museum’s experiences using the VAM Picturing America: Virginia Style outreach kit for senior audiences, page 3). In Virginia and beyond, museums are going above and beyond traditional programming to serve those who, many times, are left behind. One innovative program designed for people with Alzheimer’s is called “Eyes on Art.” The program was piloted in September 2010 at the University of Virginia Art Museum (UVaM), in collaboration with the Alzheimer’s Association, Central and Western Virginia Chapter. After hearing about their program, similar in mission to those at much larger institutions such as MoMA and the VMFA, I contacted UVaM and began corresponding with Sharon Celsor-Hughes, docent coordinator, to find out more. Sharon offered a history of their program, challenges the museum faced along the way, and advice for those looking for creative partnerships and programming such as this. Any museum considering a special program that entails staff training, organizational partnerships and a creative re-thinking of the
museum experience will be able to glean some helpful advice from the interview below: VAM: Why did you decide to initiate a program for Alzheimer’s patients? SC-H: The idea for starting our program came from UVaM’s advisory board member, Margaret Doyle, who is the associate director for the department of communications at MoMA. MoMA started a program for people with Alzheimer’s called Meet Me At MoMA. Through funding from Metlife Foundation, MoMA developed support materials and a training model for working with museums in various regions. After developing their own programs, MoMA-trained museums were encouraged to assist museums geographically nearby in establishing similar programs. The VMFA was one of these museums and their program is called ArtLinks. VAM: What type of training did museum staff receive in preparation for working with an audience of Alzheimer’s patients? SC-H: In preparation for the program, VMFA’s manager of adult and higher education, Celeste Fetta, came for a site visit and invited our staff to ‘shadow’ one of VMFA’s ArtLinks tours. Fetta also shared materials VMFA developed for selecting and training their docents for this program. In addition to the materials from MoMA and VMFA, I spoke with a number of other museums that have started museum visits for people with Alzheimer’s. Specifically, I wanted to learn more about programs connected with university museums. VAM: Obviously, a program such as
Communities Through Programming caretaker(s). VAM: What criteria did you use to choose the art pieces to use for the program? How many pieces did you choose? SC-H: The selection of artwork was based on several criteria:
this is, by necessity, a partnership between several organizations. Tell us about the partnerships you’ve developed. SC-H: UVaM partnered with the Central and Western Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association. Ellen Phipps, the chapter’s vice president of programs and services, provided training for our staff and docents. Staff attending the training session included UVaM’s director (Bruce Boucher), security guards, and the education department. Three docents were selected and trained in facilitating discussions with our visitors who have Alzheimer’s disease. Additionally, the Alzheimer’s Association hired a part-time art project coordinator who is the liaison between the Alzheimer’s Association, the visiting groups, and the Museum. The coordinator contacted local residential homes to set up visits to the Museum. She also arranged two “Community Groups” that were for individuals living in their own homes with their
• Size: It needed to be large enough for those with poor eyesight to see. • Location: We decided to only use works on one floor for many came in wheelchairs or with walkers. We found it took some time to move from one piece to the next. The work needed to be in a location that would accommodate chairs. • Variety: We wanted a variety of art-to allow for a shift in conversation and to allow for personal preferences. Some people prefer one type of art to another; what might stimulate conversation for one person may not be of interest for another. • Engagement: We wanted the audience to be engaged, so we chose artwork that lent itself to in-depth conversation. We chose three stations for viewing art, each station having anywhere from 1-4 works. The actual program runs for forty-five minutes, Continued on page 7.
Facts* about Alzheimer’s • Of Americans aged 65 and over, 1 in 8 has Alzheimer’s, and nearly half of people aged 85 and older have the disease. • Alzheimer’s is the only cause of death among the top 10 in America without a way to prevent, cure, or even slow its progression. • More than 60 percent of Alzheimer’s and dementia caregivers rate the emotional stress of caregiving as high or very high; one-third report symptoms of depression. • In 2010, 14.9 million family and friends provided 17 billion hours of unpaid care to those with Alzheimer’s and other dementias. *The Alzheimer’s Association 2011 Fact Sheet, accessed on May 18, 2011 at: http://www.alz.org/documents_custom/2011_Facts_Figures_Fact_Sheet.pdf.
Summer 2011
Making a Mark in Smithfield Picturing America: Virginia Style Outreach Kits for Senior Audiences Tracey Neikirk, of the Isle of Wight County Museum, took advantage of the VAM Picturing America: Virginia Style outreach program for senior audiences in late 2010 – early 2011. The Museum reached out to Magnolia Manor Assisted Living in Smithfield to bring the program to residents in their Alzheimer’s Care Unit. (Picturing America: Virginia Style is intended for any senior audience; the program can be adapted for those with Alzheimer’s.) Here is what Tracey had to say about the audience’s responses to the art: • A piece on quilts through history elicited the most response, with an exciting revelation that one of the residents had a quilt in her room that she had made and shared the story of how it was made. Another resident was able to remember that her mother made quilts and a great aunt sewed. This was quite an accomplishment for her. The lone man in our group brightened as he shared memories about his grandmother making quilts. • While viewing The Sources of Country Music by Thomas Hart Benton, the residents identified the instruments, enjoyed the colors, and connected with the concept of the nation moving from farming to industrialization, represented by the train. Several were quick to react to the name of Tex Ritter and knew a fair number of facts about him. One resident was from the mountains of Tennessee and related some comments about the music of Appalachia. • I chose Autumn Landscape, by Louis Comfort Tiffany primarily because of the lovely colors. I was surprised at how much detail several of the residents noticed. One lady studied the picture and was quick to notice the fact that it looked like a river. We discussed stained glass and named places where they’ve seen it, such as in churches, public buildings, homes. One lady commented that she had a stained glass window in her house. Finally, says Tracey, “I appreciated the opportunity to share this experience with the residents. It is amazing and gratifying when those that have not spoken respond. I am always looking for things to present that help us get to know them better.”
2011 VAM Conference: One To Remember by Rob Orrison
Historic Site Manager, Bristoe Station Battlefield / Ben Lomond Historic Site, Prince William County
Program Updates
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his year’s VAM Conference theme was “Anchoring our Communities”, exploring how museums of “olde and new” can make themselves into community partners and centers of community activity. These days, when competition is stiff for visitors, making our institutions a place of local pride can increase their relevance in the surrounding community. In looking back on this year’s conference, I recall three aspects that made it a great and rewarding time in Portsmouth.
goers (according to our post-conference survey, 37% were “first timers!”), we think the wide array of sessions drew these new attendees to the conference. Sessions on the everyday importance of volunteer recruitment and collections management are always staples at VAM conferences, but some different session ideas came to fruition this year. These included “Exhibits by Wally World”, “Extreme Interpretation” and “Whose Truth Is It?” There were also several sessions on attracting younger audiences as visitors and volunteers. Sessions challenged all attendees to think outside the box.
Finally, the most rewarding aspect of any VAM Conference is the connections one makes with their colleagues during the sessions, hospitality suite, and evening programs. It is through these connections that advice is given, partnerships are born, and friendships are created. Meeting not just colleagues from other museums, but also the exhibitors in the exhibit hall allow First, location, location location! Those who all of us to know that we are not alone in have not spent much time in Portsmouth challenges we face. got their first taste of a city with a rich his-
“...of all of the conferences I attend, including regional and national conferences, this remains my favorite. If I have only one conference to attend a year, VAM would be the one.”
- conference evaluation comment, 2011
tory and myriad cultural institutions. From history and art to athletics, Portsmouth’s museums complement the old colonial port perfectly. VAM’s evening events took advantage of this very walkable city, with visits to the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame, The Portsmouth Naval Shipyard Museum, The LIGHTSHIP PORTSMOUTH, and The Courthouse Galleries. Now that the newly renovated Children’s Museum is open, we’ll all be eager to return to see this wonderful addition to Portsmouth’s museum landscape. Second, the sessions. VAM’s Conference Committee succeeded in creating new and diverse sessions for the conference. With the increase of “first time” conference
This bond of museum professionals throughout the state was summed up perfectly in the “Museum Employee Song.” Though entertaining, anyone looking around the room during the performance could tell that all of us could relate to the humorous ballad of Scott, Mike, John and Anna. It is these relationships, built through VAM Conferences, that enhance our overall knowledge of museums in Virginia and the influences and trends that affect all of us. These relationships help us “anchor” ourselves to each other and can also serve as therapy! Lets hope more of our colleagues decide to “set anchors” next year in Newport News. See you then!
Clockwise, from top left: Andy Talkov asks, “How many of you can spell Sesquicentennial?” during the Monday Morning Sesquicentennial update. Circuit Walkers warm up! The First Annual Circuit Walk to benefit the Circuit Riders program raised $395. “The Museum Employee Song” will debut on American Idol any day now. CEOs discuss challenges and best practices during the CEO Summit on Sunday afternoon.
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Using the Picturing America: Virginia Style Outreach Kits with Senior Audiences
by Heather Widener What is it? Thanks to a generous grant from the Virginia Foundation for the Humanities, VAM has acquired three sets of the National Endowment for the Humanities’ (NEH) Picturing America kits, complete with high quality, laminated reproductions of 40 pieces of American art. The Picturing America kit also includes a Teachers’ Resource Book, as well as American literature (part of an American Library Association ‘Bookshelf’) that expands on the Picturing America themes. How can it help small (and not-sosmall) museums? The Picturing America: Virginia Style kit is designed for all museums in Virginia to bring an outreach or in-house program to senior audiences in their community. Picturing America: Virginia Style combines the Picturing America materials with additional resources to assist museums in meeting the needs of this broad, diverse, and sometimes hard-to-reach audience. In addition to the Picturing America prints and Resource Guide
from the NEH, VAM has created resources that include 17 themes and time-period clusters that relate to the Picturing America collection. Museums can use a theme or era for their senior outreach project, and easily link in pieces from their own collections. Virginia museums will also receive resources for developing fruitful and ongoing outreach with senior audiences, and ideas on how to best reach and meet the needs of senior audiences. What does it cost? VAM does not charge a lending fee for museums to use the Picturing America: Virginia Style resources. Museums pay only the cost of shipping the kits to the museum and back to VAM (we encourage pick-up at the VAM office, via regional VAM council members, at workshops, or at the conference to save you money). The current one-way cost for VAM to ship you the kit is $25. (Your museum will be responsible for return shipping via USPS, UPS, etc.) So, the short answer to that question is, maybe nothing, but no more than $50 in shipping costs.
would like to use the Picturing America: Virginia Style resources, contact Heather Widener, VAM’s communications director at hwidener@vamuseums.org to schedule your museum for one of our 12-week lending periods. 3. Receive the materials (which include a complete set of the Picturing America art reproductions and any of the Bookshelf* titles you request) and get started!
How can my museum take advantage of the program? 1. Decide which theme or historical era you would like your program to focus on (see sidebar on page 6 for a listing of Picturing America: Virginia Style themes). 2. Once you have chosen a theme or era, and have determined when you
Summer 2011
Technical Insert, cont’d...
a. Review the NEH Teacher’s Resource Book, included with the kit. b. Review VAM’s theme-based activity suggestions, plus the following resources, all included in your kit: i. Inciting Oral History Narratives: Tips for Interviewers, ii. Characteristics of Older Learners, and iii. Virginia Contacts for Senior Organizations. c. Add your museum’s works of art, artifacts / objects, and incorporate your own discussion points for your unique program. 4. You may borrow the materials for a period of 12 weeks. Once you are finished, just send or deliver them back to VAM, and complete our follow-up survey on the program. That is all you need to do!
Picturing America: Virginia Style Themes Leadership Freedom & Equality Democracy Courage The Modern Era: Post- WWII America Torn: The Civil War The African American Experience The Rise of Industrialism The World in Conflict: WWI – WWII
Native Peoples Man & Nature America in Revolution Exploration & Discovery Creativity & Ingenuity Architecture & Engineering Women in America Landscapes
Picturing America Artwork 1-A Pottery and Baskets, c. 1100 to c. 1960, Various artists 1-B Mission Nuestra Señora de la Concepción, San Antonio, Texas, 1755, Various artists. 2-A John Singleton Copley, Paul Revere, 1768 2-B Silver of the 18th, 19th, and 20th Centuries 3-A Grant Wood, The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere, 1931 3-B Gilbert Stuart, George Washington (the Lansdowne portrait), 1796 4-A Emanuel Leutze,Washington Crossing the Delaware, 1851 4-B Hiram Powers, Benjamin Franklin, 1862 5-A Thomas Cole, View from Mount Holyoke,Northampton, Massachusetts, after a Thunderstorm — The Oxbow, 1836 5-B N. C.Wyeth, Last of the Mohicans, cover illustration, 1919 N. C.Wyeth (1882–1945). 6-A John James Audubon, American Flamingo, 1838 John James Audubon (1785-1851). 6-B George Catlin, Catlin Painting the Portrait of Mah-to-toh-pa — Mandan, 1861/1869 7-A Thomas Cole and others, State Capitol, Columbus, Ohio, 1838-1861 7-B George Caleb Bingham, The County Election, 1852 8-A Albert Bierstadt, Looking Down Yosemite Valley, California, 1865 8-B Black Hawk, “Sans Arc Lakota” Ledger Book, 1880-1881 9-A Winslow Homer, The Veteran in a New Field, 1865 9-B Alexander Gardner, Abraham Lincoln, U.S. Pres., 1809-1865, 1865 10-A Augustus Saint-Gaudens, Robert Gould Shaw and the 54th Regiment Memorial, 1884-1897 10-B Quilts of the 19th and 20th Centuries, Various artists 11 – A Thomas Eakins, John Biglin in a Single Scull, c. 1873. 11-B James McNeil Whistler, Harmony in Blue and Gold: The Peacock Room, 1876 – 1877 12-A John Singer Sargent, Portrait of a Boy, 1890 12-B Childe Hassam, Allies Day, May 1917, 1917 13-A Walker Evans, Brooklyn Bridge, New York, 1929 13-B Louis Comfort Tiffany, Autumn Landscape, 1923-1924 14-A Mary Cassatt, The Boating Party, 1893/1894 14-B Joseph Stella, Brooklyn Bridge, c. 1919-1920 15-A Charles Sheeler, American Landscape, 1930 15-B William Van Alen, The Chrysler Building, 1926-1930 16-A Edward Hopper, House by the Railroad, 1925 16-B Frank Lloyd Wright, Fallingwater, 1935–1939 17-A Jacob Lawrence, The Migration of the Negro Panel no. 57, 1940–1941 17-B Romare Bearden, The Dove,1964 Bearden, Romare (1914-1988) 18-A Thomas Hart Benton, The Sources of Country Music, 1975 18-B Dorothea Lange, Migrant Mother and Children, 1936 19-A Norman Rockwell, Freedom of Speech, The Saturday Evening Post 1943, 1943 19-B James Karales, Selma-to-Montgomery March for Voting Rights in 1965, 1965 20-A Richard Diebenkorn, Cityscape I, 1963 20-B Martin Puryear, Ladder for Booker T.Washington, 1996
Programming for Special Needs Continued from page 3.
with approximately fifteen minutes spent at each station. Groups arrive 15 minutes prior to the programming time. This allows everyone time to move into the museum while being personally greeted and given a nametag. VAM: Tell us a little about the “Inquiry Method” you use to elicit discussion around the art. SC-H: The Inquiry Method is based on docents asking questions that are aimed to involve the viewer in gaining visual literacy. As this method lends itself to starting conversations and engaging the viewer, it works well with programs designed for people with Alzheimer’s. However, the goal for our Eyes on Art visitors has less to do with gaining visual literacy and more to do with the use of art as a means for engaging and stimulating conversation. Visitors who are in the early or middle stages of the disease are limited in their ability to recall information, especially those everyday details such as what they ate, who visited them, or what they just watched on television. Frustration often occurs when asked these types of questions— both to the person with the disease and their caretaker(s). However, stimulating conversation based on what is in front of them at that moment, and knowing there isn’t a specific answer being sought, allows the person with Alzheimer’s a venue for positive interaction. VAM: What advice would you give to other museums that might be thinking of developing a program such as this (or perhaps a program with a similar philosophy with a different special needs audience)? SC-H: The best advice I have for other museums interested in developing a program for any special needs group is to reach out to other museums with like programs. Ask to observe a program and learn what has worked, as well as what the challenges have been. Find out if their program has undergone changes and if so, why. No two programs I researched were exactly alike. Some used themes and others chose to go without themes in favor
of choosing works they felt would elicit the most responses. Some held these visits during regular museum hours, while others scheduled them for non-public hours. Most included caretakers; however one museum sent caretakers to the coffee shop. Many decisions will be based on the uniqueness of the institution. Finally, start small and see what works before expanding and involving more partnerships. Recognize that no two groups will have the same dynamic. VAM: What has been most rewarding about this program?
SC-H: We chose to work with one partner for this pilot program, the local chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association. Currently, evaluation is based on anecdotal feedback from the visitors, caretakers/residential staff, and our docents. In the future, with involvement from other university departments, quantitative research may become another means for evaluation. VAM will be following this topic in our blog and elsewhere. If your museum has or is developing programming for special needs’ audiences, please let VAM know by calling the office at 804-788-5820, or by emailing Heather Widener, communications director, at hwidener@vamuseums.org.
SC-H: The most rewarding response from this program is the smiles on the visitors’ faces as they leave the Museum. One woman got off the bus grumbling that she wished she hadn’t come, while viewing the first work of art she remained sullen, and as she moved to the second station she stated that she would rather be at home. Taking this cue, I asked what she likes doing when she ® is home. This started a brief discussion about what she likes to read and by the time she moved to the third station she For Framing & Display Cases was smiling, relating the work of art to her life during the depression, and left telling us how she wanted to return. While others are easier to engage, it is my hope that evanti-reflective anti-static abrasion resistant UV protection eryone leaves having a positive experience To experience the clear difference, contact your authorized supplier for a free Optium Sample Kit and having felt the or visit www.tru-vue.com/museums/vam. security to express themselves in an accepting and encouraging environment.
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Regina A. Quick Center for the Arts at St. Bonaventure University.
Photographs by Hildreth Meiere Dunn
Optium Vitrine Fabricated by Gemini Moulding.
VAM: How are you evaluating this program? What are your future plans?
Follow Us: Tru Vue®, the Tru Vue logo, Optium®, Optium Acrylic® and Optium Museum Acrylic® are registered trademarks, and Optium® Museum Display Acrylic™ is a trademark of Tru Vue, Inc, McCook, IL USA. © 2010 Copyright Tru Vue, Inc. All rights reserved.
Summer 2011
The Mariners’ Museum
Member Profile
Newport News museum “takes off” with distance learning
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s their Interactive Videoconferencing (IVC) program materials explain,“The Mariners’ Museum is located in Newport News, Virginia, but our educational reach extends far beyond our physical doors.“ Because of a robust distance learning program, using IVC, The Mariners’ Museum offers programming to schools across the country and around the globe.
in to the Museum.That has changed - these days, museum programs are developed with both avenues of delivery in mind.
York State. Additionally, they’ve taught programs to students in Canada, The Dominican Republic, Spain, and Taiwan.
The Mariners’ Museum now offers a variety of IVC programming: two language arts programs, four science programs, and nine social studies programs for schools, in addition to special programs for adult learners. School programs align with national standards of learning and can be adjusted to meet the specific needs of classroom teachers and students. Additionally, while some programs may be available to a wide range of grade levels, each program is adjusted to the grade level of the students participating. Distance learning programs are delivered ondemand using H.323 protocol.
According to Anne Marie Millar, director of education and distance learning programs at The Mariners’ Museum, “Any museum interested in offering educational program via interactive videoconferencing will need to keep two primary things in mind. First and foremost, they cannot be afraid of technology. Secondly, it is imperative that they look beyond the Virginia Standards of Learning to learning standards across the nation. It takes a lot of work, but the result is extremely rewarding! We’ve enjoyed meeting and working with teachers and students from across the country and around the world. But more importantly, all of our programming has become more innovative because we are thinking about how we can incorporate technology into all of our educational offerings - for students walking through our physical AND virtual doors.”
Incidentally, the folks at The Mariners’ Museum reThe distance learning program at The cently got word that they Mariners’ began in 2002 when the Mureceived the 2011 Berrien seum connected all the way to a school County Teachers’ Favorite Armalita Holley, Museum Educator, works in one of the Interacsix miles away. Anna Holloway, director Award for the category of tive Videoconferencing studios at The Mariners’. of education at the time, even drove Best World History Musethe program supplies to the school. ums & Organizations. Find The program has been growing steadily out more at http://www.berrienresa. The first IVC studio was in a trailer (see - especially since the Museum’s studios photo, below). The first programs develorg/technology/vc/contentproviders/ have expanded from a single studio in oped were based on programs already teachersfavorite/2011/. taught at The Mariners’ to students coming a trailer in 2002 to the new three-studio IVC Programs at the Mariners’ area in 2009. These days, the Museum can present three programs simultaneScience ously. The most IVC programs delivered • Big Winds, Big Waves: The Science of in a single day was 15. Program numHurricanes (Grades 4 – 9) bers have grown from 258 in 2008 to 352 • Tsunamis: Mighty Harbor Waves in 2010. Programs are far-reaching; The (Grades 5 – 12) Mariners’ has taught programs to over • Chemistry of Conservation (Grades 6 – 12) half of the states in the nation, with the • Chesapeake Bay: An Estuary in Crisis largest markets being Texas and New (Grades 4 – 9)
Social Studies’ Programs • Age of Exploration (Grades 1 – 12) • Titanic (Grades 4 – 12) • Pirates (Grades 2 – 12) • Riding in a Log Canoe (Grades K – 3) • Sailing into Thanksgiving (Grades K – 2) • Around the World with Santa (Grades Pre-K-2) • Clash of Armor (Grades 4 – 12) • Captive Passage: Investigating the Transatlantic Slave Trade (Grades: 4 – 12) • Life at Sea (Grades K – 12) Language Arts Programs • Anansi and other African Tales (Grades K – 3) • Tales Across Two Seas (Grades K – 12) Special Programs for Adult Learners • Searching for the Northwest Passage • The Franklin Expedition: Tragedy in Ice • From the “Haven of Death” to Nordenskiold: The Search for the Northeast Passage • Ventures to the Bottom of the World • Dangerous Crossings: The First Modern Polar Expedition, 1925 (Dr. Harold Cones, Author)
2012
“Launching New Connections” Newport News has a rich shipbuilding heritage, and has launched countless ships into the world from its famous shipyards. As museum professionals, we launch into community partnerships, ambitious new museum projects, and sometimes unexpected collaborations every day. Just as modern shipbuilding demands innovation and cooperation, so our museums need to explore new ideas and forge new relationships to stay vibrant and relevant. We hope you’ll join us to enjoy the hospitality of Newport News, and to launch a few new connections of your own. Your career, your colleagues, your museum, and your community will thank you! If you are interested in proposing a session at next year’s conference, watch for our Request for Proposals - it will be arriving in your email inbox soon, and it will be posted online at www.vamuseums.org!
Save the Date! The VAM 2012 Annual Conference will be held at the Marriott Newport News at City Center from March 17-20, 2012. It’s a great professional development value - do it for your career!
If your museum is interested in learning more about distance learning at The Mariners’ Museum, you may contact Anne Marie Millar, Director of Education and Distance Learning Programs at (757) 591-7748 or amillar@MarinersMuseum.org.
VAM Conservation Assessment Grantees Announced
The Mariners’ Museum, an educational, nonprofit institution accredited by the American Association of Museums, preserves and interprets maritime history through an international collection of ship models, figureheads, paintings and other maritime artifacts. It is home to the USS Monitor Center, which is the official repository for artifacts recovered from the Civil War ironclad ship.
This year, we are pleased to announce two grant winners:
The Mariners’ Museum is open from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday, and 12 to 5 p.m. Sunday. For information, visit www.MarinersMuseum.org, call (757) 596-2222 or write to The Mariners’ Museum, 100 Museum Drive, Newport News, VA 23606.
This year, for the fourth year, VAM offerred the VAM Conservation Assessment Grant program. Through the generosity of Rick Vogt of the F.C. Vogt Company, Inc., VAM offerred a grant for the conservation assessment of furniture, wooden artifacts and architectural woodwork.
The Hampton Roads Naval Museum will receive a conservation assessment of a wooden sailor’s box, dated 1809.
The Adam Thoroughgood House (City of Virginia Beach Department of Museums) will receive a conservation assessment of architectural woodwork inside the house. Congratulations to both of our grantees! The assessments will take place over the summer. A committee made up of a conservator, an art curator, a historic house curator, the VAM Executive Director, and a VAM board member reviewed applications and made recommendations for assistance. (Mr. Vogt was not part of the selection process.) Many VAM members, especially from smaller museums or historic houses, have objects in their collections which are in need of conservation, but funds are lacking to hire a professional conservator to assess the conservation needs - let alone pay for - the actual conservation. An accurate, professional assessment is the first step to applying for financial assistance with conservation work to a number of granting rganizations.
Summer 2011
Museum News in Your VAM News
Member News
Thanks to a Connecting to Collections Statewide Implementation grant from the IMLS, the Virginia Association of Museums will partner with the Library of Virginia, Virginia Department of Historic Resources, Virginia Conservation Association, the Mid-Atlantic Regional Archives Conference, Preservation Virginia and John Tyler Community College for the Virginia Collections Initiative. Under the Initiative, we will implement several projects designed to address the collections needs of museums, libraries and archives in Virginia. Read more about the various projects related to the Initiative in the Director’s Corner on page 12.
After nearly nine years of planning, and two years under construction, the City of Portsmouth opened its spectacular, ALL NEW 72,000-square-foot Children’s Museum of Virginia on Thursday, May 26th. Congratulations!
MUSENET
2011 VAM British Exchange Program: The American Civil War in England Join us October 21-27 in London & Liverpool * Need an incentive to help you decide? If you sign-up for this amazing trip by June 10, you can deduct $50 from your land package cost!
Summer Workshop August 1, 2011 Preventative Conservation Virginia Museum of Fine Arts Conservation Labs During our 2011 Annual Conference, VAM President Joe Gutierrez issued a challenge. He challenged all members of VAM to make a financial contribution, participating at whatever level they wished - $1 to $100 - toward VAM’s goal of raising $2,500 to support the conversion to an up-to-date association management software system. If you would like to show your support for VAM, please send a check payable to: Attn: VAM President’s Challenge VAM 200 South 3rd St. Richmond, VA 23219
Look for VAM (and share some Cultsha bucks with us!) at the Richmond Culture Works CultshaXpo on June 25th at the Science Museum of Virginia. We’ll be promoting Virginia TimeTravelers! The 2011 Virginia TimeTravelers Program began in March. Our 2011 Theme is “Turning Points.”
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From AAM: Please join the Museum Assessment Program (MAP) in congratulating its latest group of accepted museums, including the following in VA:
kicked off this year’s Richmond History Makers. The seventh annual program recognizes five everyday citizens and outstanding organizations that are making largely unrecognized contributions to communities within the Greater Richmond Metropolitan area. The public call for nominations is May 1 - June 30, 2011.
Historic Sandusky, Lynchburg, VA, Organizational MAP University of Mary Washington Galleries, Fredericksburg, VA, Community Engagement MAP For museums interested in participating in MAP, AAM now offers two deadlines: July 1st and December 1st.
Many VAM members are participating in Blue Star Museums! The Blue Star Museums initiative is a partnership among Blue Star Families, Join us in congratulating Kluge-Ruhe Aborigi- the National Endowment for the Arts, and nal Art Collection of the University of Virginia more than 1,000 museums across America. in Charlottesville and the University of Mary First launched in the summer of 2010, Blue Washington Art Galleries in Fredericksburg. Star Museums once again are offering free The museums are 2011 CAP Participants. admission to active duty military personnel and their families from Memorial Day, May 30, The Royal Institute of British Architects 2011, through Labor Day, September 5, 2011. (RIBA) has announced the 2011 RIBA International Awards for buildings displaying Governor Bob McDonnell announced $41 architectural excellence, and Virginia Mumillion in funding for construction of a new seum of Fine Arts is one of the 13 recipients, Yorktown Victory Center through the sale of Viramong only three United States projects. ginia Public Building Authority bonds. Planning Congratulations! has been under way since 2007 for replacement of the museum, which chronicles the American From the Mariners’ Museum: on June 6, the USS Revolution. The announcement of the funding Monitor received the Historical Landmark Deswas first made at the semi-annual meeting of ignation from the American Society of Metals. the Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation Board of Center in the Square is delighted to be one of Trustees, held May 12th. the nine $100,000 recipients of the first round At the Chrysler Museum of Art, work is proof Taubman Foundation Sustainability Grants. ceeding on schedule for the grand opening Monticello’s Director of Gardens and of the new Glass Studio, and with the interGrounds, Peter Hatch was awarded the Gar- nal wiring and utility infrastructure in place, den Club of America Historic Preservation the glassmaking equipment is arriving next! medal at the club’s annual Medal Awards Additionally, Chrysler Museum of Art’s Dinner, held in Indianapolis, Indiana. iPhone/iPod app is now available as a free download. Visitors can listen to audio tours, Gari Melcher’s Home and Studio at Belmont share works of art with friends and keep up received a $5,000 grant from the Duff McDuff to date with upcoming events. For those who Green Jr. Fund of the Community Foundation haven’t made it into the iWorld yet, no worof the Rappahannock River Region. The monries. Visitors can pick up an iPod with the app ey will go towards restoration of the original preloaded at the Museum. They are free to Dining Room draperies and furniture left Members, and $3 for all others. by the Melchers. Additionally, Dave Ludeker, Building and Grounds Assistant at Belmont, Governor Bob McDonnell signed an historic received the University of Mary Washington’s cultural exchange agreement to bring “TreaStaff Advisory Council “Couldn’t Do it Without sures from the Forbidden City,” a showcase of You Award.” Congratulations! approximately 200 objects from Beijing’s Palace Museum to Virginia in the summer of 2014. The Valentine Richmond History Center has
Backyard, and Beyond... Preservation Virginia has created a Google Map that contains general locations, images and a brief history of some endangered or forgotten historic family cemeteries in Virginia. If you know of a cemetery that you would like to add to the map, please contact Sonja Ingram at (804) 551-3249.
The Commonwealth Coach & Trolley Museum announces the restoration of two of the most significant coaches in its fleet, buses with extensive years of service in Blacksburg, Richmond, and Northern Virginia.The newly restored buses are a 1962 GMC New Look coach from the AB&W (Alexandria, Barcroft & Washington) Bus Company and a 1966 GMC New Look coach from the Virginia Transit Company in Richmond. Each coach has been restored to its original livery (design and paint scheme) and original coach number when bought new. The Maggie L. Walker Governor’s School for Government and International Studies captured its second national victory in the We the People: The Citizen and the Constitution National competition in Washington, D.C. The Maggie L. Walker team won the right to advance to the national competition when it defeated 10 Virginia public and private high schools earlier this year in the Virginia We the People State Finals, sponsored by The Center for the Constitution at James Madison’s Montpelier. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton received the 2011 Marshall Foundation Award at a black-tie dinner on June 2nd at the National Building Museum in Washington, DC.
The Virginia Historical Society is looking for donations of gently used history-related books. These items will be collected by the VHS Museum Shop and featured in a huge, deeply discounted book sale during a Family Day Open House on July 9.
Andreé Brooks has been appointed Interim Executive Director of the Science Museum of Western Virginia. She has extensive experience serving non profit organizations in the Roanoke Valley as Executive Director and has been very active in the community as a volunteer.
Highway Information Media LLC has added a “Museums” button to the Welcome Center kiosk Carol Amato died June 1, 2011 at Hospice of touchscreen start page. Travelers now have a direct Virginia, Retreat Hospital, Richmond, Va. In 1994, selection to open-up information on Museums! Carol became Chief Operating Officer for the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, serving for 16 Hails/Farewells years until her retirement in 2010. She steadily Former VAM President guided the museum through some of its most Scott Harris has been challenging times and shepherded a buildnamed director of the ing program which resulted in VFMA’s largest James Monroe Museum expansion in its 75-year history. In addition and Memorial Library in to her pleasure in the increased educational Fredericksburg. Harris, facilities this created for children, Carol took who currently serves particular joy in the fact that the centerpiece as director of the New of this expansion, the James W. and Frances G. Market Battlefield State McGlothlin Wing, was recently recognized by Historical Park in New the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) as Market, VA, will begin a recipient of a 2011 RIBA International Award work at the museum July 18. He replaces John for buildings displaying architectural excellence. Pearce who retired after 27 years service to UniCarol will be sorely missed at the VMFA and in versity of Mary Washington, including 14 years the museum community. as director of the museum. As director, Harris will be responsible for the management of daily For those who wish to do so, the family suggests operations at the museum, including long range memorials to one of the following: The Carol planning, fundraising, supporting research and Amato Art for Kids Fund, VMFA Foundation, 200 publications, coordinating events and physical N. Boulevard, Richmond, Va. 23220; Hospice of improvements. Virginia, 1700 Bayberry Court, Suite 300, RichAlso from the James Monroe Museum: Our won- mond, Va. 23226; The VCU Massey Cancer Center, derful curator, Meghan Budinger, left the museum Development Office, P.O. Box 980214, Richmond, at the end of May to begin her new job as Director Va. 23298. of Curatorial Services at the George Washington Foundation. Farewell, and best of luck to Meghan!
The Robert H. Smith Center at Montalto, Thomas Jefferson’s ‘high mountain’ overlooking Monticello, was dedicated with the Robert H. Smith International Center for Jefferson Studies confer- Leslie King is leaving her post as executive ence “Jefferson’s Adversaries: British Leadership in director of the Edith Bolling Wilson Birthplace the American War of Independence” May 13-14. Foundation and Museum after two years. Says With Center in the Square closing for renovations, King, “These years have been both challenging the Science Museum of Western Virginia will move and rewarding....we have been able to accomplish a lot. However, it is time for me to pursue to Tanglewood Mall until the Center reopens in the fall of 2012. Additionally, The History Museum new avenues and creative endeavors beyond the Museum. And though I will miss the Muof Western Virginia will move to a temporary seum, Mrs. Wilson, and all the amazing people I location in the Shenandoah Hotel on Campbell Avenue. The History Museum of Western Virginia have had the opportunity to work with, I know has also announced the final phase of their Capital I leave the organization in most capable hands. Campaign: Crossroads of History! They are seeking I commend the founders of the Foundation, Bill an additional $1.5 million to renovate the exhibi- and Farron Smith, for their continued support tion galleries in the History Museum and upgrade and energy and I thank them for allowing me to have had the opportunity to fulfill a life dream collections and archival storage areas. of being a museum director.” The Miller-Kite House, Stonewall Jackson’s Headquarters, opened for the season on Sunday, May From the Virginia Historical Society: Greg Hansard is now senior web resources officer for the 29th. For further information contact Casey Virginia Historical Society. Jennifer Nesossis is Billhimer at 540-578-3046. now programs officer. Congratulations!
Summer 2011
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Director’s Corner
Dear Members, Although it doesn’t technically begin until June 22, I always think of Memorial Day and June 1 and the real start of summer. In the past, summer often meant slowing down a bit, taking a breather and finally filing all of those papers that pile up on the desk, credenza, chairs – just about everywhere there is a space. This summer, however, VAM is exploding out of the gate with a fast rampup on our recently-awarded Connecting to Collections Implementation Grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services.
board can practicably accomplish. VAM will also develop a wide array of Online Collections Training, both for-credit academic courses through John Tyler Community College, and more informal webinars to be offered through the VAM website. These courses will be designed to teach skills in collections care and management, preventative conservation, disaster planning and response, marketing for collections need, fundraising, and more.
Disaster Preparedness: VAM will hold a series of eleven Disaster Plan Lockup workshops throughout Virginia during the two-year period, beginning late summer. If you’ve been meaning to get around to a disaster plan for your museum, this program is for you! The workshops will be designed to utilize three disaster plan templates (for varying sizes and situations of museums) to make sure you leave the workshop with a completed disaster plan. The grant will also help us to reinforce There are quite a few programs existing Museum Emergency covered by the grant, and we Support Teams and support are all really excited about the the establishment of new ones ability to expand collections in the communities where the management assistance to VA lock-ups will be held. museums. The programs fall into three categories: Marshalling Public and Private Support: VAM will once again Safety of Collections: The work with Richmond-based grant will fund our Circuit marketing firm ToMarket to Rider program for two more develop a Top Ten Endangered years, allowing us to serve 20 Artifacts media campaign. museums and sites, ten each Museums will submit objects, year. A team (museum curator the public will vote via social and archivist) will complete a media, and a peer panel will site collections assessment and review and select the top ten provide suggestions for speand honorable mentions. The cific actions and strategies to idea is for museums to use achieve short-term (1-2 year) their status in efforts with doprioritized needs that staff/
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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 O u r St a f f Executive Director, Margo Carlock Deputy Director, Jennifer Thomas Communications Dir., Heather Widener Accountant, Su Thongpan Project Manager, VCI, Christina O u r Vo i ce VAM Voice is a member benefit published quarterly for museum professionals and volunteers. The editor encourages readers to submit article proposals. Contact the Communications Director for more information.
nors or in grant applications to fund needed conservation on their treasured artifacts. We will be partnering with Preservation Virginia and coordinating all marketing efforts with their “Most Endangered Historic Sites” list to create a complimentary awareness campaign for preservation. Does your museum have an item in its collections that desperately needs conservation? Get ready – applications will be available by mid-July, with the winners announced November 1. This two-year, $245,000 grant is the largest one VAM as undertaken. Watch for launch announcements for the various grant programs over the next
O u r Co nt a c ts Phone: 804.788.5820 Fax: 804.788.5826 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.
few months. If you have any questions, just contact me at the VAM office.
Sincerely,
Margo Margo Carlock, Executive Director Virginia Association of Museums mcarlock@vamuseums.org