9/11 Memorial & Museum’s Post

What may be most surprising about IDSVA is the strong sense of community, despite the fact that IDSVA is largely a distance-learning program. The intensive residencies are designed to enhance a sense of communal belonging among members of a cohort and their faculty. The shared meals, museum visits, and travels together forge a bond that carries over into the virtual seminars and discussions of the online semesters. To learn more about our program, visit https://lnkd.in/eNb2PMyH #IDSVACommunity #DistanceLearning #IntensiveResidencies #VirtualSeminars #OnlineLearning #ArtEducation #GraduateProgram #CommunityBonding #CohortExperience #HigherEducation

Case study alert! One of the best aspects of the AIM New Stories New Audiences grant programme has been how transformational it's been for smaller museums, in terms of organisational working AND participant outcome: https://lnkd.in/eSt2Cbbq

NYC World Trade Center Visit Depending on your age, you probably have memories of where you were and what you were doing on the morning of 9/11/2001. However, those memories, as is only natural, have probably faded, unless maybe you were actually there that day. I had an opportunity to visit the 9/11 museum last weekend in NYC. And my memoires had in fact faded.  The museum resurrected those memories and all that that event entailed: how individuals responded – whether first responders, people in the buildings, the passengers and crew who made sure flight 93 did not reach its target – the physical destruction and deaths, and so much more. It was so powerful. It is a remarkable remembrance of a terrible time and loss, and a testament to what can be the best (and worst) aspects of humankind. And sadly, the world continues to suffer from some of the worst nature of humankind. However, I strongly encourage everyone who has the opportunity to visit the 9/11 museum, but have not yet done so, to make the visit. Whether you have memories of that day or not. It is well worth it. https://lnkd.in/ef6qWmGA https://lnkd.in/ehYQx_yr (Scroll down for video - a short video w images and voices of the day) https://lnkd.in/euw2fJzN (History Channel reviews the days chronology and events)

Now available for pre-order: "Interpreting Christmas at Museums and Historic Sites," edited by Max van Balgooy and Ken Turnio, and published by Rowman & Littlefield for AASLH. I wrote a chapter for the book, "Not Everyone Celebrates Christmas: Expanding Your Holiday Horizons," which discusses not only Hanukkah, but other faith traditions as well as Christian faith traditions that do not celebrate Christmas as it has come to be observed in the U.S. and Canada. From the back of the book: "Interpreting Christmas at Museums and Historic Sites offers a wide range of perspectives on Christmas and practical guidance for planning, research, interpretation, and programming by board members, staff, and volunteers involved in the management, research, and interpretation at house museums, historic sites, history museums, and historical societies across the United States. Packed with fresh ideas and approaches by nearly two dozen scholars and leaders in this specialized topic, as well as Hanukkah and Kwanzaa, they can easily be adapted for the unique needs of organizations of various budgets and capacities. An extensive bibliography of books and articles published in the last twenty years provides additional resources for research and exploration." https://lnkd.in/e7wHsDQY

In the face of escalating extreme weather events due to climate change, the role of galleries, libraries, archives, and museums (GLAM institutions) is more vital than ever. These cultural institutions are not just places of enrichment; they serve as essential resources and safe havens for communities in times of crisis. As we navigate through these challenging times, let's recognize and support the invaluable services that GLAM institutions provide to help us weather the storm together. https://hubs.ly/Q02C_PyY0 #GLAMinstitutions #CommunityResilience #ClimateChangeAwareness 🌍🌪️📚

Funding Opportunity   Inspire! Grants for Small Museums   Supported by: Institute of Museum and Library Services   Application Deadline: November 15, 2024   Overview:  The Inspire! Grants for Small Museums initiative provides targeted support to small museums across all disciplines. This funding is designed to assist with project-based efforts that enhance public engagement and institutional effectiveness.   Eligible projects may include exhibitions, educational and interpretive programs, digital learning resources, policy development, institutional planning, technology upgrades, professional development, community outreach, audience engagement, and collections management, curation, care, and conservation.   Project Categories:  ·     Lifelong Learning: Initiatives that promote continuous learning opportunities for all ages. ·     Institutional Capacity: Projects that strengthen the museum's ability to operate effectively and sustainably. ·     Collections Stewardship and Access: Efforts focused on the preservation, curation, and accessibility of museum collections.   #PuertoRico #OSFL #ONG #arteycultura #museos #fondosfederales

Which one of these can raise the value of a house by 20-50% within five years if built nearby? 1. Train station 🚉 2. School 🏫 3. Museum 📹 Take a guess, pick one & let’s discuss it! No cheating, just pick one based on the question…. #RealEstate #PropertyValue #TrainStation #HomeValue #CommuteConvenience #PublicTransport #HouseMarket #UrbanLiving #PropertyInvestment #NeighborhoodBoost #williamajacobs #williamajacobsrealtor

In light of the US elections, I wanted to share a few ways on how in the UK, politics and government work / influence community museums and galleries through funding, policy, and local government support. 1. Funding     - National Bodies: Organisations like Arts Council England and the National Lottery Heritage Fund provide essential grants, shaped by government priorities like diversity and social inclusion.   - Local Councils: Local authorities allocate funding but often face budget constraints, which can impact the extent of support for museums. 2. Policy and Community Engagement   - Government policies encourage museums to support education, social cohesion, and mental well-being, often by collaborating with schools and hosting community events.   - Museums may adapt programs to align with broader goals, such as environmental awareness or regional heritage, to secure funding and support. 3. Local Influence and Advocacy     - Political shifts impact funding levels and policy support; councils prioritise resources differently, affecting museum operations.   - Associations like the Museums Association lobby for fair policies and funding, especially to support smaller, independent institutions. 4. Economic Impact   - Museums drive tourism and local economic growth, leading councils to sometimes invest in them as part of economic regeneration efforts. In short, UK government and local councils shape the funding, policies, and community roles of museums, with shifts in political priorities directly influencing museum operations and their ability to serve communities. #art #funding #politics #museums

Museums* don't totally need your money, and that's a problem. Museums don't depend solely on earned revenue (aka ticket sales) to pay the bills, which means it's not always easy for museums to know who they serve and which functions to prioritize.  For example, for a typical art museum 34% is earned revenue the rest is a mix of endowments, philanthropy and government support. A museum like MoMA has $2B+ in net assets so even at a 7% return they have $140M to play with. This business model isn't bad per se - and it's not Blockbuster :) It does mean that knowing who a museum's primary customers is and what to focus on, is often not so clear cut. Is it the visitor?  Is it the mega-donor? Is it education or public engagement or is it scholarship and stewardship? The model works best when these audiences' interests are aligned, but this is not always the case. Thoughts and feedback are welcome. *museums is a VERY broad term, this doesn't apply to science centers or a variety of other museums. Another worthy topic of conversation #museums #museum #experiencedesign

Last week, I attended the Museum Association conference in Leeds. One of the sessions I attended was about the work of the Anti-Racist Wales project where museum practitioners talked about their experiences of working on the project. Here are a few useful take-aways from an interesting presentation that I’ve been thinking about: A collections review can give you a new perspective on what you already hold. Start with familiar or everyday objects. What can you unpick about them to widen their stories? Don’t let the fear of offending people cause paralysis, but do your homework and keep an open mind. Think about your cultural competency. Give lived expertise and experience the credit it deserves but be careful about making assumptions about expertise or interest from community groups - communities are not homogeneous! Widening narratives is core work, it needs time and resource. The project-based nature of how funding is allocated is a challenge, but the real legacy of project funding is a change in practises and approaches. When we look at collections from multiple angles, everyone benefits and we all learn more.