On Thu, 30 Nov 1995, Joseph M Ruggiero wrote:
> Let's keep in mind our primary purpose for being in existance.
> Both schools and museums are institutions organized to inspire, and maybe
> educate, individuals. Therefore, in my view we do not exist to serve the
> needs of schools, but our visitors.
I would be interested to read the mission statement of your organization.
Does it really state that education is only a secondary reason for
existence? Who are your visitors, if not the students at your university?
We at the Ackland Art Museum have been wrestling with these issues for
nearly a year. For most of our museum's existence we, too, fostered the
"temple of contemplation" image. These can be dangerous times to appear
so remote, however, and so we are working to become more of an academic
necessity and less of an academic frill. After identifying university
students and faculty as a significant part of our target audience we have
gone to some length to strengthen relationships with various faculty
members. We now work in consultation with professors from many
disciplines to create at least one exhibition a semester which is closely
tied to a seminar or lecture class, we have an active student docent
program, and curricula-based tours have increased our student visitorship
dramatically. All of this helps us to fulfill our mission ("To educate
and delight using original works of art") and helps make the museum a
vital academic resource.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Anne Fuhrman Douglas email: [log in to unmask]
Registrar phone: 919-966-5736
Ackland Art Museum fax: 919-966-1400
The University of North Carolina
Campus Box 3400
Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3400
U.S.A.
On Thu, 30 Nov 1995, Joseph M Ruggiero wrote:
> Dear Joe,
>
> We are part of the University of Arizona in Tucson. For many years -
> maybe still - students would take certain astronomy courses in our
> planetarium. Instructors would also give assignments that would require
> use of some of our exhibits; solar spectrum and antique instruments for
> example.
>
> Since I arrived here, about 4 years ago, we have been re-doing our exhibit
> offerings. Many of the old exhibits are no longer here. Still, I find
> students are being given assignments on these exhibits which tells me
> that the instructor has not been in for some time.
>
> As of now there are no official channels for communication between our
> exhibit program and various course requirements. I'm not really sure I
> want any. I don't think that our exhibits should be built to meet the
> needs of instructors or their courses. And I certainly do not want to be
> directed by say, the school of sciences to build any specific exhibits.
>
> Let's keep in mind our primary purpose for being in existance.
> Both schools and museums are institutions organized to inspire, and maybe
> educate, individuals. Therefore, in my view we do not exist to serve the
> needs of schools, but our visitors.
>
> Joe Ruggiero
> Associate Director / Exhibits
> Flandrau Science Center
> Unversity of Az, Tucson
>
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