February 15, 2022

By Karin Hostetter

Collections are generally at the core of why our museum exists. From the collections, grow research and education. The most successful museums have all of these united under a mission statement. Education offerings highlight what is unique about the collection and support the mission statement. We expect our education programs, no matter to which type of program we refer, to "…nurture awareness, appreciation, understanding, and attitudes of stewardship. We expect our program to change and enhance people’s lives, address … issues, and improve the world!" (ANCA: 5).

To do this, the mission statement must be obvious. It must be at the center of strategic, marketing and business plans as well as publications, management style and business practices. Education "program design should always begin with reflection upon the mission and what piece of that mission a particular program will support." (ANCA: 5).

So where does education fit into your museum’s mission?

Besides a mission, each museum must know what makes it unique and special compared with other museums of the same type. What makes one natural history museum different from another? How is one Civil War museum different from all the others? What will a visitor learn at this art museum that is not covered at others? If visitors are not sure they will learn something at a museum that they could not learn at every other museum, then there is no reason to visit. The education programs should enhance this uniqueness at every opportunity.

Museums routinely are challenged with allocating limited financial, time and staff resources to education programs. Comparing each program to the museum’s mission and to its uniqueness makes a good yardstick for helping to decide which programs to cut. A website that reaches beyond the walls of the museum, is updated frequently with new research results reflecting the uniqueness of the museum collections and encourages the user to respond with questions might be a better use of staff time and salary than creating a showcase of items from the collection. The question should be which serves the mission best and highlights the museum’s uniqueness.

The process of creating education programs is among the most essential. It’s likewise the most difficult and often is skipped. Goals and objectives focus the content of the education program as well as provide the foundation for evaluation.

Different explanations and definitions of goals and objectives exist. As a leader and professional organization in the field of natural and cultural interpretation, the process used by the National Association for Interpretation (www.interpnet.com) guides this discussion. The goal is the big idea or dream of the program. It often includes words like understand, know, learn, care about, realize, etc. The objective is how to tell if the goal was accomplished. The objective must be measurable (contain numbers). Since our programs are for the visitor, goals and objectives are more effective if they are designed for how we want the visitor to grow.

Excerpt from MS236 Education in Museums starting April 4, 2022

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April Courses           

April 18 to 29, 2022

Instructor: Elizabeth Burton

Description:

Whenever an object leaves or enters your museum, it should have a dated condition report completed. A condition report is so much more than "good" or "poor." Learn about different types of condition reports, what is essential and what is optional information in each, the function of a condition report, and how to use an online condition assessment tool.

MS202: Museum Storage Facilities and Furniture

April 4 to 29, 2022

Instructor: Laura Elliff Cruz

If you are building a new storage facility or retrofitting an old one, this course provides the blueprint for how to approach architects and engineers as well as redesigning your facility yourself. The course covers the philosophy of storage, the construction requirements, security, fire and water prevention, types of furniture, and how to plan for collections growth.

The course will start with a refresher on the agents of deterioration and environmental issues to assure that the students have a common base to begin.

After this introduction, topics include determining storage and defining space, architectural design considerations and issues such as lighting, security and planning. We will discuss general information about storage furniture types and storage materials, how to modify existing cabinets and information on homemade storage systems. The last section includes specific information from a variety of vendors, specifics on writing a Request for Proposal (RFP), and what to consider when making a decision on a furniture type and vendor.

The instructor will add readings and other information depending upon the students and their individual institutional problems and concerns.

MS 214: Collections Management Databases

April 4 to 29, 2022

Instructor: Sarah Kapellusch

A collection database is a necessary tool for accurate and efficient collections management. In Collection Management Databases you will learn what characteristics distinguish one database system from another; how a database can be used to manage inventory, conservation, pest management, and other aspects of collections management; as well as how to prepare your collection and documentation for entry into a database.

April 4 to May 6, 2022

Instructor: Diana Komejan

Outdoor sculpture, silver tea service, gold jewelry, axe head, wheel rim - metals are found in most museum collections and may be stored or displayed indoor or outdoors depending on the object. Learn how to identify different types of metal and their alloys. Gain an understanding of how and why metals deteriorate and methods for preventing deterioration from occurring or continuing. The pros and cons of different popular treatments will be covered along with recommendations for the least damaging approach to treatment. Care of Metals provides a simplified explanation of the chemistry and structure of metals, explaining the importance of the galvanic series and electrochemistry in care strategies. Starting with an overview of the history and function of metals and how they are made, the course will cover guidelines for handling, labeling, exhibiting and storing metals. An overview of treatments, including cleaning, used on metals and how appropriate they are for the long-term preservation of the metal object will help students make care decisions when consulting with conservators.

April 4 to 29, 2022  

Instructor: Karin Hostetter

The world of museum education is as varied as the imagination. From school field trips to online blogs, from 2-year-olds to senior citizens, and from formal programs to volunteering, it is all part of the educational delivery system of a museum. In Education in Museums, survey the education programs offered at your site. Determine what exhibits and collections need better representation through education. Develop a long term plan of education program development for your site that you can use to improve services to your community.

MS 211: Preservation Environments

May 2 to June 10, 2022

Instructor: Ernest Conrad

Description:

The museum's brick exterior wall is crumbling. The powder coated metal storage shelves have active rust under the foam padding. Objects in fur storage are covered in mold. It is raining in the exhibit hall. This is the damage that occurs to museum buildings or collection when staff do not understand preservation environments. Preservation Environments is essential knowledge for any collecting institution. Everyone should understand how humidity and temperature are controlled by a building and its mechanical system. For museum staff considering a new building - and any institution planning to expand or rebuild an existing one - Preservation Environments provide important information for calculating whether the proposed improvements will actually improve the environmental control of your protective enclosure. Participants learn the advantages and disadvantages of numerous methods of temperature and humidity control. Preservation Environments does not try to turn museum professionals into engineers. Rather, it arms them with the knowledge they need to work with engineers and maintenance professionals. And helps explain why damaged occurred and how to keep it from happening again.

MS 212: Care of Textiles

May 2 to 27, 2022

Instructor: Ann Coppinger

Description:

Caring for textiles demands an understanding of how and why they deteriorate. This course offers a simplified explanation of the origin and structure of textile fibers as well as the finished textile object; be it either a piece of whole cloth or a finished garment. Care of Textiles teaches students to identify fibers, fabric structures and finishes, write condition reports, and understand the agents of deterioration that are harmful to various fabrics both in storage on exhibit. Topics include preparing textiles for storage and exhibit, the use of archival materials with textiles, and three dimensional supports.

May 2 to 27, 2022

Instructor: Diana Komejan

Description:

Caring for furniture and wood artifacts demands an understanding of how and why wood deteriorates. This course offers a simplified explanation of the chemistry and structure of wood as well as the finished wooden object; be it either a totem pole, plow or a French polished table. Care of Furniture and Wood Artifacts teaches students to identify woods, finishes and furniture styles, write condition reports, and understand the agents of deterioration that are harmful to wood both in storage and on exhibit. Topics include preparing wood artifacts for storage and exhibit, the use of archival materials with wood artifacts, housekeeping techniques for furniture and large objects on open display, basic repairs and three dimensional supports for storage or exhibit.

MS270: Planning and Designing Interpretive Panels

Instructor: John Veverka

Description:

The Planning, design and text copy development for interpretive panels is a practical “how to do it” course to develop updated or new interpretive panels for heritage sites, historic homes, natural areas, zoos, and other related sites. Panels are the most widely use interpretive media, world-wide, to quickly present a message or story to site visitors in a memorable fashion. We will look at the interpretive planning process, interpretive design concerns, interpretive text writing for panels, panel fabrication materials, panel pre-testing evaluation, and even how to write a RFP (request for proposal) to have your panels fabricated. This is an important course for any interpretive staff member, planner, designer or manager.

If you would like to submit an article, notice of an organizational meeting or upcoming workshop for an upcoming Collections Caretaker Newsletter, send your submission to [email protected]. 

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Northern States Conservation Center (NSCC) provides training, collection care, preservation and conservation treatment services. NSCC offers online museum studies classes at museumclasses.org in Collections Management & Care, Museum Administration & Management, Exhibit Practices and Museum Facilities Management.

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