VAM 2017 Conference Brochure (preliminary)

2017 ANNUAL CONFERENCE

R O A N O K E ENGAGE · DEVELOP · GIVE BACK

Schedule-at-a-Glance SATURDAY, MARCH 18, 2017 Pre-Conference Activities 11:00am – 3:00pm Historic House Forum: Thomas Jefferson’s Poplar Forest $ 4:00pm - 7:30pm VAM Scholarship Fundraiser: National D-Day Memorial $

11:00am – 12:30pm

Concurrent Sessions

12:30pm – 2:30pm

Lunch with Crooked Road Music

3:00pm – 5:00pm

Learning Labs: off-site workshops & walking tours

5:30pm – 7:00pm Exhibit Hall & Silent Auction Closing Reception

SUNDAY, MARCH 19, 2017

7:00pm – 9:30pm

10:00am - 5:00pm Registration Open

Evening at Center in the Square $

TUESDAY, MARCH 21, 2017 7:30am – 8:30am

Yoga at The Roanoke Public Library

9:00am – 1:00pm

Silent Auction Check-out

1:00pm – 4:30pm

Leadership Forum $

1:00pm – 2:30pm

Concurrent Sessions

9:00am – 10:30am Awards, Business Meeting &

Keynote featuring Dr. Rex Ellis

Associate Director for Curatorial

Affairs, National Museum of

African American History and Culture, Smithsonian Institute

10:00am - 12:00pm

VAM Board Meeting

2:30pm – 3:30pm Exhibit Hall Sneak Peek

3:30pm – 5:00pm Concurrent Sessions 5:00pm – 6:30pm Exhibit Hall Welcome Reception

6:30pm – 9:30pm

Progressive Evening: The Taubman Museum of Art & Virginia Museum of Transportation $

9:30pm –

Hospitality Suite

10:30am – 11:00am

11:00am – 12:30pm

Coffee Break

12:30pm

Conference Adjourns

Concurrent Sessions

$ Indicates additional ticket required

MONDAY, MARCH 20, 2017 8:00am – 5:00pm

Registration Open

9:00am – 10:00am

Town Hall with Peter Armstrong: “What is the Point of Museums?”

10:00am – 11:00am

Exhibit Hall Coffee Break

3 VIRGINIA ASSOCIATION OF MUSEUMS

ANNUAL CONFERENCE 2017

ROANOKE, VIRGINIA

Conference Program Session handouts will be available on the VAM website. Attendees will receive an email with the direct link.

SATURDAY, MARCH 18,2017 Reception to follow. *Ticket required: $25

11:00am – 3:00pm Historic House Forum: Redefining Historic Site Interpretation

Sponsored by Glavé & Holmes Architecture

1:00pm – 2:30pm

Location: Thomas Jefferson’s Poplar Forest Join staff from James Madison’s Montpelier, Menokin Foundation, Stratford Hall and Thomas Jefferson’s Poplar Forest as they showcase preservation projects, cultural landscape research, archaeological discoveries, and new exhibitions that have energized interpretation at these historic sites. Attendees will learn new interpretation strategies, lessons from working alongside descendant communities, and how to embrace mobile technology and social media to bolster the visitor experience. Following a lively discussion, guests will enjoy lunch, tours of Poplar Forest and a visit with Mr. Jefferson himself.

Creating Accessible Experiences: A Mount Vernon Case Study Location: TBD Track: Education & Outreach Theme: Diversity /Equity /Inclusion Learn how you can embrace accessibility and better serve guests with vision, hearing, or mobility needs. From low tech to cutting edge, small budget to large, the staff of George Washington’s Mount Vernon make the interpretation of Washington’s life and legacy accessible for all guests. We’ll also discuss strategies for making accessibility a priority for your board and other stakeholders.

Transportation is on your own. Ticket required: $TBD

4:30pm - 7:30pm

Scholarship Fundraiser

Location: National D-Day Memorial

Moderator: Jamie Bosket, Vice President of Guest Experience, George Washington’s Mount Vernon Speakers: Michael Plumb, Manager of Program Development and Research, George Washington’s Mount Vernon; Jeremy Ray, Manager of

Enjoy a guided twilight tour of Bedford’s National D-Day Memorial, which is rarely open during evening hours. A festive USO-style reception featuring refreshments, live music, and the opportunity to meet several heroes of WWII will cap off the evening. The Memorial, dedicated by President Bush on June 6, 2001, pays tribute to the Allied Forces who took part in the invasion of Normandy on June 6, 1944. It has hosted over 1.5 million visitors from the world over. Shuttle transportation will depart The Hotel Roanoke at 4:30pm. Ticket Required: $60; all proceeds benefit VAM scholarships

History Interpretation, George Washington’s Mount Vernon

Partnering for Community Connection Location: TBD Track: Education & Outreach Theme: Diversity /Equity /Inclusion

Sponsored by the National D-Day Memorial Foundation.

To create authentic community connection to sites of history and learning, Listening NC/VA is a dedicated group of public history professionals who facilitate listening sessions at diverse sites and museums across North Carolina and Southside Virginia. This session will bring together participants to review progress, discuss successes and failures, and recommend ways that low-cost listening sessions might be used by other museums to establish relationships with new audiences.

SUNDAY, MARCH 19, 2017 10:00am - 5:00pm

Registration Open

Location: North Entry Foyer (Lower Level) Sponsored by Riggs Ward Design

10:00am - 12:00pm

VAM Board Meeting

1:00pm – 4:30pm

Leadership Forum

CONCURRENT SESSIONS

Speakers: Ina Dixon, History United Program Coordinator, Virginia Foundation for the Humanities; Christopher Graham, Guest Curator, American Civil War

Refreshing History and Heritage Visitor Experiences

Location: TBD Track: TBD

Location: TBD

17 VIRGINIA ASSOCIATION OF MUSEUMS

ANNUAL CONFERENCE 2017

ROANOKE, VIRGINIA

Track: External Relations

Manager, Monticello Speakers: Caitlin Bowes, Curatorial Assistant, Monticello; Lauren Kraut, Collections Associate, James Madison’s Montpelier; Lynn Lee, Assistant Registrar, The Fralin Museum of Art at the University of Virginia

Virginia is well known for its history and it’s an important driver for tourism. The state and its historic/cultural sites must stay competitive by enhancing and diversifying historic offerings and visitor amenities. Furthermore, historic and cultural sites must diversify funding and work toward sustainability. This recommendation was a key part of Virginia’s state tourism development plan. This panel discussion will highlight some historic sites taking steps to “refresh” and expand their offerings with these priorities in mind.

Welcoming LGBTQ Staff and Visitors to Virginia Museums Location: TBD Track: External Relations Theme: Diversity /Equity /Inclusion The LGBTQ community is experiencing unprecedented social and political advancement toward full equality. Museums around the world and in Virginia are responding with more inclusive policies and engagement. We’ll discuss basic definitions and concepts surrounding this emerging workplace and consumer demographic and will examine how any business or institution can become more inclusive by welcoming the LGBTQ community. The session will be led by Mike Lesperance, chair of the American Alliance of Museum’s LGBTQ Alliance, and a contributing author of the LGBTQ Alliance’s “Welcoming Guidelines for Museums” and will include case studies from the Chrysler Museum of Art and the Museum of the Shenandoah Valley.

Moderator: Randall Rose, Director of Planning & Development, Virginia Tourism Corporation Speaker: Charlotte Whitted, Director, Historic Crab Orchard Museum

Straddling the Stream: The Challenges and Joys of Running a University Museum Location: TBD Track: Internal Affairs Theme: Reaching Across Sectors Exhibition spaces associated with educational institutions offer unique challenges and rewards. It’s all about the students! Or is it? Balancing the demands of administration and the Board of Trustees along with those of the academic community and various external communities is just one way we “straddle the stream.” There are advantages and disadvantages related to resources (no need to call a plumber, but the requisition has to go through purchasing) and to the use of students as staff. Join us in this panel session to learn from the insights, stories, and experiences of the presenters.

Moderator: Mike Lesperance, Chair AAM LGBTQ Alliance Professional Network, The Design Minds, Inc. Speakers: Michael Berlucchi, President Hampton Roads Pride, Chrysler Museum of Art; Anne Corso, Director of Education, Chrysler Museum of Art; Dana Hand Evans, Executive Director, Museum of the Shenandoah Valley

2:30pm – 3:30pm and Sneak Peek

Exhibit Hall Refreshments

Location: Roanoke Ballroom (Lower Level)

Moderator: Mikell Brown, Dean of Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences, John Tyler Community College Speakers: Vanessa Thaxton-Ward, Director, Hampton University Museum & Archives; Lucy Wilkins, Director of University Collections and Lee Chapel & Museum, University of Washington and Lee; Paula Winn, Chair of Visual Arts Department and Associate Professor of Art History, John Tyler Community College

3:30pm – 5:00pm

CONCURRENT SESSIONS

Becoming an Organizational Ally of Black Excellence Location: TBD Track: Education & Outreach Theme: Diversity /Equity /Inclusion

Taking Stock: New Tips and Tricks to Get the Most Out of Your Collection Inventory

This session examines the challenges of a historical site that wishes to become more responsive to African American visitors’ uniquely nuanced interests, while encouraging others to become allies in support of a more balanced American narrative. Key elements of this project include the ethical evaluation of current programming, the establishment of new employment relationships with content creators making contributions within the Black Excellence movement, and the diversification of voices to serve as docents and interpreters of under-represented history. With thorough documentation, our hope is that other places of memory can duplicate this process and shift the American narrative to be reflective of all people.

Location: TBD Track: Collections Care Panelists from small and medium-sized institutions will share methods, anecdotes and lessons learned from their inventory experiences.

The session will provide ideas for setting yourself up for success, incorporating new technologies to improve efficiency, and finding the balance between perfect and good. We’ll explore different goals and methods for accomplishing this ubiquitous and often daunting task. Bring your own tales and suggestions.

Moderator: Melanie Lower, Associate Collections and Exhibitions

18

without sacrificing integrity or obliterating our organizational mission.

Speakers: Free Egunfemi, Founder, Untold RVA; Jennifer Hurst-Wender, Director of Museum Operations, Preservation Virginia

Moderator: Lauren Gleason, Site Manager, Stabler-Leadbeater Apothecary Museum Speakers: Mark Howell, Director of Education, Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation; Beth Monroe, Public Relations & Marketing Director, Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden; Pam Pettengell, Director of Partnerships, Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation; Helen Wirke, Historic Site Specialist/Curator, Caryle House Historic Park, a Property of NOVA Parks

Bridging History and Nature through Public and Private Partnerships Location: TBD Track: External Relations Theme: Reaching Across Sectors What opportunities do we have to connect and showcase museums, history, and ecotourism? Some sites and organizations in the Commonwealth are designed to bridge private or non-profit institutions with the resources and requirements of public agencies and elected officials. Others develop initiatives that combine environmental and historic assets into programming and public outreach. To encourage conversation, speakers will discuss the operations of Henricus Historical Park (combining a 17th c. historic site on the James River, with the Dutch Gap Conservation Area), as well as the creation of our newest State Park at Natural Bridge.

The Rise of the New Director Location: TBD Track: Internal Affairs Have you recently been hired as the director of your museum or department? This session will take a look at the challenges that every new director must face and the creative lessons they have learned to help them achieve their goals. Panelists will consist of recently hired (at least within the last five years), first-time directors. Topics will include working with those resistant to change, inspiring staff towards a shared vision, establishing your ideas, working with a Board of Directors, and managing staff for the first time. This will appeal to new directors and to new department heads and anyone aspiring to become a director.

Moderator: Eric Wilson, Executive Director, Rockbridge Historical Society Speakers: Charles Grant, Executive Director, Henricus Historical Park; Christen Miller, Director of Visitor Experience, Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation; Victoria Ferguson, Manager, Monacan Indian Exhibit, Natural Bridge State Park

Correcting the Record: Inventory of the National Museum of the U.S. Navy

Speakers: Elizabeth Ryan, Director, Fauquier Historical Society; Samuel McKelvey, Executive Director, Menokin Foundation; Nathan Stalvey, Director, Clarke County Historical Association

Location: TBD Track: Collections Care Are you ready to do a comprehensive inventory of your museum’s collection? Whether your institution is big, small, or in between, all artifacts on display need to be accounted for and evaluated regularly.

Come learn the perils and possibilities of undertaking such an inventory, as well as do’s and don’ts, and the rewards at the end.

Focus on the Future: Student Research in the Museum Field

Speakers: Lea French Davis, Curator, Naval History and Heritage Command, Washington Navy Yard; Jennifer Marland, Assistant Curator, National Museum of the U.S. Navy, Washington Navy Yard

The 2017 student research session will showcase jury-selected museum-based student projects and research, and offer a way for students to connect with experienced museum professionals and other students to gain new insight, share ideas, and network.

Location: TBD

Speakers: TBD

From Hamilton to Harry Potter: Trending in a Timely Way

5:00pm – 6:30pm Reception

Location: TBD Track: Education & Outreach OR External Affairs

Exhibit Hall Welcome

Location: Roanoke Ballroom (Lower Level)

Popular culture has the potential to lure the public into our realm.

Last year PokémonGo took public institutions by storm. Tattoo art gets exhibited regularly. Literature as varied as Jane Austen’s novels and the Harry Potter series have gained traction alongside such phenomena as Lego and the Outlander and Walking Dead television series. But popular culture is a fickle creature; taking advantage of it before it becomes history can be a challenge; pitfalls include the possibility of copyright infringement. We’ll examine the importance— and challenges—of integrating fads into programming and marketing.

We’ll discuss strategies to maintain relevance in our communities

Visit with an expansive selection of businesses and service providers, bid on items in our popular Silent Auction, and enjoy appetizers and an open bar as we gather with old friends and new!

6:30pm – 9:30pm Progressive Evening at the Taubman Museum of Art and Virginia Museum of Transportation Delight in an evening surrounded by Roanoke’s rich arts and rail

19 VIRGINIA ASSOCIATION OF MUSEUMS

ANNUAL CONFERENCE 2017

ROANOKE, VIRGINIA

history during a progressive evening at two of the Valley’s landmark museums. We’ll view the galleries of the Taubman Museum of Art while enjoying drinks, hors d’oeuvres, and the musical stylings of the Kane-West Organ Trio. Your ticket includes entrance to American Impressionism in the Garden, featuring never before seen paintings by renowned American artists. We’ll then take the David R. and Susan S. Goode Railwalk to the Virginia Transportation Museum. Take in automobile, aviation and rail exhibits while enjoying heavy hors d’oeuvres, dessert, and drinks. We’ll be treated to the sounds of musician David Austin and performance by the Southwest Virginia Ballet, as well as special train rides, thanks to the National Rail Historical Society, Roanoke Chapter.

AAM Accreditation and its Impact on Small Museums Location: TBD Track: Internal Affairs Discover the benefits from the American Alliance of Museums (AAM) accreditation process and the status of being AAM accredited. Panelists will discuss eligibility criteria and characteristics of excellence, their real-world experience in leading their museum community toward securing museum accreditation, the role and expectations of peer reviewers, and the positive outcomes accreditation has on the stewardship of a museum. Panelists will share their experiences in securing and maintaining AAM accreditation within a small historic house museum – it’s not just for big museums.

Moderator: Keith D. MacKay, Executive Director, Wilton House Museum Speakers: Jennifer Adams, Senior Director of Membership & Registration, American Alliance of Museums; Karen L. Daly, Executive Director, Dumbarton House; Scott Stroh III, Director, George Mason’s Gunston Hall

Attendees will be guided on foot from the Hotel Roanoke. A shuttle will be available for those who need mobility assistance. Walking shoes are recommended and no backpacks are allowed. *Additional ticket required $30

9:30pm –

Crafting a Compelling Case: Tailoring Your Philanthropy Stories

Hospitality Suite

Location: TBD Track: External Affairs

Attendance at a VAM conference is not complete without a visit to the Hospitality Suite for drinks and hors d’oeuvres. Don’t miss it!

Included with conference registration.

From elevator speech to million dollar pitch, your organization’s success depends on connecting effectively and appropriately with your audience at every level, whether donors, sponsors, grantors and prospects. This workshop will explore the different facets of story crafting for fund development purposes through the lens of various types of museums and historic properties.

Sponsored by Cinebar Productions, LLC

MONDAY, MARCH 20, 2017 8:00am – 5:00pm

Registration Open

Speaker: Meg Carter, Grants & Endowment Officer, Taubman Museum of Art

Location: North Entry Foyer (Lower Level) Sponsored by Riggs Ward Design

Creating Effective Teacher Professional Development

9:00am – 10:00am Town Hall Peter Armstrong: What’s the Point of Museums?

Location: TBD Track: Education and Outreach Theme: Reaching Across Sectors

Location: Crystal Ballroom (Lower Level) With information at our finger tips, why do we bother with physical museums? Just digitize your collection, give the whole world access, and close the doors. Why did Jamestown Yorktown Foundation (JYF) just spend over $50,000,000 on a new museum on the topic of the American Revolution when there are millions of web pages on the subject? Why build a special case for an object when you can view it closer and clearer from the comfort of your armchair? We live in a new revolution: “give me something relevant or die.” Mr. Armstrong will bring his experience as senior director for museum operations and education at JYF and from 15 years working in British museums to this discussion of the social impact of museums and their changing role in society.

Staff at Colonial Williamsburg (CW) have learned a few tips and tricks in the past 27 years of creating teacher professional development. Every summer, CW hosts 400 teachers in immersive, week-long workshops, but the techniques employed are scalable to fit the scope of your museum’s program. We’ll cover setting expectations, showcasing your museum’s strengths, cooperating with other sites and experts, creating “plug-and-play” resources, gathering data, and much more.

Speakers: Claire Gould, Editor-Writer, The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation; Alicia Hainsworth, Coordinator/Trainer of Teacher Development, The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation; Colleen Ziemba, Producer of Distance Learning programs, The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation

10:00am – 11:00am Coffee Break in the Exhibit Hall Location: Roanoke Ballroom (Lower Level)

Difficult Subjects and Museums

11:00am – 12:30pm CONCURRENT SESSIONS

Location: TBD

20

3:00pm – 5:00pm LEARNING LABS

Track: Education and Outreach Theme: Diversity /Equity /Inclusion In 1996 at the Smithsonian Institute’s 150th Anniversary Symposium, Harold Skramstad, President Emeritus of the Henry Ford Museum and Greenfield Village posed a critical question to the audience: “Unless museums can and do play a role relative to the real problems of real people’s lives, then what is their point?” Museums reach a wide range of demographics. We should be discussing critical and real issues that are affecting individuals in today’s society. While they may be uncomfortable topics, we can discuss them in an appropriate and informative manner. We’ll build on the morning’s theme of discussing the importance of museums and how they can approach critical issues in people’s lives such as religious discrimination, social justice, genocide, and human rights issues.

We’re taking learning to the streets, literally!

Register for one of six unique walking tours or nearby workshops and learn from experts, get insider perspectives, take part in handson experiences, and see behind-the-scenes.

Spaces are limited. Volunteers will walk each group to their respective site. Walking shoes recommended.

Accessing Historic & New Market Tax Credits for Museum Renovations Location: Center in the Square; One Market Square, SE Track: Internal Affairs

Speakers: Charles A. Coulomb, Interim Executive Director, Virginia Holocaust Museum; Timothy Hensley, Director of Collections, Virginia Holocaust Museum

Despite the fact that museums are generally tax-exempt organizations, they can monetize state and federal Historic Tax Credits (HTCs) and New Market Tax Credits (NMTCs) for their renovation projects. In fact, HTCs alone can cover as much as 35-40% of renovation costs for non-profit organizations, and NMTCs can cover another 15-20%. This session will cover the legal and financial dimensions of these incentives and provide organizations with an understanding of the mechanisms available to maximize the benefit realized. Attendees will learn the design & construction requirements involved in qualifying for HTCs, and how to best position your project to secure NMTCs. Free but registration is required.

Every Lesson an Object Lesson: Using 3D Technologies to Create Immersive Tactile Experiences Location: TBD Track: Collections Theme: Reaching Across Sectors Every object tells a story…even 3D printed ones! With 3D technologies more affordable and accessible than ever, this session will focus on how to put control of learning into your visitor’s hands.

Learn about the Virtual Curation Laboratory’s online repository featuring over 300 international objects you can download and print. We’ll discuss new projects, technologies, and strategies for creating tactile experiences for visitors. We’ll conclude with an interactive demonstration of new and affordable 3D technologies.

Moderator: Dr. James Sears, President, Western Virginia Foundation for the Arts; Center in the Square Speakers: Adam Markwood, Managing Director of Investments, Brian Wishneff & Associates; Mark McConnel, President, The Summit Studio

Architectural Highlights of Downtown Roanoke

Speakers: Jeffrey Aronowitz, Director of Public Programs/M. Ed. in Instructional Technology candidate, The Valentine/Virginia Commonwealth University; Dr. Bernard Means, Virtual Curation Laboratory, Virginia Commonwealth University

Location: Meet outside at entrance to pedestrian bridge Track: Education and Outreach Theme: Reaching Across Sectors Grab your camera and throw on your walking shoes for a fun and fascinating look at Roanoke. Join architectural historians from the Roanoke Valley Preservation Foundation for a tour along Campbell Avenue to view numerous restoration projects and the future site of the Valley’s new Amtrak Station. The tour will highlight the restored lobbies of the O. Winston Link Museum and Roanoke Valley Visitor Center (a former 1907 N&W passenger depot), the renovated Art Deco style Ponce de Leon Hotel, and the lobby reopening of Roanoke’s 100-year old Beaux Arts City Hall. Free but registration is required.

The Buses are Coming, The Buses are Coming!

Location: TBD Track: External Relations Working in concert with local destination marketing organizations and similar entities, learn how you can build your bus group traffic to boost attendance and profitability at little or no cost.

Speakers: Doug Horhota, Programs Coordinator Manassas Museum; Mike Stoupa, Sales Manager, Discover Prince William & Manassas

12:30pm – 2:30pm

OFF-SITE

Luncheon Presentation

Speakers: Anne Stuart Beckett, Architectural Historian & Trustee, Roanoke Valley Preservation Foundation; Alison Blanton, Architectural Historian & President, Roanoke Valley Preservation Foundation

Location: Crystal Ballroom (Lower Level) Details TBD. Advance registration required, included in conference registration.

21 VIRGINIA ASSOCIATION OF MUSEUMS

ANNUAL CONFERENCE 2017

ROANOKE, VIRGINIA

Downtown Roanoke LGBTQ History Walking Tour

areas, and witness firsthand the process and steps necessary to bring artworks into the museum space from loading dock to loan storage.

Free but registration is required.

Location: Meet outside at entrance to pedestrian walking bridge Track: Education & Outreach Theme: Diversity /Equity /Inclusion

Speaker: Mary LaGue, Registrar, Taubman Museum of Art

5:30pm – 7:00pm

Experience the Southwest Virginia LGBTQ+ History Project’s new two-hour queer history walking tour of Downtown Roanoke. Along the way, we’ll discuss the topic of interpreting LGBTQ history in our communities, as well as walking tours as an effective format for interpreting queer geographies. Free but registration is required.

Exhibit Hall Reception

Location: Roanoke Ballroom (Lower Level) Conference excitement heightens as we place our final bids on Silent Auction items and visit with our expert service providers and business exhibitors. The reception will feature appetizers and an open bar.

7:00pm – 9:30pm

Speaker: Gregory Rosenthal, Assistant Professor of Public History, Roanoke College

Evening at Center in the Square

Roanoke’s Center in the Square is a beautiful adaptive reuse space and economic driver of arts and culture, featuring the Harrison Museum of African American Culture, Mill Mountain Theatre, Opera Roanoke, Roanoke Ballet Theatre, Roanoke Pinball Museum, Roanoke Symphony Orchestra, and Science Museum of Western Virginia. Guests will get to experience it all including a peek into the new Don and Barbara Smith Children’s Museum that is slated to open in June! Enjoy the Science Museum’s unique Butterfly and Insect Garden, performances in the Center’s six-story Atrium, and refreshments on the Rooftop Deck and Gardens – an open-air green space and observation deck offering dramatic views of the Roanoke Valley. Attendees will be guided on foot from the Hotel Roanoke to Center in the Square; it’s about a 10 minute walk. Walking shoes recommended. *Ticket required: $20

Mindful Musings: The Power of Tours for Those with Dementia and Alzheimer’s Location: Taubman Museum of Art; 110 Salem Avenue, SE Track: Education and Outreach Theme: Diversity /Equity /Inclusion The inclusion of individuals with Dementia and Alzheimer’s and their care partners is essential but can often be daunting for museum staff. In this session, participants will explore the Taubman Museum of Art’s Arts Fusion program, learn how to work with your local Alzheimer’s Associations for information and training, have a unique gallery experience, and see a sample of how you can adapt these programs to your own sites. Free but registration is required.

TUESDAY, MARCH 21, 2017

Speakers: Annette Clark, Family Service Director, Alzheimer’s Association Central and Western Virginia; Stephanie Fallon, Adult Education and Volunteer Services Manager, Taubman Museum of Art; Katrina King, Tours and Visitor Engagement Coordinator, Taubman Museum of Art

7:30am - 8:30am

Yoga for the People

Location: 706 S Jefferson Street Are you an early riser? Conference attendees can enjoy free yoga on Tuesday morning at Roanoke’s Downtown Public Library (plan for a ten minute walk).

Unleash Your Creativity! Museums as a Learning Lab for Leaders

9:00am – 1:00pm

Location: Taubman Museum of Art; 110 Salem Avenue, SE Track: Internal Affairs

Silent Auction Check-Out

Location: North Entry Foyer (Lower Level)

Build your creative confidence and reduce obstacles that inhibit innovative thinking. Participate in interactive individual and team activities in the Taubman Museum of Art’s galleries.

Through art, explore purposeful play, look from multiple perspectives, and strengthen your questioning and observation skills. Discover how museums can play a key role in the community as a learning lab for leaders. Free but registration is required.

9:00am – 10:30am Awards, Business Meeting, and Keynote featuring Dr. Rex Ellis, Associate Director of Curatorial Affairs, National Museum of African American History and Culture, Smithsonian Institute Location: Crystal Ballroom (Lower Level) We’ll honor our 2017 Virginia Certificate in Museum Management graduates as well as our annual Ann Brownson award winner before conducting our business meeting and turning our attention to our distinguished keynote speaker.

Speaker: Cindy Petersen, Deputy Director of Education & Visitor Experience, Taubman Museum of Art

Dr. Ellis is charged with planning, developing, directing, and managing all curatorial and education and outreach programs and activities. Prior to this position, Dr. Ellis was the first African American vice president for the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, where he managed all programs and operations.

What Lies Behind the Doors Location: Taubman Museum of Art; 110 Salem Avenue, SE Track: Collections Care Go behind-the-scenes in the Taubman Museum of Art’s collections

22

He received his Bachelor of Fine Arts from Virginia Commonwealth University, a Masters in Fine Arts from Wayne State University, a Masters of Divinity from Virginia Union University, and an Ed.D from the College of William and Mary. He is the author of two books, Beneath the Blazing Sun: Stories from the African American Journey, and With a Banjo on My Knee, which chronicles the history of black banjo players from the time of slavery to the present.

learned from the first year of operation of Wegmans Wonderplace - an innovative history learning exhibit at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History that serves an audience of children ages 0-6 and the adults who accompany them. The presenters will encourage conversation whereby participants can share ideas and experiences.

10:30am – 11:00am Coffee Break

Speakers: Ariel Gory, Early Childhood Museum Education Specialist, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution; Carrie Heflin, Exhibit Coordinator for Wegmans Wonderplace, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution

Location: Crystal Court

11:00am – 12:30pm

CONCURRENT SESSIONS

Creating Successful Museum Customer Service Training

Make it Work! Statewide Preservation, Digitization, and the Museum Community

Location: TBD Track: Education and Outreach

Location: TBD Track: Collections Care Theme: Reaching Across Sectors

Museums face challenges that make it difficult to deliver standardized customer service training modules. The tactics that work for a hotel or restaurant often don’t work for a museum faced with protecting and preserving objects, engaging and educating the public, and meeting the expectations of members and donors. Through a case study of VMFA’s experience developing a museum-wide customer service training program in conjunction with the Community College Workforce Alliance, we’ll discuss establishing a customer service philosophy, getting institutional buy-in, and designing and delivering a customized training module for museum staff.

This session will feature activities taking place statewide toward cross-sector collaboration between libraries, archives, museums, and historical societies in digitization and preservation services, with a focus on the specific needs of the museum community. Take part in this group conversation outlining current plans and learn what is needed to bring any size museum or cultural heritage organization on board.

Moderator: Bradley Daigle, Content and Strategic Expert, Alderman Library, University of Virginia Speakers: Nathan Hall, Virginia Tech, University Libraries; Genya O’Gara, Virtual Library of Virginia

Speakers: Joyce Lapsley, Client Solutions Manager Contract Training and Consulting, Community College Workforce Alliance; Brigette Thomas, Manager of Visitor Services, Virginia Museum of Fine Arts

Perspectives on Reaching Millennials by Millennials

Developing a Master Plan

Location: TBD Track: External Relations

Location: TBD Track: Internal Affairs

While beer and wine events can attract millennials, that is only one of many ways to engage what is now the largest living generation. With traditional museum visitors and donors aging, hear from millennials about what they are looking for and how to engage them while staying true to your museum’s mission. Join in the conversatoin with millennial museum professionals from three different types of museums about methods that have worked – and not worked – in attracting this often elusive demographic.

One of the most important steps in long range planning is developing a master plan for your museum. It serves to provide a road map for long term, positive change and can be a key element in developing internal and external support. We’ll discuss the development of master plans in response to changing needs and paradigms in the museum field. Participants will learn tips on the process of developing a long range plan and how to use the planning process as a tool for engagement.

Speakers: Scott Abrams, Floor and Programs Manager, Nauticus; Felicia Lowrance, Education Officer, Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation; Maggie Mitchell, Education Coordinator, National D-Day Memorial Foundation

Speakers: Steven Blashfield, Trustee, Hermitage Museum & Gardens; April Cheek-Messier, President, National D-Day Memorial Foundation; Scott Stroh, Executive Director, George Mason’s Gunston Hall

Uncovering Stories from the Reynolds Homestead Enslaved Community

Exploring Early Learning at History Museums Location: TBD Track: Education and Outreach

Location: TBD Track: Internal Relations Theme: Diversity /Equity /Inclusion

Participants will hear about successes, challenges, and lessons

23 VIRGINIA ASSOCIATION OF MUSEUMS

ANNUAL CONFERENCE 2017

ROANOKE, VIRGINIA

Like many plantation museums, the Reynolds Homestead included little information about the enslaved community in the narrative of Rock Spring Plantation. By contracting historian John Whitfield to conduct research, the Reynolds Homestead was able to develop a more inclusive interpretation of the plantation. This session will provide information on the research conducted and how the Reynolds Homestead is using the information, and working with descendants of the enslaved community, to create a more inclusive narrative.

Moderator: Julie Walters Steele, Director, Reynolds Homestead, Virginia Tech Speakers: Kimble Reynolds, descendant of Kitty Reynolds, who was enslaved at Rock Spring Plantation; Richard Reynolds, lawyer and former Mayor of Martinsville, Virginia; John Whitfield, Historian

12:30pm CONFERENCE ADJOURNS

24