I have done much the same...and read through 15 years of meeting minutes
and correspondence this past Fall. I do find interesting tidbits and much useful
information. Any goals, etc., that were not attained for the museum though, I
take great care to find out why they were never realized. Often there is a very
good reason for this. Ultimately, your museum's mission statement reflects what
your predecessors wanted the museum to be.
One thing I found while reading - was that the organization that
established the museum I work in also supported other related
organizations...mainly environmental causes. They volunteered and also raised
funds/donated monies. I know the only reason that they ceased doing this is
because they are elderly and most are, as a group unable to continue with these
efforts.
Knowing this - I'd like to continue with these charitable efforts.
These activities are reflected in their mission statement.
And I regularly talk to the few CCC alumni still around who had
established the museum and I have learned much about the history of the museum.
Much of what I read about in the minutes and other correspondence...I had
already learned of from speaking with the alumni...but there were other details
I found in records that were important for me to know.
What would be great - is if I had the time to extract these details from
the records and have a booklet available for training and interpretation, etc.,
for future generations. Especially for those that do not have the benefit of
speaking with the museum's founders.
I do include some of the history of our museum during tours and it does add
more meaning. People do want to know who started the museum and how the
collections were acquired, etc.
As far as shaping the future of our museums - so long as it doesn't deviate
from the mission of the museum...yes this is something we can do. If we were to
deviate from the mission, we'd have to amend our statement.
BTW I've been to your museum a couple of times and each time I've dreamed
about being able to play on the court there!
Pam
In a message dated 6/7/2006 11:45:51 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time,
[log in to unmask] writes:
A question popped into my head the
other day while undertaking my hour commute to
work.
Has anyone ever conducted oral
histories for museum staff? I know for myself, I spend hours sifting through
boxes of documents from previous Museum Directors, Curators, etc, and while I
can get a sense of what they are working on, I can’t get the ideas and
thoughts of what they wanted the Museum to be.
In addition to that, aren’t we, as
museum folk, helping to create and shape that history that we are also trying
to preserve? We’ve also got funny anecdotes about things that have
happened…
Thoughts?
Timothy Wade
Jr.
International Tennis Hall of Fame
Incorporated
194
Bellevue Avenue
Newport,
RI 02840
Tel: 401-849-3990
x108
Fax:
401-851-7920
Email: [log in to unmask]