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/> > > Facebook <https://www.facebook.com/TacomaArtMuseum>, Instagram > <http://i.instagram.com/tacomaartmuseum/>, and Twitter > <https://twitter.com/TacomaArtMuseum> > > *Connecting people through art.* > > > > ------------------------------ > > To unsubscribe from the MUSEUM-L list, click the following link: > http://home.ease.lsoft.com/scripts/wa-HOME.exe?SUBED1=MUSEUM-L&A=1 > ========================================================= Important Subscriber Information: The Museum-L FAQ file is located at http://www.finalchapter.com/museum-l-faq/ . You may obtain detailed information about the listserv commands by sending a one line e-mail message to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read "help" (without the quotes). If you decide to leave Museum-L, please send a one line e-mail message to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read "Signoff Museum-L" (without the quotes).