========================================================= Important Subscriber Information:----- Original Message -----From: [log in to unmask] href="mailto:[log in to unmask]">Janice KleinTo: [log in to unmask] href="mailto:[log in to unmask]">[log in to unmask]Sent: Friday, April 01, 2005 2:15 PMSubject: Re: [MUSEUM-L] Who goes to Museums anyway?I'm going to add my $.02 by suggesting that the best way to get Joe Public (or in our case the Public family) in to museums is to offer a regular wide range of programs. We do at least two public programs a month (free with museum admission), as well as a monthly Book Club and a twice monthly Saturday Kids Craft Morning (which converts to three weekday mornings during July and August). We offer a small honorarium for each outside speaker or demonstrator ($150 flat fee). The Craft mornings are done by staff and volunteers. Our state Humanities Council offers "mini-grants" of $2,000 which we have drawn on several times over the last few years to cover the cost of up to 10 programs based on a single theme -- often related to our temporary exhibit (two a year, created in-house). We also have a Craft Room which has materials for basic crafts (beaded necklaces or key chains, dreamcatchers and gods eyes) are out all the time (funding for this comes from a few small donations from area service organizations, like Kiwanis).I'd be interested to hear others opinions on the value of programming vs exhibits/education/entertainment to get the Publics in the door.janiceJanice KleinDirector, Mitchell Museum of the American Indian========================================================= Important Subscriber Information:-----Original Message-----
From: Museum discussion list [mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of Diane Peapus
Sent: Friday, April 01, 2005 12:10 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Who goes to Museums anyway?... Was: One can get a job
Claudia wrote:
>During my museum â€oehiatus” I worked as a supermarket cashier (we still had to eat),
> and I can tell you that I no longer believe museums (many) reach all of the public.
You bring up a good point.
After leaving the Museum of the Earth, I've been adjunct teaching at a variety of
community and non-research 4 year colleges. My degree allowed me to avoid
the supermarket check-out and introduce some non-traditional experiential-based
museum pedagogy to the classroom.
But I've gotten a lesson in "Joe Public" during this work.
(Which makes me a far superior candidate for your Dir of Edu position if any
of you out there want to hire me!! ;-) )
It turns out that Joe Public doesn't go to museums.
Joe Public goes to Community Colleges...
...in between jobs and kids and rents and car payments and bill collectors...
...as s/he tries to better her/his own life options and employability.
When I do get back into a museum... I'll certainly have a whole 'nother line of
thinking about how to get Joe Public in the doors.
have fun
dianeThe Museum-L FAQ file is located at http://www.finalchapter.com/museum-l-faq/ . You may obtain detailed information about the listserv commands by sending a one line e-mail message to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read "help" (without the quotes).
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