The Chippewa Valley Museum, (CVM), a regional history museum located in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, will host a Museum Conference and Teacher Institute October 1-3, 2005. The conference will center around the content and themes of CVM’s newest exhibit, /Farm Life: A Century of Change for Farm Families and their Neighbors/. The 5,000 square-foot exhibit tells the story of profound change for Chippewa Valley farm families and their neighbors throughout the 20^th century. Conference sessions will address issues relevant to both museum professionals and classroom educators, as well as offer discussion and networking opportunities, off-site activities, and keynote addresses. The CVM Conference is presented in cooperation with the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire History Department, and in conjunction with the Wisconsin Federation of Museums (WFM) Annual Meeting. All attendees will participate in “Reading the Farm” sessions that address themes in rural history. Principal speakers include historians Mary Neth, David Danbom, Robert Gough, and Jane Pederson. Media historian Lary May, folklorists James Leary and Ruth Olson, and writer John Hildebrand will also present. Keynote speakers include writer Michael Perry and museum education specialist Marcia Wolter Britton. Sessions on October 2 will emphasize issues of interpretation and conservation for agricultural collections. CVM will also present related project materials that may be used by other museums and institutions, including publications, a panel exhibit, and on-line exhibit “workbook” for developing exhibits about rural history and culture. Sessions on October 3 are part of the Wisconsin Federation of Museums (WFM) Annual Meeting and Conference and will focus on a variety of museum issues. The Annual WFM lunch will feature a keynote address by CVM director Susan McLeod. CVM Conference and Institute materials will be distributed shortly. A limited number of scholarships are available to assist with registration or travel costs. For more information about the conference or to request assistance, please contact Melissa Holmen or Susan McLeod at 715-834-7871 or via email at [log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask]>. /Farm Life: A Century of Change for Farm Families and their Neighbors /is supported by grants from the National Endowment for the Humanities, with additional funding for special components provided by the Wisconsin Humanities Council and Wisconsin Arts Board. ========================================================= Important Subscriber Information: The 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). If you decide to leave Museum-L, please send a one line e-mail message to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read "Signoff Museum-L" (without the quotes).