Center for Museum Studies
Smithsonian Institution
Workshop Series
INTRODUCTION TO CREATING MUSEUM EXHIBITIONS
April 15 - 19, 1996
Application Deadline: February 16, 1996
Exhibitions can be one of the most exciting ways to give
voice and vision to a community's sense of itself. The process of
planning exhibitions can develop in ways which promote and foster
on-going dialogue between the museum and the public. Successful
exhibitions are the result of thoughtful conception, sensitive
planning, and more frequently, direct community involvement.
Effective management of the process rather than large amounts of
money is the key to achieving institutional goals.
Workshop Objectives
Participants can expect to learn:
| about the stages in the exhibition development process, the
issues that arise, and the products that result at each
phase
| how to research information and develop productive
partnerships with community members
| how to manage the flow of work and the budget
| how to identify and secure needed materials and expertise
| how to design a scale drawing for an exhibition
| how to design a simple exhibition case or panel
Application Deadline - February 16, 1996
Workshop Content
The Workshop Series curriculum is linked directly to issues
faced by people working in small, emerging, culturally specific,
and rural museums. Introduction to Creating Museum Exhibitions
focuses on helping staff understand the role of exhibitions in
museums and the responsibilities of an exhibition project
manager. Topics will cover the key components of the exhibition
process from concept vision to concept realization. The workshop
will acquaint participants with the basic elements for planning,
designing, and producing an exhibition. It offers a model of
exhibition development that is responsive to the needs and
interests of audiences.
Who should attend
Participants should have major responsibility for managing
the planning, design, and/or installation of exhibitions at their
facility. The workshop is intended for those who work in museums
with budgets under $250,000 and have five or less staff.
Eligible are staff, volunteers, and board members, in paid or
unpaid positions, who work full- or part-time.
Selection criteria
Up to 10 participants will be selected on a competitive
basis to attend the workshop. Preference is given to applicants
who have a demonstrated commitment to the museum/cultural
institution field and whose primary responsibilities are directly
related to the workshop topic.
Workshop methods and materials
Instructional methods include a mix of presentations,
demonstrations, tours, group discussions, and hands-on skills
training and exercises. A "problem-solving" approach is used for
conveying the workshop content. Tools for analyzing and making
decisions appropriate to specific institutional resources and
goals are provided. Participants are expected to take an active
part in their learning process - analyzing and sharing their own
experiences, contributing to and leading group discussions, and
developing and critiquing exhibition plans.
The workshop is project oriented. Those selected to attend
will be asked to bring a floor-plan drawing or sketch of the
museum area in which they intend to install a new exhibition.
The plan should indicate electrical outlets, doors, windows,
ramps, plumbing.
Participants can expect to go home with a rough planning
document and a simple exhibition floor-plan and a case or panel
design that he/she creates for a specific exhibition project.
Each participant receives a resource notebook specially
designed for the workshop. It contains selected reference
materials, model forms, source lists, and bibliographic
citations.
Faculty
The teaching team is led by Sharon A. Reinckens, Deputy
Director, Anacostia Museum. Prior to her current position, Ms.
Reinckens was the museum's exhibition designer. Other faculty
will be drawn from the exhibition staffs of Smithsonian and other
museums in the Washington, DC area.
Course instructors have demonstrated expertise in their
subject areas and have first-hand knowledge of situations similar
to those that workshop participants face.
Cost
The workshop fee is $300.00. It covers all tuition,
instructional materials, one group meal, and transportation to
instructional sites that are not accessible via city's subway/bus
system or within walking distance of the Smithsonian Mall.
Participants are responsible for their own lodging, food,
transportation, telephone and fax charges, and other personal
expenses.
Scholarships are not available from the Smithsonian. We
encourage applicants to contact the Institute of Museum Services
(IMS), for information about their Technical Assistance Grants
(TAG). TAG provides funds to help museum staff defray the costs
of attending training workshops. The IMS telephone number is
202-606-8539; fax number is 202-606-8591.
Funding opportunities may also be available through your
state arts or humanities council.
PLEASE NOTE
The Smithsonian Institution/Center for Museum Studies
(SI/CMS) and the Institute of Museum Services (IMS) are
completely separate organizations. An application to IMS for a
TAG grant does not function as an application to a SI/CMS
workshop, nor does an award of a TAG grant by IMS confer
acceptance to a SI/CMS program. You must follow the application
process described below to be considered for participation in a
CMS workshop.
Payment Schedule
Do NOT send any money with the application form. A $150.00
deposit is due within 7 days of notification of acceptance to the
workshop. Seventy-five dollars of the deposit is refundable if
written notice of cancellation is received four (4) weeks prior
to the first day of the workshop.
The balance of the workshop fee ($150.00) is due in the CMS
office three (3) weeks prior to the first day of the workshop.
Application procedure
1. Complete the enclosed Introduction to Creating Museum
Exhibitions Application Form.
2. Attach a one-page resume outlining your educational and
employment history, professional affiliations, and achievements.
3. Secure a one-page letter of support from your director,
board official, or the person to whom you report, and include it
with the Application Form and Resume.
4. Mail an original and three (3) copies of all application
materials (application form, resume, and letter of support) to:
Workshop Series Center for Museum Studies
MRC 427
Smithsonian Institution
Washington, D.C. 20560
Facsimile transmitted applications will not be accepted.
5. To be eligible for consideration, applications must be
postmarked by February 16, 1996. Notification of admission
decisions will be made by March 22, 1996.
For further information, contact the Workshop Series, Center for
Museum Studies telephone 202-357-3101, fax 202-357-3346, or e-
mail [log in to unmask]
APPLICATION DEADLINE - FEBRUARY 16, 1996
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Application Form
Introduction to Creating Museum Exhibitions
April 15 - 19, 1996
Center for Museum Studies
Smithsonian Institution
Application Deadline: February 16, 1996
Name
Name of museum
Title
Mailing address
Daytime telephone
Fax number
e-mail address
Tell us about your institution (These questions are designed to
help us develop the workshop content. All information will be
held in confidence.) Do not send brochures or other printed
materials with this application.
1. What is your museum's main purpose?
2. What is the museum's best strength?
3. What is the major problem facing your museum?
4. How many people work in your museum? _______________
How many are paid? ________
5. What is your museum's total budget? $__________________
6. What is the annual budget for exhibition programs? $
________
7. Does the museum have permanent exhibition(s)? yes ___ no___
8. Does the museum mount temporary exhibitions? yes___ no___
Approximately how many per year? _____
9. Does the museum design its own exhibitions?
yes _____no____ sometimes ___
10. Does the museum construct/install its own exhibitions?
yes ___ no ___ partially ___
11. Does the museum use the services of commercial
exhibit designers and fabricators? yes___ no____
12. What is the major challenge to creating exhibitions at your
institution?
13. Is your museum "computerized?" yes _______ no ______
For what function(s) is a computer used? administration ____
word processing ___ collections management ________
designing exhibitions/brochures ____
communicating between offices and other institutions _____
other___________________________________________
Is your museum connected to "internet?" yes ___ no___
14. What kind(s) of collections does the museum hold?
15. Is your museum part of a collaborative cultural network or
other association? yes_____ no_____
16. How many visitors per year does your museum serve? ________
Approximately what percentage are in _____ school groups?
_____ adult groups? ___ individual walk-ins?
Tell us about yourself:
1. What got you involved in museum exhibition work?
2. What are your major responsibilities?
3. Please describe the exhibition project on which you are
currently working:
Working title
What is it about?
What is the purpose for mounting this exhibition?
Who is the intended audience for this exhibition?
4. What is it that you need to know to mount the exhibition?
5. Do you have supervisory responsibilities? yes___ no___
6. Do you have responsibilities for budgeting? yes ___ no___
7. Do you write grant(s) seeking funds? yes___ no___
8. Are you new to this assignment? yes____ no____
9. What drawing tools can you use? ___ ruler ____ T-square
____ X-Acto knife other ___________________________
10. Can you read scale drawings? ___ yes ___ no
11. Do you operate a computer? yes ______ no_________
What software do you use? _______________________
12. What would you most want to accomplish by attending this
workshop?
13. How will the information/experiences gained through
attending this workshop be
shared with others in your museum or network?
14. Other information you would like to share that will help us
design the workshop?
Thank you for your interest in the Introduction to Creating
Museum Exhibitions Workshop.
Signature________________________________________Date____________
Mail an original and 3 copies of the completed application
package (application form, resume, and letter of support) to:
Workshop Series Center for Museum Studies
MRC 427
Smithsonian Institution
Washington, DC 20560
Postmark deadline: February 16, 1996
The workshop provides participants with a framework for analyzing situations a
n
d devising
solutions appropriate to the realities of their .
strengthen analytical and decision-making skills in the
Faced with unprecedented changes in the museum workplace, museums are
challenged with additional and different sets of problems.
About the OMP Museum Training Series
Institutional commitment to employee growth and development is the key fa
c
tor in
enabling a museum to flourish rather than just survive the coming decade. To
h
elp
museums meet this commitment, the Smithsonian Institution's Office of Museum
Programs (OMP) initiates a new series of basic level professional development
a
nd training
workshops for the staff of small, emerging, minority and rural museums. The g
o
al of the
series is to help museum staff work more effectively and efficiently. The wor
k
shops
Bruce C. Craig Internet: [log in to unmask]
Center for Museum Studies Smithsonian Institution
A&I 2235-MRC427 Washington, DC 20560
(202) 357-3148 FAX:(202) 357-3346
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