Margaret, hi. Finding your query many months later, so you may no longer
need this feedback, but here goes.

We started a museum exhibits committee last spring, mostly so we could
decide what 2 to 3 new exhibits we would create for the coming 2.5 years
that would culminate with our town's 350th anniversary. I am currently the
part-time paid curator (after many years as the volunteer curator) and had
been designing and mounting exhibits in the past with a handful of
volunteers, a part-time assistant and one other board member. For the
exhibits committee, I invited 2 board members who know the town well and
the collection somewhat, and two community members who are interested in
history and the museum (one an architect, one an artist). They are all
smart, creative people who bring different perspectives. By having the
committee, it forced me (and us) to think more broadly about what topics
were important enough to our mission and the town's history to be included
in this high-profile time, but also have the best shot at being engaging
for existing and new audiences.

In some cases, the committee members suggested great topics that would not
have occurred to me. They also had lots of ideas about possible titles, who
to talk to, where to go for additional items that could be loaned for the
exhibit, and in many cases had pertinent items they loaned themselves. I
gave them the option to work on exhibits as much or as little as they
wanted, but trying to play to their strengths and interests. I had to make
some hard choices as we went along, realizing three exhibits a year was too
ambitious for the time and resources available. So the buck still stops
with the curator and the Board, but the museum exhibits committee has made
the process easier, and the exhibits better.

best,
--Kathie


Kathie Gow

Curator, Hatfield Historical Museum     hatfieldhistory.weebly.com

Oral History Producer     wordspicturesstories.com


On Tue, Jul 31, 2018 at 2:35 PM Margaret Bullock <
[log in to unmask]> wrote:

> Dear colleagues,
>
>
>
> We are exploring the idea of an exhibition committee and would love to
> hear how and why other institutions have organized them, pros and cons, and
> whatever else you’re willing to share.
>
>
>
> Thank you in advance for your help. If you’d like to respond off-list my
> email is [log in to unmask]
>
>
>
> Margaret Bullock
>
>
>
> *Margaret Bullock*
>
> Curator of Collections and Special Exhibitions
>
>
>
> *TACOMA ART MUSEUM*
>
> 1701 Pacific Avenue, Tacoma, WA 98402
>
> T: 253-272-4258 x3019
>
>
> TacomaArtMuseum.org <http://www.tacomaartmuseum.org/>
>
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> <http://i.instagram.com/tacomaartmuseum/>, and Twitter
> <https://twitter.com/TacomaArtMuseum>
>
> *Connecting people through art.*
>
>
>
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