There was a nuts-and-bolts panel session at the AAM conference in St. Louis last May on this very subject, entitled "Getting Started: Involving You Community in Exhibit Development."  (Don't let the title fool you; most of the advice was very broad and applicable to starting any sort community advisory group.)  The tape should be available through the AAM website, www.aam-us.org.

The speakers were:

Ruth Begell, Director, Charles M. Schulz Museum and Research Center, Santa Rosa, California

Kelly Feltault, folklorist, Cultural Corssings, Silver Springs, Maryland

Terri McNichol, President, Ren Associates, Trenton, New Jersey

(Terri frequents this list and may stop by to put in her own 2c.)

I hope this helps!

-- Eugene Dillenburg
Exhibit Developer
Science Museum of Minnesota

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