We have changing exhibits about every two months. To answer your questions....
1. No, we don't have an exhibits policy.
2. We do have a committee. I sit on as Director and our Curator is head of that committee. We also have board members but we try to find people who have a cultural background...artists, historians, etc....as this helps develop the programming that goes along with each exhibit.
3. We work on ideas in house and then we take these suggestions to the committee. We make decisions for exhibits based on a general consensus but not a formal vote. The only way it would be made as a formal vote would be if an exhibit were controversial or out of the ordinary for administrative purposes. We as a committee would vote and then we would take our recommendation to the board to get a final vote from them.
4. Because we have alot of activity at our museum, our committee meets at least once a month.
5. Yes, we do take proposals from the outside and we treat them as any idea that is brought before the committee.
 
Hope this helps!
 
Diane
 
Diane Hutsell
Executive Director
McMinn County Living Heritage Museum
PO Box 889
Athens, TN 37303
423-745-0329
www.livingheritagemuseum.com
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----- Original Message -----
From: [log in to unmask] href="mailto:[log in to unmask]">Alyson Mazzone
To: [log in to unmask] href="mailto:[log in to unmask]">[log in to unmask]
Sent: Wednesday, November 19, 2008 11:02 AM
Subject: [MUSEUM-L] Gallery question

Hello,

I work at Olana State Historic Site and this summer we will be opening a gallery for changing exhibits. As this space is new to us we appreciate any input from other institutions concerning gallery operations, guidelines, and policies. Olana is the home of Hudson River School painter Frederic Edwin Church.  It is a Persian style villa designed by architect Calvert Vaux in the 1870s. Designated a National Historic Landmark, the house has been open and operating as a house museum since 1967. This year the second floor will be open to the public for the first time and will include a gallery space for changing exhibits. As this is the first year that Olana will have a space like this, we were wondering if other museums with changing gallery spaces could answer a few questions on the way in which they choose exhibits. 

 

The questions are:

1) Do you have a written exhibits policy or set of procedures? If so, can we get a copy?

2) Do you have a committee that decides on exhibitions?

3) Are decisions based on a formal vote or a development of consensus—if a vote, what type of vote (simple majority or other?)

4) How often does the committee review proposals?

5) Does the committee accept proposals from the outside (unsolicited)? If so, how are they managed?

6) If there is not a committee, how are decisions made about exhibitions?

 
 
Thanks,
Alyson Mazzone
Curatorial Intern
Olana
5720 State Route 9G
Hudson, NY 12534
 
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