We recently completed a survey asking this same question as part of our 
long-range plan and we asked EVERYONE! Stake holders, board members and 
visitors. We're really paying attention to the visitors to our facility and 
have also done a study of who is underserved in our community and talking to 
them to find out WHY they don't come the Museum. It's a lot of work, but we 
have some interesting information out of the study.

Diane

Diane Hutsell
Executive Director
McMinn County Living Heritage Museum
PO Box 889
Athens, TN 37303
www.livingheritagemuseum.com
[log in to unmask]


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Shannon Lindridge" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Wednesday, December 05, 2007 1:12 PM
Subject: [MUSEUM-L] Exhibits and programming development


I am heading the development of a five year strategic plan for our
exhibits/programming and I would like to know what methods institutions use 
in
seeking out exhibit ideas, and the methods used in determining which of 
those
ideas become future exhibits and/or programs. (Financial contrants 
aside..lets
say you have the $$$)

Are historical museums looking to their stakeholders, such as advisory 
boards,
visitors, donors and/or under represented members of the community for
ideas? Or, are ideas for exhibits/programming coming from within the
organization and followed through b/c the institution thinks these are the
exhibits/programs our stakeholders are interested in?

I would be interested in seeing any documentation/forms, via attachments,
relating to this topic.  Please send them to my email address:
[log in to unmask]

Thanks, Shannon Lindridge
Collections Manager and Exhibits Coordinator
The History Center in Tompkins COunty
401 East State Street
Ithaca, Ny 14850

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