VAM Voice Newsmagazine Winter 2012

Voice

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

Photo courtesy of Scott Smallin.

Who is Rebecca Kamen?

i Technical Insert: STEM Learning & Museums The Executive Mansion & The Year of the Virginia Historic Home

Who is Rebecca Kam Artist, Natural Philosopher, Teacher, Visionary

by Heather Widener

R

ebecca Kamen’s work explores the nexus of art and science.

Her work has been informed by wide ranging research into chemistry, cosmology, spirituality and philosophy. She has also investigated rare books and manuscripts, utilizing these scientific collections as a muse in the creation of her work. Ms. Kamen has exhibited and lectured both nationally and internationally in China, Hong Kong, and Egypt. She has been the recipient of numerous fellowships – including one from the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts - and her work is represented in many private and public collections.

Cover Story

When we talked with Rebecca Kamen, who will deliver the Keynote Address at VAM’s upcoming Annual Conference at The Homestead, we found – very simply – a visionary who uses her art to bring her curiosity about the natural world to life. We discussed art, science, history, and inspiration.

Like many of us, Kamen grew up in a time before the internet, Google, and Wikipedia. Curiosity pulled her into the natural world, and discovery occurred outdoors, walking in nature. “I came into the world full of awe and wonder,” says Kamen. As a young child she explored nature, experimented with chemistry, and once made a telescope with the help of her dad. Her curiosity was insatiable, but school was always a challenge. Only as an adult did Kamen learn that she had dyslexia. Indeed, it almost kept her from being admitted to college. It wasn’t until her parents and her high school principal advocated for her that she was given a probationary admission to Penn State. Enrolling in Art Education, Kamen called the turn of events “life changing.” Soon, the woman who had trouble getting into college found herself getting fellowships to the University of Illinois and Rhode Island School of Design for two graduate degrees.

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Artist Rebecca Kamen. Art Work Information: Illumination © 2011 Acrylic on mylar.

Photo courtesy of Scott Smallin.

Kamen also identified 3 significant museum visits she had as an elementary school child that were pivotal, life-altering experiences: “Seeds for everything I do.”

• Visiting The Franklin Institute in Philadelphia, Kamen was able to go physically

through a space that mimics a human heart – “It was astonishing to me – I had never seen anything like it,” says Kamen.

• As a 5th grader Kamen found herself at the Philadelphia Art Museum – in front of Nude Descending the Staircase (1912, Marcel Duchamp). “It was life-shifting. What’s

men? significant about this painting – which I didn’t realize until years later – is that it really depicts the fourth dimension which is space/time.”

• In 1963, Kamen visited the University of Pennsylvania Museum to see an exhibit on King Tut. “Here are these artifacts,” marveled Kamen, “that had never left Egypt before – for us to observe – there were these little sandals that I can still see in my mind’s eye. It was so interesting to see sandals of a king who probably died at about my age…”

Kamen loves how museums have an ability to connect us in time and place.

“Museums, for me, are like magic carpets – they can take you on these amazing journeys.” And during those journeys, we make connections.

These days Kamen recognizes the benefits of her “learning challenge” – which is in many ways a gift. Kamen learns by making connections. This is how Kamen taught herself about the world. “It’s a gift knowing through associations…. [seeing] relationships has provided a way of creating a nexus between art and science. I think it is my dyslexia that has enabled me to do this. This drew me into the notion of art and science because I’ve always had this insatiable curiosity of the world around me. Science explains [the world] and art enables me to express it.“ Recently working with students in Christiansburg on a project to explore DNA through art, Kamen again used art as an avenue into the world of science:“Before the advent of the word “scientist” in the 19th century, there wasn’t really a separation between art and science. People who investigated the natural world were “natural philosophers” – this is when exciting discovery took place,” explains Kamen. Back then, there weren’t so many constraints, so many “rights,”“wrongs,” and rules.

For example, Kamen has been working with a group of neuroscientists, and will be visiting a Madrid archives to research

the drawings of the man known as the Father of Neuroscience: Santiago Ramón y Cajal. In her research she discovered that Cajal had trained as an artist, but his father required him to become a physician. What Kamen discovered in his drawings was revelatory: “He was able to look at the shadowy forms of histology slides and see some type of invisible truth.” Santiago Ramón y Cajal, along with Camillo Golgi, won the Nobel Prize in 1906.1 Kamen firmly believes that his training as an artist enabled his discoveries – he was able to look at something in one context and use it to create understanding in another context. Indeed, her research has uncovered that every person who has won a Nobel Prize in Chemistry in the U.S. has reportedly had a significant art experience. Great things happen when we begin looking at things through a different lens and stepping out of our comfort zones.

These days, says Kamen, “Science tends to be myopic. Scientists tell me, ‘there’s just too much.’ No one puts the pieces

together. I feel my role, as an artist, is to go into these fields and uncover relationships that connect them. That is how art and creativity can enhance the teaching of science – to reveal relationships.” Kamen feels that, with specialization, we’ve lost the opportunities of serendipity.

Scientists are focused on one small piece of a larger puzzle. It’s hard to step back and see “the whole puzzle.” That is what Kamen sees as her role, and she feels that it is also a perfect role for museums.

We asked Kamen about STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math)2 learning – the latest national educational thrust. What can art add to STEM learning?

Can these really even be separated? “No,” answers Kamen. Science and art intersect.

Art provides students another lens to view science – and therefore understand science – in new ways. “Art is about seeing.

Everyone should take a drawing course because drawing teaches people how to see. Ways of seeing is so significant to how we know things and how we learn.

Continued on page 11.

Divining Nature: An Elemental Garden (Mylar, fiberglass rods). Greater Reston Art Center, Reston, VA, 2009. Photo courtesy of Angie Seckinger.

Note: Sculptures inspired by the orbital patterns of the first 83 naturally occurring elements in the periodic table.

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i

Technical Insert: STEM L

by Heather Widener

What is STEM Learning?

If you’ve never heard of this suddenlyubiquitous acronym, STEM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. Skilled, educated workers with a “STEM” background are in high demand – and will continue to be in high demand – in the U.S. As a result, schools must bolster STEM learning for all 21st century learners:

The fastest-growing fields in the workplace tie directly to STEM. Major U.S. employers are projecting hundreds of job openings in the next 10 years that will be filled with people with a STEM background.2

“safe” environments for exploration and they are places where connections are naturally made. Museums have a great opportunity to create programming that addresses STEM objectives.

How can Museums Integrate STEM into Current Programming?

Technical Insert

Museums do not need to be science or nature-focused to Graduating from high school and interpret their collections through being prepared for postseconda STEM-based lens. Art museums, ary education and careers means historical homes, Civil War battlehaving a solid grounding in the fields, military museums, and areas of science, technology, colonial farms can all interpret engineering, and mathematics their sites and stories through a (STEM). Mastery of mathematscientific lens, or use art to express ics, science, and technology is understanding of the natural A fourth grade student explores cryptography and cipher no longer only for future scienworld (See Who is Rebecca Kacodes at Monticello, in Charlottesville, VA. tists and engineers; it is essential men?, page 2). For example, a historic preparation for all students. The house museum and living history percentage of STEM college graduates farm hosts a program focused around has actually declined in this country over What is a STEM classroom? the tobacco trade in colonial Virginia. the past decade. And while the propor- A STEM classroom promotes inteThis lesson does not need to be only tion of K–12 students who achieve at the grated learning, investigation, and about history. It can be a botany lesson, proficient level or above on the National questioning. A hallmark of such a a geology lesson, a lesson in economAssessment of Educational Progress classroom is an emphasis on design ics, or a lesson in weather and climate.

(NAEP) mathematics exam is increasing, and problem-solving in “intellectuIt is impossible to separate our history achievement gaps between whites and ally messy” learning situations that from its scientific context. Here is an minorities remain. weave together disciplines. Unlike example of this type of cross-curricular rote learning environments, a STEM approach, taken from VAM’s museum America needs to increase the number classroom might pose a problem and educator resource entitled Serving the of students pursuing STEM fields in then require students to do original Community: Training Museum Educators their academic studies and careers, research where they must use technol- to Meet Teacher Needs.4 and improve preparation for the next ogy to gather and analyze data, design, generation of engineers, scientists, test, and improve upon a proposed Tools & Tobacco: Colonial Farms in mathematicians, and technicians. Since solution, and then communicate their Virginia (program ideas for a 4th grade the beginning of the 20th century, aver- findings. 3 field trip) age per capita income in the U.S. has grown more than sevenfold. Science Many of these attributes of a “STEM” Program Description: Students will and technology account for more classroom are, inherently, also atvisit a reconstructed 17th century farm than half of this growth; and current tributes of a museum experience. where living history interpreters will students will graduate into a world Museums are natural places for demonstrate and involve the children defined to an even greater degree by investigation, integration of learning, in blacksmithing, weaving, and harscience and technology.1 and open-ended questioning. They are vesting. Students will understand the

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Learning and Museums

Fifth graders get ready to make scientific observations at the Virginia Living Museum. Photo courtesy of Jody Ullman. importance of agriculture in Virginia’s economy and the role of slavery, as well as the role of money, barter, and credit for a typical Virginia farmer.

While Virginia Standard of Learning (SOL) VS.4 (which covers life in the Virginia colony) remains the program’s core objective, opportunities for crosscurricular correlations abound. This program can easily incorporate the following additional SOLs: Math 4.5, 4.6; Science 4.1, 4.4, 4.5, 4.8; and English: 4.1, 4.3, 4.5. These SOLs cover everything from listening and speaking to equations, estimation, scientific observation, and knowledge of plant life.

(Science 4.1), learning about Virginia’s natural resources (Science 4.8), and studying plant life (Science 4.4 & 4.5). Any of these areas could be expanded upon for deeper learning. For example, students could conduct a soil study, an examination of the parts of a tobacco plant, or an analysis of the profit gained through the cash crop the farm once produced.

So take a look at your museum’s collections, educational mission, and your programs from the viewpoint of STEM. Looking at what your museum has to offer with “new eyes” is a great way to breathe new life into your educational programming and keep pace with the

national focus on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics while staying true to your museum’s core mission. z

References U.S. Department of Education. Supporting Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Education: Reauthorizing the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, accessed on 12/09/12 at http://www2.ed.gov/ policy/elsec/leg/blueprint/faq/supportingstem.pdf.

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SmartBlog on Education. Why Stem? by Brian Nichols, accessed on 11/13/12 at http://smartblogs.com/education/2012/09/19/why-stem/.

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National Governor’s Association: Center for Best Practices. Promoting STEM Education: A Communications Toolkit, page 23, accessed 11/13/12 at http://www.nga.org/files/live/ sites/NGA/files/pdf/0804STEMTOOLKIT.PDF.

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Serving the Community: Training Museum Educators to Meet Teacher Needs is available on cd-rom from VAM. A .pdf version is available on the VAM website.

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In this hypothetical educational program, children are asking and answering questions (English 4.1), and reading information about the farm (English 4.3, 4.5). In learning about the role of money and barter in a farmer’s life, children will perform mathematic A fifth grade student classifies and labels equations and estimation (Mathematics types of rock at the Virginia Living 4.5 & 4.6). In touring the farm and obMuseum. Photo courtesy of Jody Ullman. serving the living history exhibits that include crops typical of a colonial farm, students will be making observations

Winter 2012

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Virginia Association of Mus The Virginia Association of Museums (VAM) is a nonprofit 501c3 educational association made up primarily of individuals who work or volunteer for museums and historic sites in Virginia and the District of Columbia. It was created in 1968 to promote and serve Virginia’s museums by providing training to staff and volunteers, serving as a resource and clearinghouse of information, and advocating on behalf of the museum community. Today, there are over 1,000 museums in Virginia and our association is one of the strongest and most innovative in the country.

Membership

Annual Report

Thankfully the nation’s economic climate improved over this past year, but budgets were still tight in the museum world. It was encouraging that membership was slightly up from last year’s 998 to 1001 during our reporting period; it is also a testament to the value that membership provides. VAM remains the largest and strongest state museum association in the country. Membership included 231 institutional members, 634 people in individual membership categories, and 136 business members.

Members come from throughout the Commonwealth and the District of Columbia, VAM members share a common bond – a and reflect the great diversity in disciplines, passion for museums and a commitment job positions and demographics that are into the work we do. Its members are serious dicative of the larger museum community. about their careers and committed to being VAM represents art museums and galleries, the best stewards possible of the historic history museums, historical houses, historic and cultural resources in their care. VAM sites and battlefields, science museums gives cultural and historic sites in Virginia and discovery centers, children’s museums, and the District of Columbia a forum to voice botanical gardens, arboreta, zoos, natural common concerns, share ideas, learn from history museums, and specialized audience each other, and grow stronger in the process. museums including federal agency museums and military museums.

VAM has taken a leadership role among museum associations and cultural institu- This past year, the Virginia African American tions nationwide. Its interests were served Heritage Museums Network, an affinity during the fiscal year by three full-time group of Virginia museums involved in and two part-time staff (one full-time staff telling the story of the African-American member, and one part-time staff member experience, continued to grow. The group have been funded by the Connecting to established regional councils and held two Connections Statewide Implementation statewide meetings. grant from IMLS), and a governing board of twenty museum professionals from Professional Training throughout the state, representing all types Annual Workshop Series of museums. This report covers the fiscal Professional development and training year for VAM from July 1, 2011 to June 30, for museum staff and volunteers remains 2012. at the core of VAM’s mission. Attendance The fiscal year 2012 saw many triumphs for Virginia museums and for VAM. But the VAM family suffered a tremendous blow with the illness and passing of our president, Joseph Gutierrez, Jr., Senior Director of Museum Operations and Education for the Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation. Joe was the consummate professional throughout his long career as an educator, maritime historian and museum administrator. He was dedicated to the academic and museum fields, serving in a variety of volunteer leadership roles. His expertise, guidance, and friendship will be sorely missed.

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registered an 11% increase over the previous year – an indication that professional training remains vital. A trend we noticed was that more program attendees are in their twenties, holding their first job in a museum, or still looking for that first job.

As has been the case since the recession began, attendees continue to pay for their own professional development. This means more of a hardship for individuals; however it indicates that these professionals remain dedicated to their education.

emergency response training session. All seven full-day workshops were tied to the curriculum elements of the Virginia Certificate in Museum Management, to enable our students to easily earn credit. On average, half of each workshop’s attendees are working on the certificate program.

This year’s first workshop was also the best attended. The topic was Preventive Conservation, and we were treated to a site visit of the new conservation labs at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts and a day of sharing and advice from the museum’s talented conservators. Another art museum, the Fralin Museum of Art at the University of Virginia, hosted our second most popular workshop, Guided Tours in the 21st Century.

Workshops on fundraising, African American interpretation, and working with your local CVB were well received, though had smaller attendance.

We tried two new workshop formats this season, with great success. The first was called Wearing Many Hats and Keeping Your Head. After an inspirational keynote by Walt Heyer, the remainder of the workshop was spent in small groups as participants visited “content experts” to get advice about duties for which they had never been trained. Experts included accountants, gift shop managers, facilities management directors, security managers, marketing directors and more.

Our second new workshop format was called Open Space. Held at the Virginia Historical Society, this workshop asked the participants to take a leap of faith and engage in a way they hadn’t before at a VAM program. Our two facilitators began the day with a very general topic in mind: exhibitions. From there, each discussion or activity shifted the focus of the day to better meet the needs of those attending. It was a format that offered very individual impact.

These new formats were the brainstorm of our standing Workshop Committee. This cross-section of our membership helps us focus on member needs, and enables us to deliver programming to meet those specific We offered eight workshops during FY2012, needs. The group has wonderful ideas, and seven full-day workshops and one half-day has brought new life to our professional development programs.

seums FY 2012 Annual Report Annual Conference The 2012 Annual Conference was held in Newport News, at the Marriott City Center. VAM was excited to be going back to Newport News; we hadn’t held a conference there since our very first - in 1976! As they were back then, the local museums were welcoming and generous. The annual Scholarship Reception was held at the Casemate Museum at Fort Monroe. The folks there were fantastic hosts on Saturday evening! Then, the Local Arrangements Committee put together wonderful evening events at the Virginia War Museum, the Mariners’ Museum, Peninsula Fine Arts Center, the historic houses of Newport News and the new Downing Gross Cultural Arts Center. The one-man play on Nat Turner presented at Downing Gross was phenomenal, and we were still getting comments about it six months later!

As with our workshops, conference attendance was up slightly from FY2011, and we hope to see that trend continue in FY2013.

Virginia Certificate in Museum Management The Virginia Certificate in Museum Management has entered its seventh year. Thanks to our new member interface, students have an online profile of their certificate credits to keep up with their progress. The University of Richmond Institute on Philanthropy has joined the ranks of our cooperating organizations; these offer programs that fulfill program credit, and each sends a representative to our Certificate Review Committee to ensure student projects are well planned out. In the Spring, we were finally able to offer online courses by working with John Tyler Community College. As a part of our Connecting to Collections Statewide Implementation Grant, VAM partnered with John Tyler Community College (JTCC) to offer classes in collections care. The first three week short course was held in April, and it was such a success that we are exploring the idea of adding other, non-collectionsrelated online courses to the John Tyler schedule.

IMLS Connecting to Collections Statewide Implementation Grant Virginia Collections Initiative - Improving Collections Care across the Commonwealth VAM was one of six recipients of a Connect-

ing to Collections Statewide Implementation Grant from the Institute of Museum & Library Services (IMLS) for the 2011-2013 grant timeframe. This grant has enabled VAM to launch the Virginia Collections Initiative (VCI), which advances collections care efforts in Virginia and the District of Columbia that were developed during the Planning Grant phase.

Public Awareness for Collections Increasing awareness and support of collections is a core element of the VCI, and Virginia’s Top 10 Endangered Artifacts is VAM’s primary public outreach program.

Complementing Preservation Virginia’s Most Endangered Historic Sites annual Spring program, the “Top 10” has proven its success in creating recognition of artifacts and archives across Virginia and DC.

ing opportunities through JTCC, and has created a new Technical Assistance Committee to offer advice on improving VAM’s collections care offerings and to review Circuit Riders applications.

Conducted as an introductory museum assessment, the Circuit Riders assisted ten sites in FY2012. The Circuit Riders team (an archivist and collections management professional) visits sites, meets with staff and/or volunteers to discuss a museum’s collections and needs, and provides a personalized report to guide museum staff in collections care.

Circuit Riders Site Visits 2011-2012 Waynesboro Heritage Foundation, Waynesboro Middlesex Museum & Historical Society, Saluda Harrisonburg-Rockingham Historical Society, Harrisonburg Reynolds Homestead, Critz Alexander Mack Memorial Library & Reuel B.Pritchett In its inaugural year, 25 collecting instiMuseum, Bridgewater College, Bridgewater tutions from across Virginia nominated objects for consideration by a Peer Review Belle Grove, Middletown Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library & Museum, Panel of conservators and collections care Staunton experts. Public engagement was created Oatlands, Leesburg through a new website www.vatop10artifacts.org and an online voting “competition,” Alexandria Black History Museum, Alexandria which resulted in nearly 100,000 votes cast, proving that a great level of concern exists Online Training In partnership with JTCC, VAM created for our historic and cultural treasures. online courses on collections care. The 3-week online collections care mini-courses A final tally of 56 press clippings, including two Associated Press stories, promoted included: Collections Care & Storage, Disaster Virginia’s Top 10 Endangered Artifacts pro- Planning and Response, and Marketing & gram across the country in outlets such as Development for Collections. These one Washington Post, Virginia Living Magazine, credit “short courses” provide continuing education to those already working with Virginian Pilot, Richmond Times-Dispatch, collections, while introducing essentials Free-Lance Star, and Roanoke Times, in of collections care to those interested in a addition to out-of-state markets like West related career. Overall, we had 38 students Virginia, Tennessee, Colorado, and Florida. take advantage of these courses.

Heritage Preservation also invited VAM to Disaster Preparedness present at the first Connecting to Collections Conversations Exchange. The Exchange The inexpensive Disaster Lockups workshop brought together grant recipients to discuss series was developed to support collecttheir projects. Our Top 10 project has since in- ing institutions’ emergency preparedness spired the development of Pennsylvania’s Top efforts. They provide professional guidance, an easy-to-use disaster plan template, plus 10 Endangered Artifacts. Additionally, VAM and its marketing partner, ToMarket, received a the undisturbed time to focus on writing 2012 Award of Merit for Community Outreach or revising a plan. We held five ‘Disaster Lockups’ workshops in the 2011-2012 grant from the Virginia Public Relations Awards. timeframe, serving 64 attendees representing 43 collecting sites.

Safety of Collections The VCI has advanced the successful Circuit Riders pilot program, and created online train- These workshops have garnered less at-

Winter 2012

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VAM FY 2012 Annual Report

by Sen. Dick Saslaw in the Senate and by Del. David Bulova in the House of Delegates. We had five teams of museum representatives who paid calls on legislators. We distributed folders with talking points from our “Museums Make It Happen” series, a fact sheet on Virginia museums, and copies of the TimeTravelers Passport Guide to Virginia Museums & Historic Sites.

VCI is also providing support to Virginia’s regional Museum Emergency Support Teams (MESTs). The teams were created to encourage collecting institutions to coordinate local efforts in the case of an emergency.

VAM also joined the Virginia Voluntary Organizations Active in Disasters (VOAD) organization to improve communications with the Virginia Department of Emergency Management and create an increased awareness of the unique needs of collecting institutions in emergency situations.

In other advocacy efforts, VAM continued to send regular Legislative Updates on bills and budget amendments before the state General Assembly, keeping the museum field informed as to the progress of bills and VAM’s website had become stale and lacked budget amendments affecting museums. the functionality and user-friendliness of new technology. When the license came National Level up for renewal on our old AMS database VAM Executive Director Carlock served on system, Council decided to invest in a the Planning Committee for the fourth new membership management system, annual national Museums Advocacy Day, and she and VAM Deputy Director Jennifer including a new website. Staff spent a year Thomas attended the event in Washington, researching options, selecting a system (Affiniscape Members 360), working with DC on February 27-28, 2012. VAM staff atthe website designer, preparing for the tended briefings held on the first day and switch over, training on how to use the new led the Virginia delegation of 21 in visits system, implementing the transition, and to Virginia Senators and Congressmen on the Hill the second day. VAM was a “Partner getting familiar with the various functionalities. Thank you to all who helped us test Organization” for this advocacy effort. the new system and thank you for your In other national advocacy efforts, VAM was patience through our learning curve! involved in alerting the field to threats to In sum, the Virginia Association of Museums funding for the National Endowments for the Arts and Humanities during the Summer continues in its role as a vital leader in the field and provider of quality professional of 2011. development programming and vital services for museums in Virginia and WashingOffice Administration This was a very busy year in the VAM office ton, DC. z with three major undertakings. The launch of the VCI has been previously discussed; in addition, the VAM staff and board worked to relocate the VAM offices and we implemented a new association management system (AMS) with a brand new website.

Impact of Services

Annual Report

VAM is a membership organization for museums and museum staff, but it does not require membership for some services or for program participation. VAM’s database of contacts contains both members and nonmembers who have participated in some way in a VAM program or training. The participation numbers for VAM’s programs and services in FY 2012 are as follows: • Workshops – 276 • Annual Conference – 381 • Certificate Program – 4 graduates in FY 2012; 136 current students enrolled • Circuit Rider – 8 museums or historic sites, 1 archives, 1 library served • Disaster Planning Workshops – 64 attendees • Monthly E-news average readership (i.e., contacts who acutally open the E-newsletter) - over 700 • Monthly average web hits - 5,500

Advocacy State and Local Level VAM held its second Virginia Museum Advocacy Day in Richmond at the General Assembly on January 25, 2012. Invitations were sent to all members of the House of Delegates and Virginia Senate. 27 state legislators attended our breakfast reception, and the staff of 20 other legislators also attended. The museum group was recognized

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were pleased with our offices there, and New Market Corporation couldn’t have been better landlords, we were thrilled when the VMFA invited us to return to the Pauley Center. Staff spent Fall 2011 preparing for the move, packing and organizing, and moved into our new office space on December 28 & 29 (with the assistance of board members and volunteers). We have entered into a partnership with the VMFA to provide services to the statewide art affiliates and staff. If you have not had the opportunity to visit our new offices, we encourage you to come and see us!

tendance than expected. Issues we faced include a hard sell of the subject matter, inability of staff to travel, limited response in areas of sparse populations, and a lack of understanding of the workshop structure and the “lockups” term. Along with an increase in workshop promotion, second year enhancements include rebranding the workshop with a name change to Priority: Disaster Plans.

Many may recall that VAM’s offices were previously located on the campus of the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, from 1989 to 2004 (with a two-year stint hosted by the Valentine Richmond History Center while the VMFA’s Pauley Center was undergoing renovations). We moved to our downtown location in the Venture Richmond building in January of 2004 while the VMFA was building its new addition. Although we

Virginia Association of Museums’ Statement of Financial Position - Modified Cash Basis* June 30, 2012 Assets Current Assets

Cash and cash equivalents Investments, at fair value

$5,518 $111,249

$116,767

Total Assets

Net Assets Unrestricted Temporarily Restricted

$115,211 $1,556

$116,767

Total Net Assets

*Effective July 1, 2011, the Association changed its method of accounting from accrual (GAAP) to the modified cash basis.

FY 2012 Honor Roll of Contributors Platinum

Bronze

Riggs-Ward Design The Design Minds, Inc. Virginia Foundation for the Humanities Virginia Museum of Fine Arts

Blair, Inc. Creative Company Dorfman Museum Figures Ecorite Imaging HealyKohler Design Hollinger Metal Edge Markel Insurance Company OnCell Systems Peninsula Museum Forum StudioAmmons VAM Council

Gold Capitol Exhibit Services, Inc. Cinebar Productions, Inc. Creation Station, LLC Donning Company Publishers Glavé & Holmes Associates Stumpf & Associates Tru-Vue, Inc.

Silver Design 3 / Museum Rails Lynchburg College Dept. of Continuing Education Rudinec & Associates – Request-A-Print Savant Ltd.

Member Patrons Barbara Batson Bruce Boucher Gretchen Bulova Donald Buma Kent Chrisman Bruce Christian Diane Dunkley Lin Ezell Sean T. Fearns Tracy Gillespie

Winter 2012

Joseph Gutierrez Douglas Kent Harvey Page Hayhurst Mike Henry Anna Holloway Judy Ison FrannMarie Jacinto Catherine Jordan Wass Twyla Kitts Mary Lague Melanie Leigh Mathewes Nancy McAdams Melissa A. Mullins Jeanne Niccolls Robin Nicholson William B. Obrochta Robert Orrison Nancy Perry Robin Reed Kym Rice Gary Sandling Al Schweizer Robert C. Vaughan Charlotte Whitted

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What opportunities await you at the #VAM2013 Conference?

Program Updates

by Gary Sandling

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Take advantage of the amazing venue of The Homestead to join your fellow VAM members to explore your career path, explore the power of evaluation, explore the potential of increasing your revenue via retail, and explore how museum roles are undergoing redefinition. All of these topics, and many others, will be part of VAM’s 2013 conference, March 9-12.

This year’s conference theme is “Explore!” The direction you take and the paths you follow are up to you.

Here are some highlights of what is on offer for you at #VAM2013: • Take some STePs: the STePs program, developed by AASLH, is a great tool for benchmarking and determining best practices for small and mid-sized museums. It can be a great first “step” toward accreditation. (Registration and additional fee are required. ) • Mapping your Museum Passion: offered by AAM’s development guru Greg Stevens, this workshop will re-connect you with why you love working in museums and help you

map the path your career will take based on your passion. Particpants will also be sharing the maps they create as part of our crowd-sourced pop-up exhibition, What is Your Passion? (more about that in a moment).

• Explore sustainability for your museum in a session on planned giving on Monday (10 am) and the plenary session on museum funding on Tuesday (9 am).

• Get your fancy dress gown or your tux (maybe a powder blue tux?) and come to the black tie evening dinner on Monday. Or dress as your favorite Downton Abbey character and come anyway.

• Historic house museum aficionados will have plenty to discuss at a Monday forum on “trends, challenges, and opportunities” with THE GUY—Max van Balgooy. If you don’t know Max’s work, read his blog (“Engaging Places”) and plan to attend the lunch discussion and the follow up on Monday. On Monday evening, attend the premier of a documentary on Virginia’s “Year of the Virginia Historic Home,” 2013.

• Create and contribute to our “pop-up exhibition” that highlights why you got into the field and

what you have contributed. We will feature the exhibition, curated by teams, based on things YOU bring to #VAM2013 that explore your museum passion. Why did you enter the field? What have you contributed to it? We will be firing up a Pinterest board for you to see and be inspired by your colleagues and to contribute to. Details on what to bring, how to curate, and what we can learn from our pop up exhibition will be shared via Facebook, Twitter and our very own Pinterest site in the New Year. Stay tuned!

On behalf of the VAM Council, your #VAM2013 Program Committee, and the “Pop-Up Committee,” I look forward to seeing you at The Homestead in March.

Take advantage of Early Bird Registration through February 8, 2013!

Who is Rebecca Kamen?

Artist, Natural Philosopher, Teacher, Visionary

by Heather Widener

...continued from page 3.

Scientists describe the behavior of nature. Scientific phenomena is very dynamic, and challenges scientists to describe science in dynamic ways.” Kamen sees art and creativity as one way to address that challenge. Again, the importance comes back to making connections, for Kamen: “We’re all in the business of creating narratives – stories. Both science and art create narratives about nature. We observe nature. We create a narrative – a compelling one – about nature. The more we can teach students to see connections and relationships – we need to connect people to the things we are teaching them. Art can be a bridge for that. Museums and our educational systems have a unique opportunity in humanity at this time. We have a defining moment to really begin addressing these issues and start changing things.”

Much museum education programming is tuned into the STEM movement. However, what about museums that are not focused on science or nature? Kamen sees museum and archive collections as a muse to create works of art, and as a way to explore what we think we know about science and the world around us. “Museums have an opportunity to re-envision their collections through the eyes of others – who see their collections in new and different ways,” says Kamen. We can learn through playing with ideas – play gives birth to exploration, which gives birth to discovery. Kamen gives us the example of experiencing a fashion exhibit presented through the lens of physics – the physical science behind light and color. “Museums have this incredible opportunity to use their collections to connect us with their relevance.

It goes back to the narrative. It’s all real and it all has to do with us. At age fourteen, Einstein wondered what it would feel like to ride on a wave of light. To connect that real person and his curiosity with today’s learners – museums can use [ideas like this] to connect people with history and science.”

Indeed, Kamen’s work has been all about approaching things from new perspectives. She offers insight into how museum educators can augment their work in the areas of history or science or art by making connections across disciplines. Says Kamen, “We are part of a continuum – museums can create a window and bridge between past, present, and the future. Museums can open up a whole world of opportunity by putting things in new contexts and creating new ways of seeing…” z Society for Neuroscience, 12/01/06 News Release, accessed on 12/08/12 at http://www.sfn.org/index.aspx?pagename=news_120106.

2 Find out more about STEM learning at the STEM Education Coalition’s website, at http://www.stemedcoalition.org/.

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STEM + History?

Find out how STEM Meets History at a session by the same name at the upcoming VAM 2013 Annual Conference. We spoke to Nancy Hayward, chair of that session and the director of educational outreach programs for George Washington’s Mount Vernon Estate. Says Hayward, “Cross-curricular programming, particularly initiatives involving STEM, has tremendous potential to enrich the student experience and to engage them in looking at history through a wider lens. And, the reverse is true as well. We need to demonstrate that science, technology, engineering, and math are inherent in our history. Some very simple examples we can use are architecture, the technology of the 18th century gristmill or even an argand lamp, agriculture and natural resources, the angles of the 16-sided barn. It is an exciting challenge for all of us to find ways to for students to explore new ideas and make connections between the past and our 21st century world. “ Read more about the upcoming session:

STEM Meets History Speakers: Nancy Hayward, Director of Educational Outreach Programs, George Washington’s Mount Vernon Estate, Museum & Gardens; Joyce Matthews, STEM Committee Co-Chairperson, Walt Whitman Middle School, Fairfax County Public Schools; Stacy Hasselbacher, Manager of Educational Outreach Media Productions, Publications, & Learning Ventures, The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation.

Science, Technology, Engineering and Math, or STEM, has become the focus of national attention when discussing the future of education. In our role as adjunct classrooms, it is essential for museums to keep pace with student and teacher needs. STEM programming is a natural fit for Science, Natural History, and Children’s museums but what about history? This session will explore two creative and replicable STEM-based projects that can serve as models for any history museum or historic site to combine learning about science, technology, engineering and math by looking at our history.

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Virginia’s Executive Mansion & The

by Sarah Scarbrough

Member Profile

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uilt in 1813, Virginia’s Executive Mansion is the oldest occupied governor’s residence in the United States. This survivor of war, politics, and changing taste has been a home, office, and a center of official entertaining for governors and their families for almost two centuries. During its history, the Executive Mansion, often referred to as the “Governor’s Mansion,” has been home to fifty-four governors.

There have been two major interior renovations (Swanson and Gilmore Administrations) and one exterior renovation (Baliles Administration).

The Mansion has seen much of our state’s history - with many famous people and VIPs walking through its doors. The first floor was almost destroyed by fire, numerous stories of a ghost have been shared over the years, and it has even hosted three funeral viewings. The families, the children, and their pets come and go, but the history that lives within the walls of the Mansion is rich and all who walk through the doors contribute to the legacy of this incredible symbol of Virginia and American history.

In 2013, Virginia’s Executive Mansion will celebrate its 200th birthday. Like many of Virginia’s historic homes, the past 200 years at the Governor’s Mansion have been rich with history. The anniversary year will be packed with grand celebrations, including a birthday party on Capitol Square with military bands, traditional games and activities. A documentary has been created in partnership with Blue Ridge PBS and Appeal Productions, telling the story of

the families and the life within the walls of the Mansion. The documentary is set to debut over a span of a week in each region of Virginia. The documentary roll out is going to be quite spectacular – starting on Monday, March 11, 2013 at The Homestead during the VAM Annual Conference! Each day the film will debut in a new region until the documentary hits Richmond on Friday, March 15th.

2013 is “Year of the Virginia Historic Home” To celebrate 200 magnificent years at Virginia’s Executive Mansion and to increase awareness of other historic residences in Virginia, the Governor and First Lady have declared 2013 as the “Year of the Virginia Historic Home.” In this year, Virginians and visitors are encouraged to visit the many historic homes throughout the beautiful Commonwealth. Residents are encouraged to look around – they may find that many houses are hidden jewels right around the corner from their homes and places of work. A video highlighting the Year of the Virginia Historic Home and events can be found on the website: www.historicalhomes.virginia.gov.

Virginia Time Travelers: Historic Homes

Virginia’s Executive Mansion

As a part of their 2013 historic homes initiative, Governor and First Lady McDonnell have resurrected the Virginia Time Travelers program with a twist to highlight historic homes throughout Virginia. Join us this year for an exciting adventure back in time!

Virginia has a wealth of historic homes that have drawn visitors from around the country and even from around the world. These

e Year of the Virginia Historic Home historic homes cover history from pre-Colonial times through the Modern era, telling the stories of major events and the people who have left their mark. Become a Historic Homes Time Traveler and walk the halls of these homes that were once inhabited by George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, James Monroe, William Henry Harrison, John Tyler, Zachary Taylor, Woodrow Wilson, and many more famous Virginians.

VAM has been partnering with the Governor’s office to put this special program together, based upon the well-established Virginia TimeTravelers program. The Virginia Time Travelers: Historic Homes program is an excellent educational tool for Virginia students and adults who often overlook the great treasures of our historic homes. It is the Governor and First Lady’s hope that this program will continue to receive support from future administrations.

Currently, the Governor’s office has close to 100 homes participating in the Virginia Time Travelers: Historic Homes initiative. Homes are constantly being added. If you would like your historic home added to the list of participating homes, please email Audrey Trussell at the Executive mansion at Audrey.Trussell@governor.virgnia.gov. z

Resources: • Governor McDonnell’s Press Release: Governor McDonnell Recognizes 2013 as the Year of the Virginia Historic Home – Governor and First Lady McDonnell Shine the Spotlight on Historic Homes around the Commonwealth of Virginia • Visit Virginia’s Year of the Historic Home

website at www.historicalhomes.virginia.gov.

• View the video highlights of the Year of the Historic Home in Virginia • Visit Virginia’s Executive Mansion online or in person. Tours are available

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on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 2 to 4 p.m. (Note: Tour schedule is subject to change without notice, due to the First Family’s schedule). Contact Audrey Trussell at 804.371.2642, option 5, to schedule a tour.

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Museum News in Your VAM News Discount Prescription Cards from VAM Members will notice a new benefit in their packets these days. VAM now offers discount prescription cards to all members!

These cards work with any insurance you may have, whether it be VAM’s Optima Insurance or another. The cards are good for discounts at many participating pharmacies, imaging centers, and lab facilities to save you additional dollars!

Member Kudos The Science Museum of Virginia recently announced that it will receive one of 12 grants from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) and the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation to design a Learning Lab, a new space where young people can connect with mentors and peers, as well as new media and traditional materials to pursue their interests more deeply and connect these new skills to academics, career, and civic engagement.

Inspired by YOUmedia, a teen space at the Chicago Public Library, and innovations in science and technology centers, these labs will help young people move beyond consuming content to making and creating it.

Memorial Library received a generous donation of $4,000 from the Stewart Jones Charitable Trust. This donation will be used in part to support next year’s public programs.

The Barrier Islands Center has produced a new illustrated hardcover children’s book, The Hog Island Sheep in a Twisted Christmas Tale, written by Andrew Barbour and illustrated by Cameron Waff. The book tells a holiday story of the Hog Island Sheep and Amanda, an orphan who lived at the Almshouse for the poor at the Barrier Islands Center.

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Conference 2013 at The Homestead Registration is now open for another fantastic VAM conference - to be held March 9 - 12 at The Homestead in Hot Springs, VA. The Homestead has extended a great room rate of just $95/night for conference attendees - The Mary Morton Parsons Foundation of Richmond has pledged a $250,000 challenge plan to join us! grant in support of gallery exhibits at the American Revolution Museum at Yorktown, Circuit Riders VAM is proud to announce the final recipi- planned to open by late 2016. Work is under ents of Circuit Riders visits for 2012 - 2013. way on the new museum, which will replace the Yorktown Victory Center. The Parsons Circuit Riders is a program of the Virginia Collections Initiative (VCI), which is funded Foundation will match 50 percent of up to $500,000 in gifts from individuals and private by an IMLS Connecting to Collections foundations made through November Statewide Implementation Grant. The selected institutions receive a free collections 2013 for the American Revolution Museum assessment and written evaluation from the at Yorktown galleries.“The grant comes at Circuit Riders team. The team consists of an a crucial time for the new museum,” said archivist and a collections care expert, who Philip G. Emerson, executive director of the Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation, the will perform site visits in the Spring and Virginia state agency that operates Yorktown Summer of 2013. Congratulations!

African-American Historical Soc. of Portsmouth Victory Center and Jamestown Settlement history museums. “The Mary Morton Parsons Danville Historical Society Edith Bolling Wilson Birthplace Museum in Foundation’s commitment to this project helps us move forward with critical elements Wytheville of gallery planning.”

Montgomery Museum & Lewis Miller

The Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) announced the Virginia Living Museum has been awarded Top Honors in Marketing for budgets under $175,000 for its Protect What’s Precious campaign.“This award provides well-deserved national recognition for the creativity and marketing expertise of the staff at the Virginia Living Museum,” said AZA President and CEO Jim Maddy.

MUSENET

The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts (VMFA) was awarded two federal grants from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) recently. In July, VMFA received a Museums for America grant for $150,000 to support the purchase and implementation of a new collections management system (CMS). The CMS, a software package that tracks all artwork-related data in one centralized location, will allow the museum to publish more images of the collection on its website. Additionally, in April, VMFA received a $20,298 grant from IMLS to support a conservation survey of nearly 1400 works on paper associated with its Art Nouveau, Arts & Crafts, and Art Deco collection. The initial Regional Art Center in Christiansburg survey, examining 200 posters as well as In October the Virginia Historical Society’s The Fairfield Foundation in Gloucester Unknown No Longer: A Database of Virginia rare books, portfolios and periodicals, was completed this summer and conservation Slave Names was honored with the C. HerComing in January 2013 treatment of key works will begin in 2014. bert Finch Online Publication Award by the Virginia Museum Advocacy Day will be held Arline Custer Memorial Award Committee January 17, 2013, at the Capitol in Richmond. for the Mid-Atlantic Regional Archives Con- The Museum Assessment Program (MAP) Join us and let your voice be heard! ference. This award honors online publica- announced its latest group of participating museums. MAP helps museums strengthen Workshop: Strategic Planning January 23, tions devoted to the promotion and use of archival materials created by individuals or operations, plan for the future and meet 2013, Wilton House Museum, Richmond. standards through self-study and a consultaSpeakers include: Wallace Stettinius, Strate- institutions in the mid-Atlantic region. tive site visit from an expert peer reviewer. gic Planning Consultant and Walter Heyer, The following museums in Virginia are Between July 1, 2011 and June 30, 2012, Management Consultant. the Virginia Foundation for the Humanities participating in organizational MAPs: awarded $167,000 to support 43 important Disaster Preparedness: Priority Disaster Plans January 28, 2013, Hampton University community-based humanities projects across Virginia. Many museums, and many Library, Hampton.

VAM members, are among the grantees.

Recently the James Monroe Museum and

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* AMA Museum & Alumni House, Fort Defiance * Casemate Museum, Fort Monroe * Hermitage Museum & Gardens, Norfolk * Thomas Jefferson’s Poplar Forest, Forest

Backyard, and Beyond...

The Thomas Jefferson Foundation at Monticello recently installed a Marioff HI-FOG® water mist fire suppression system as part of its ongoing efforts to protect Jefferson’s iconic home.

Hails and Farewells Martha Katz-Hyman has accepted a new position as curator at Yorktown Victory Center. Martha begins work December 26th. Congratulations Martha!

The Taubman Museum of Art will remain open with free general admission under a plan announced recently by a new board of directors led by Nicholas Taubman and Heywood Fralin.

The new board, representing some of the region’s leading business and community leaders, has personally committed to securing the museum’s fiscal future with significant financial contributions.

In addition, a $150,000 contribution from Advance The Virginia Museum of Contemporary Art Auto Parts (founded by the Taubman family) will (MOCA) is one of four museums in the country enable the museum to offer free general admishosting the winners of the Scholastic Art & Writing sion effective immediately.“The Taubman Museum Awards.“ART.WRITE.NOW” is the first-ever traveling of Art is a vital part of the fabric of our community. exhibition showcasing teen-produced, winning Every day, it touches the lives of children, college artwork from the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards. students, art lovers, visitors, fellow cultural institutions and non-profit organizations throughout the Sweet Briar’s historic 19th-century slave cabin Roanoke Valley and beyond,” said Taubman, the is open to visitors for self-guided tours. Current new board chairman. research suggests that the cabin was built during the antebellum period to house enslaved laborers, Stratford Hall recently launched “Securing A who lived in dozens of similar dwellings on the Place for the Past,” a $17 million comprehenSweet Briar Plantation. This cabin, located behind sive campaign. The campaign will include furSweet Briar House, is the only one that survives. ther restoration to Stratford Hall’s great house A number of artworks were acquired in Septem- and gardens, a newly expanded Visitor Center, new electronic based tours, new entrance gate ber 2012 by the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts.

VMFA is a state agency and a model public/pri- house, endowment funding as well as providvate partnership. All works of art are purchased ing road and trail improvements. The campaign with private funds from dedicated endowments. has already raised $10.1 million of its $17 milAfter the VMFA Board of Trustees approves pro- lion goal. “We are excited about the impact this posed acquisitions on a quarterly basis, the art campaign will have for the future of Stratford becomes the property of the Commonwealth of Hall and its visitors,” said Custis Glover, Robert E. Virginia to protect, preserve, and interpret. See Lee Memorial Associaton Board President, and Lee family descendant. the complete listing of acquisitions.

The Virginia Historical Society recently welcomed two new staff members. Claire Hope, who holds a master’s degree in history from Virginia Commonwealth University, has joined the VHS as project archivist. Additionally, Edward “Tony” Walters is the new VHS Library Clerk. Tony graduated in May 2012 from the College of William and Mary. While there he majored in history and environmental policy.

Member News University of Mary Washington historic preservation students are using technology to document changes over time at the Belmont caretaker’s cottage. The students substantiated nearly everything Belmont’s Site Preservation Manager, Beate Jensen, had thought about the structure.

Namely, that the building was constructed in the 1840s and at some time the roof was raised to create a second story. Jensen also believes that the structure was originally a slave quarters and was converted into a home for Belmont’s caretaker’s family after the Civil War.

StudioAmmons (a VAM business member) is currently moving forward with the design of the permanent exhibits for the Robert Russa Moton Museum in Farmville as the National Center for Civil Rights in Education in Virginia. StudioAmmons completed work on the building restoration earlier this year. The building and auditorium, a designated National Landmark, has been restored to its 1951 period when the 16-year-old Barbara Johns gave the speech to the student body calling for them to strike for better school conditions. This student strike led to the court case Davis v. Prince Edward County which became one of the five cases that made up Brown v. Board, which led to the eventual desegregation of our nation’s public school system. Permanent exhibits are planned for completion in May of 2013.

From the Museum of the Confederacy: Nine of the entire set of 31 paintings of the harbor and defenses of Charleston, South Carolina,

by Confederate soldier Conrad Wise Chapman and acquired by the Museum of the Confederacy from the artist, are to be on display in the exhibition “The Civil War and American Art,” presented by the Smithsonian American Art Museum. This exhibition, organized by Eleanor Jones Harvey, senior curator, also contains paintings by Winslow Homer, Eastman Johnson, Frederic Church, and Sanford Gifford.

The Valentine Richmond History Center recently hosted the Richmond History Makers Celebration. Honored this year were John C. Purnell, Jr., Dr. Charles Price, Homeward, Dominic Gibbons Barrett and Ralph White.

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From Gari Melchers Home and Studio at Belmont: Junior Julia Wood, a History and Geography major at the University of Mary Washington, is working with Site Preservation Manager Beate Jensen to continue the work of documenting and mapping the various parcels of land belonging to the Melchers and the Ficklen family in ArcGIS database, creating digital maps and plats of the estate.

Julie Westhafer Basic and Carter S. Sonders, both of Williamsburg, have assumed new leadership roles in the development office of the Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation, which operates Jamestown Settlement and Yorktown Victory Center history museums. Ms. Basic has been appointed senior director of development, and Ms. Sonders has been named director of principal gifts.

The Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond has hired Gary Richardson as the Federal Reserve System Historian. This new position was established in connection with the upcoming Centennial. The Federal Reserve System will mark its 100th anniversary in December 2013.

Gari Melchers Home and Studio at Belmont, in Falmouth, VA recently announced the addition of two docents to its staff roster. VAM would like to extend a warm welcome to Jen Rowe and Barbara Pixley!

The James Monroe Museum announced two Bowley Scholars this year - Candice Roland and Sarah Mendelsohn. This year, the Bowleys will be working on digital imaging of collections, loan organization, education, and exhibit development.

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Director’s Corner institutions, stewards of heritage and culture, and economic engines in tourism and business development.

Dear Members, I suspect you are as sick of politics as I am after this past election year. Nothing like misleading negative attacks to take the joy out of the democratic process! But now that campaigning is over, it’s time for elected officials to start concentrating on governing.

It’s also time for the rest of us to get involved. In order to govern in a democratic system, our elected officials need instructions from their constituents (that’s all of us). With the Commonwealth’s General Assembly getting ready to convene on January 12, now is the time to plan for museum advocacy and get some valuable experience in promoting your museum.

Our third annual Virginia Museum Advocacy Day will be held Thursday, January 17, 2013. Organized by the Virginia Association of Museums on behalf of museums and historic sites throughout Virginia, it is an opportunity to talk to Virginia’s delegates and senators about the importance of museums. Museums serve their communities as vital educational

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

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.

Plan now to be in Richmond on January 17 for a full day O u r Co nt ac ts of activities. We will Phone: 804. 358.3170 meet at 9:00am in Fax: 804. 358.3174 Room 405 of the www.vamuseums.org membership@vamuseums.org General Assembly mcarlock@vamuseums.org building (corner of jthomas@vamuseums.org Broad St. and 9th St.) timetravelers@vamuseums.org hwidener@vamuseums.org – which is the office O u r News D eadlin es of Del. David BuSpring: February 15th lova (Fairfax) – then Summer: May 15th Fall: August 15th move to the 5th floor Winter: November 15th conference room for Our Mission breakfast with legislaThe mission of the Virginia Association tors and their staff at of Museums is to serve as the resource 9:30am. Last year we O u r St a f f network of the Virginia and District had a great turnout Executive Director, Margo Carlock of Columbia museum community Deputy Director, Jennifer Thomas through education, technical assisof legislators – 27 Communications Dir., Heather Widener tance, and advocacy. attended in person Accountant, Su Thongpan and many more sent Project Manager, VCI, Christina Newton their aides (the real gatekeepers!). It is an informal meet- See you at the Capitol! and-greet that will last until 11:30am.

Following the breakfast we will go Sincerely, to the State Capitol to be recognized in the House and the Senate, and then we will participate in group meetings to individual legislators.

Margo Carlock, Executive Director There is no cost to participate, and we Virginia Association of Museums would love to have you join us! We will have talking points for you, and if you are not comfortable in a speaking role we will partner you with a seasoned advocacy vet. It’s a great opportunity to learn about advocacy and get some experience. To RSVP or to get further information, contact me at mcarlock@vamuseums.org.

Margo

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