Museumclasses.org has 2 popular classes starting in May.
Starting in May are:
MS106: Exhibit Fundamentals: Ideas to Installation
MS213: Museum Artifacts: How they were made and how they deteriorate
Starting in June are:
Museum Storage Facilities and Furniture
Museum Environmental Control Systems
Integrated Pest Management for Museums, Libraries and Archives
MS106: Exhibit Fundamentals: Ideas to Installation
Apr 30 - Jun 8, 2007
Instructor: Lin Nelson-Mayson
Location: http://www.museumclasses.org
Description:
Nearly every museum develops exhibits, but how can we improve
communication with visitors while taking care of our objects? Exhibit
Fundamentals explores exhibits from idea to final installation in a variety of
settings. Topics include exhibit theory, the role of the museum's mission,
creating a timeline, accessibility and script writing. Also covered are design
elements, installation techniques, object safety and security, visitor safety
and evaluations. Each student develops an exhibit plan for his or her museum.
Course Outline
1. Introduction: Exhibition Theory and the Museums Mission
2. Intellectual and Physical Accessibility & Exhibition Evaluations
3. Creating a Timeline and Writing Texts
4. The Role of Design Elements and Basic Installation Techniques
5. Object and Visitor Safety
6. Conclusion
Logistics:
Participants in Exhibit Fundamentals work at their own pace through six
sections and interact through online chats. Instructor Lin Nelson-Mayson is
available at scheduled times during the course for email support. Exhibit
Fundamentals includes online literature, slide lectures and student-
teacher/group-teacher dialog. The course is limited to 20 participants.
Required texts are:
(1) Lord, Barry and Gail Dexter. The Manual of Museum Exhibits. Walnut Creek,
CA: AltaMira Press (A Division of Rowman and Littlefield Publishers, Inc), 2002.
(2) Serrell, Beverly. Exhibit Labels: An Interpretive Approach. Walnut Creek,
CA: AltaMira Press, 1996.
(Both are good resources; if you don't have them in your library, they can be
ordered on line from Alta Mira at http://www.altamirapress.com/)
Exhibit Fundamentals runs six weeks.. Please sign up at
http://www.museumclasses.org and pay at
http://www.collectioncare.org/tas/tas.html If you have trouble with either,
please contact Helen Alten at [log in to unmask]
Student Comments for MS106 Exhibit Fundamentals: Ideas to Installation:
"The lectures were clearly written and understandable, and the readings (Lord
& Lord, Serrell) were surprisingly readable! The Powerpoints provided a great
summary for each section … I enjoyed the course thoroughly and have gained
some valuable (and somewhat sobering) insight. "
"Great teacher, Great technology, Great peers/other students! Enjoyable
reading. Very helpful for now and in the future. Great reading. Great Text. A++
and THANK YOU!!!"
"I liked having the content presented multiple ways. I read the lectures,
viewed the Powerpoint slides, and completed the readings. With each
presentation of the materials I found I learned more."
"The content could be adapted to a project we are working on … Rather than
spending time planning and working on an exhibit I would never complete in my
facility, I could instead focus on a dream (a big dream) of an exhibit and
actually apply what I was learning to something that I will use in my museum.
The technology was quite easy to work with. I didn't need help with the
technology, but support seemed readily available."
"I enjoyed hearing about plans, experiences and challenges from professionals
at other museums, and getting their feedback - it was nice to have a 'virtual
community' of people working on similar things."
"The readings/assignments made me think about my exhibit in ways I hadn't.
Made me realize that there were more things to keep in mind than I realized.
I'll be on the lookout for future courses offered by NSCC. I feel like I really got
my money's worth from it."
The Instructor:
Lin Nelson-Mayson, with over 25 years of museum experience at small and
large institutions, was recently the director of ExhibitsUSA, a nonprofit
exhibition touring organization that annually tours over 30 art and humanities
exhibitions across the country. For five years, she was a coordinator or judge
for the American Association of Museums' Excellence in Exhibitions
Competition. She currently serves on the exhibition committee for the National
Sculpture Society. Ms. Nelson-Mayson has extensive experience with the
planning, preparation, research and installation of exhibitions Ms Nelson-
Mayson's experience includes teaching museum studies and museology
courses. Her particular interest is the needs of small museums. She is now the
director of the Goldstein Gallery at the University of Minnesota.
Her credentials include the following;
An MFA from The Ohio State University in sculpture and critical writing
A BFA from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio in painting.
Work as a curator for the Ross County Historic Society (Chillicothe, Ohio), the
Art Museum of South Texas (Corpus Christi), the Columbia Museum of Art
(South Carolina), and the Minnesota Museum of American Art.
MS106: Exhibit Fundamentals: Ideas to Installation
Apr 30 - Jun 8, 2007
Instructor: Lin Nelson-Mayson
Location: http://www.museumclasses.org
--------------------------------------------------
MS213: Museum Artifacts: How they were made and how they deteriorate
Apr 30 - Jun 8, 2007
Instructor: Helen Alten
Location: http://www.museumclasses.org
Description:
Every museum object is unique, but items made of similar materials share
characteristics. Museum Artifacts gives participants an understanding of the
materials and processes used to make objects - knowledge that better
prepares them to decide how to care for their collections. Participants study
two objects that represent all materials found in our museums. Through an in-
depth analysis of their components, participants explore all possible objects
found in any museum.
Course Outline:
1. Introduction
2. Organic Object: Aleut Hunting Regalia
3. Plant Materials
4. Animal Materials
5. Modified Organics
6. Inorganic Object: Art Deco Fireplace
7. Stone
8. Ceramic
9. Glass
10. Metal
11. Mixed Media
12. Conclusion
Logistics:
Participants in Museum Artifacts work through 12 sections on their own.
Instructor Helen Alten is available for scheduled email support. Materials and
resources include online literature, slide lectures and dialog between students
and online chats led by the instructor. The course is limited to 20 participants.
Museum Artifacts runs six weeks. Please sign up at
http://www.museumclasses.org and pay at
http://www.collectioncare.org/tas/tas.html If you have trouble with either,
please contact Helen Alten at [log in to unmask]
The Instructor:
Helen Alten, Conservator and owner of Northern States Conservation Center,
St. Paul, MN has been a Field Education Director, Conservator, and trainer
since 1986. Ms. Alten received her conservation diploma from Archaeological
Conservation and Materials Science, Institute of Archaeology, University of
London in 1986. She began working with people from small, rural, and tribal
museums while as the state conservator for Montana and Alaska. Helen
currently conducts conservation treatments and operates a conservation
center in St. Paul, MN.
MS213: Museum Artifacts: How they were made and how they deteriorate
Apr 30 - Jun 8, 2007
Location: http://www.museumclasses.org
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