Hi Kim:
I don't have any answers to your questions per se, but many members of this
list are probably aware of the recent merger between the Historical Society
of Pennsylvania and the Balch Institute for Ethnic Studies.
A phone call to the people involved in putting the collaboration together
would probably be quite informative.
Best,
Nick Ciotola
Historical Society of Western Pennsylvania
-----Original Message-----
From: Kimberly Kenney [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Monday, December 30, 2002 2:59 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Collaborations between "traditional" historical societies and
Minority Cultural Centers
Hello,
My Director asked me to put this question out there to
help us iron out some details about a proposed
collaboration.
Has anyone out there added a Minority Cultural Center
to an already existing Historical Society? If so, do
you share staff, space, Boards, budgets, etc.? Or are
you completely separate?
Some background...
For some time the local African-American community has
been meeting to form an African-American Cultural
Center and Museum. They have achieved 501c3 status,
and are now moving ahead with plans to construct or
retro-fit a building. Our Director is on their Board,
and she suggested some time ago that what they were
doing is essentially what we are doing, with a
different focus. She proposed that they build their
museum on our property and become part of our complex,
which includes our museum building, the McKinley
National Memorial (where the President is entombed)
and 2 houses (one is slated for demolition, the other
is a rental property that is currently inhabited by
our Facilities Manager).
We are having trouble figuring out what will work for
both parties involved. Everyone is divided about some
key points, such as:
Will each museum have its own staff? its own budget?
its own Board?
Should a separate admission be charged?
What positions can be shared?
What facilities can be shared?
Should the new Cultural Center be another component of
the already exisiting Museum? (there are currently
multiple functions under one roof -- including a
science center, history floor, national memorial,
research library, and planetarium)
Does each part need its own Curator? its own
Education Department? its own core of volunteers?
Should the buildings be connected if they are truly
two separate entities? Or should they be two separate
facilities, with perhaps a combination ticket
available for those who want to see both?
* * *
Basically, we're wondering if anyone out there has
already been through this and has some advice for us,
what worked well for them and what didn't. This group
has been meeting for at least 4 years, and we are at a
point where some important decisions need to be made
before we can move ahead.
Any stories you can share would be greatly
appreciated!
Thank you,
Kim Kenney
=====
Kimberly A. Kenney, Curator
McKinley Museum
800 McKinley Monument Dr. NW
Canton OH 44708
330-455-7043
"IT'S MUSIC TO MY EARS" on view through February 23, 2003
McKinley Day - January 25, 2003
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