Online Museum Courses starting January 8, 2024
1. Collections management is the physical and intellectual management of collections. Museums need collections management policies and procedures to insure proper treatment and protection of their collections. If you do not have a Registration Manual for your museum, this class will help you create one and teach what is needed to properly document your collection.
MS 103: The Basics of Museum Registration
January 8 to February 9, 2024
Instructor: Peggy Schaller
Description:
Collections management is a critical component of running a museum. Most museums have collections and these collections drive the public functions and activities of the institution. Collections management is the physical and intellectual management of these items. In this course we will examine how information is collected and recorded for each object brought into the collection - a process called registration. We will also examine the policies that govern what is brought into the collection, including the most important piece of institutional policy--the museum mission statement. These policies are assembled into the collections management 'bible'--the registration manual. At the end of this course you should have a clear understanding of how and why collections are documented in museums and the governing principles that drive daily museum activities.
2. Do you have a volunteer program at your facility? Are you thinking about instituting a volunteer program? Get the basics for museum volunteer programs and improve your current program or get started with a new program on the right foot!
MS 108: Fundamentals of Museum Volunteer Programs
January 8 to February 16, 2024
Instructor: Karin Hostetter
Description:
Volunteers are essential for most non-profit institutions. But good volunteers aren't born -- they are made. Even though they don't get paychecks, it takes time and money to have effective volunteers. Fundamentals of Museum Volunteer Programs teaches the basics of a strong volunteer program. Topics include recruiting, training and rewarding volunteers, as well as preparing staff. Instruction continues through firing and liabilities. Participants will end up with sound foundational knowledge for starting a new or strengthening an existing volunteer program based on a nine-step process.
3. Do you have a collection moved in your future? What to know the best practices for planning for the move, making it happen, and making sure nothing gets damaged or lost in the process? This is the course that will help you have a successful move!
MS 262: Moving Collections
January 8 to February 2, 2024
Instructor: Laura Wingate
Description:
Moving collections is a daunting task. Fragile items need special packing and care to be safely transported. Large, heavy or awkward items like dinosaurs and oversized sculptures require special equipment and support from local authorities. How do you design your project to meet the budget and timing demands of your administration? Are your collections over-packed in acidic boxes and does your move includes improving their storage and care? Collections often take up more room when they are stored properly. How do you determine your needed storage space when the collection is decompressed? Moving Collections provides an overview of how to plan and manage a move to avoid the many pitfalls. The course includes: defining your project, developing a Request for Proposal (RFP), developing a work plan, staffing, and packing protocols. Whether you are moving part of the collection within your building or moving the entire collection to another facility, Moving Collections provides a blueprint for you to follow.
4. Thinking about using interpretive panels for your institutional grounds, historic site, or zoo? Need information and guidance on the best practices for creating these panels and finding the best product and companies to make them? This course will walk you through the process of creating the best and most informative panels possible.
MS270: Planning and Designing Interpretive Panels
January 8 to February 2, 2024
Instructor: John Veverka
Description:
The Planning, design and text copy development for interpretive panels is a practical “how to do it” course to develop updated or new interpretive panels for heritage sites, historic homes, natural areas, zoos, and other related sites. Panels are the most widely use interpretive media, world-wide, to quickly present a message or story to site visitors in a memorable fashion. We will look at the interpretive planning process, interpretive design concerns, interpretive text writing for panels, panel fabrication materials, panel pre-testing evaluation, and even how to write a RFP (request for proposal) to have your panels fabricated. This is an important course for any interpretive staff member, planner, designer or manager.
Feel free to contact me with questions.