Yes, you missed something.





William Snead

Duke University

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04/01/2005 03:15 PM

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Re: Who goes to Museums anyway?













And what does this mean? 

 

It turns out that Joe Public doesn't go to museums. 

Joe Public goes to Community Colleges... 

...in between jobs and kids and rents and car payments and bill 

collectors... 

...as s/he tries to better her/his own life options and employability. 

It is clear that many of on this list are the person above. Prior to 

university I attended a community college (as well lectured at an 

outstanding one for years.) There are many intellectual, and highly 

sophisticated (if not economically smart) people going to community 

colleges and saving thousands in the process. And it was during my time 

there that we attended many museum exhibitions. Am I missing something 

with the statement clipped above? because that line to me seems entirely 

out of line. 

 

 

----- Original Message ----- 

From: Janice Klein 

To: [log in to unmask] 

Sent: Friday, April 01, 2005 2:15 PM

Subject: Re: [MUSEUM-L] Who goes to Museums anyway?



I'm going to add my $.02 by suggesting that the best way to get Joe Public 

(or in our case the Public family) in to museums is to offer a regular 

wide range of programs.   We do at least two public programs a month (free 

with museum admission), as well as a monthly Book Club and a twice monthly 

Saturday Kids Craft Morning (which converts to three weekday mornings 

during July and August).   We offer a small honorarium for each outside 

speaker or demonstrator  ($150 flat fee).  The Craft mornings are done by 

staff and volunteers.  Our state Humanities Council offers "mini-grants" 

of $2,000 which we have drawn on several times over the last few years to 

cover the cost of up to 10 programs based on a single theme -- often 

related to our temporary exhibit (two a year, created in-house).  We also 

have a Craft Room which has materials for basic crafts (beaded necklaces 

or key chains, dreamcatchers and gods eyes) are out all the time (funding 

for this comes from a few small donations from area service organizations, 

like Kiwanis).

 

I'd be interested to hear others opinions on the value of programming vs 

exhibits/education/entertainment to get the Publics in the door.

 

janice

 

Janice Klein

Director, Mitchell Museum of the American Indian

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www.mitchellmuseum.org

 

-----Original Message-----

From: Museum discussion list [mailto:[log in to unmask]]On 

Behalf Of Diane Peapus

Sent: Friday, April 01, 2005 12:10 PM

To: [log in to unmask]

Subject: Who goes to Museums anyway?... Was: One can get a job





Claudia wrote: 

>During my museum â€oehiatus” I worked as a supermarket cashier (we 

still had to eat), 

> and I can tell you that I no longer believe museums (many) reach all of 

the public. 



You bring up a good point. 



After leaving the Museum of the Earth, I've been adjunct teaching at a 

variety of 

community and non-research 4 year colleges. My degree allowed me to avoid 

the supermarket check-out and introduce some non-traditional 

experiential-based 

museum pedagogy to the classroom. 



But I've gotten a lesson in "Joe Public" during this work. 



(Which makes me a far superior candidate for your Dir of Edu position if 

any 

of you out there want to hire me!! ;-) ) 



It turns out that Joe Public doesn't go to museums. 

Joe Public goes to Community Colleges... 

...in between jobs and kids and rents and car payments and bill 

collectors... 

...as s/he tries to better her/his own life options and employability. 



When I do get back into a museum... I'll certainly have a whole 'nother 

line of 

thinking about how to get Joe Public in the doors. 



have fun 

diane 

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