No specifics here, but we (as students) have developed workshops on minimal budgets that have taken 3 months from idea to implementation. This 3 months also includes us doing our other coursework as well.
If would like to see the results of this (besides
seeing it on Museum-L and the archives), I would be
happy to send you a copy.1.) Realistically, what was the time frame for the
whole project—from initial idea to implementation?
Petty cash! and the British Association for the Advancement of Science
2.) Was you room funded by your museum? An Outside
Source? A Grant? An individual?
They really were minimal, but for activities where we wanted the children to take things away we used materials from recycling places e.g plastic bottles.
3.) What was the general cost range of the whole project?
Not really applicable to us! but consistency in design is important. As is getting in designers who have done this sort of thing before. Don't forget to look at some of their work, be careful of glossy pictures though! The stuff may have looked great for a week and then fallen apart, go and see the stuff in situ.
4.) Did you seek the help of (or did you use) an outside
designer? If so, what were the advantages or disadvantages
of outside assistance?
this is always of concern, things will walk, and there is nothing worse than going to a work station where some of the necessary tools and consumables are missing. Having a staff member/volunteer who is sensitive to these sort of needs will be very useful.
5.) Do you have any specific recommendations from your
experience concerning security and/or stocking of supplies?
For example, do you have a staff member or volunteer present
at all times?
Don't know!
6.) I have seen many discovery rooms that use one work (or
item) as jumping off points to address larger issues. (For
example: using a piece in your collection, such as an Andy
Warhol, to explain what POP art is.) If this is how you
have structured your room, how, specifically, do you direct
children to the actual object?
At Techniquest we have a Discovery Room with Discovery Boxes. The Boxes are themed and contain artifacts, games, information etc about one particular topic e.g bones, leaves, insects...
7.) Is your room “High tech” or “Low tech” and what are
the benefits of each?
All our activities worked to a greater or lesser extent, but then they had to! we had very few chances for formative evaluation.
8.) Did you have an activity that looked fabulous on
paper, but was not successful in reality? In retrospect,
what would you have done differently?
Thank you so much for your time and expertise.Cheekwood is located in Nashville, TN and is both a museum
and a botanical garden. We have a relatively small room in
which we would like to create 4-5 “stations” centered around
a painting from our collection, a decorative art, an outdoor
sculpture, and a garden. We would also like to have a “make-it
take-it” table for children to do art projects.Leslie Brown
Assistant Curator of Education
Cheekwood Museum of Art
1200 Forrest Park Drive
Nashville, TN 37205
www.cheekwood.org
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