Children's museums are one type of museum well known for very strong
programming. In A New Place for Learning, author Sheila Grinnell comments
that programs "accomplish mission-related goals that exhibits cannot." For
the next issue of Hand to Hand, a quarterly publication of the Association of
Youth Museums, I am interested in hearing from children's museums not only on
their range of programming but specifically on how their programs extend or
contribute to the informal learning that goes on in museums.
On-site programs:
* Elaborate on exhibit content and add "spin" to an exhibit by offering a
variety of interpretations or suggesting new paths of content exploration for
visitors. Also can offer different age-appropriate levels of interpretation
OR an approach where families can enjoy the same exhibit togther.
* Expand the audience and help visitors get a toe-hold on exhibit subjects or
just feel more comfortable being in a museum. They can provide orientation to
an exhibit or offer a little jumpstart on accessing information.
* Can also serve as important traffic-builders, income-producers for a
museum.
Off-site programs:
* Can reach target audiences unfamiliar or uncomfortable with museums. Can
deliver programs to people who may not visit on their own and provide
approaches to learning traditionally unavailable in their own schools or
communities. Can offer real learning successes.
* Reinforce the idea of the museum as one of many community resources.

I'd like to hear about:
* Terrific programs -  and duds.
* How you train education staff, your front-line, to make a subject come
alive and how you hire the right people in the first place.
* How you become a serious educational partner with your local school system
(or other community groups) and strategies for working with them.
* Your experiences with advisory boards and tapping resources available
within your community.
* Bottom-line decisions and the program/mission balance
* How you get Education/Programs and Exhibits to work together.
* Programs you'd love to do or great programs you've seen elsewhere and would
love to know more about.

Respond with shining examples of any of the above or any other thoughts on
the subject.

Thank you and sorry for the cross-posting.
Mary Maher, editor
Hand to Hand
609 East Market Street, Suite 102A
Charlottesville, VA 22902
804 295-7603
Fax 804 295-5045