MP-00-09-0053-09 Period Covered: 10/1/2009 to 9

Transcription

IMLS Grant MP-00-09-0053-09
FINAL NARRATIVE REPORT
Institute of Museum and Library Services Award Number: MP-00-09-0053-09
Period Covered: 10/1/2009 to 9/30/2013
Award Recipient: Utah Humanities Council – Salt Lake City, UT
Project Title: Museum Interpretation Initiative: Telling Our Stories
Project Partner: Utah Museums Association – Salt Lake City, UT
Project URL: http://www.utahhumanities.org/MIIHome.htm
OVERVIEW
Provide a very brief overview describing goal of the project, the project design and to what extent the goal was achieved. This
may be used as a project abstract or summary for public information. (150 words or less).
The Museum Interpretation Initiative (MII) assisted Utah’s small museums to tell the stories of their
collections and communities, and helped build the core capacity of these cultural organizations.
Conducted by the Utah Humanities Council (UHC), in partnership with the Utah Museums Association
(UMA), MII improved the curatorial, interpretive, and educational abilities of museum staff and
volunteers through training opportunities focused on historical research, exhibit development, and
educational best practice. Over the four-year project, approximately 566 museum staff and volunteers
benefited from presentations at the UMA’s annual conferences, and an additional 100+ staff from 50
small museums completed their own interpretive exhibits as part of an intensive series of regional
workshops. MII built a network of peers through multiple opportunities for sharing resources and ideas,
and helped transform many of Utah’s small museums from isolated repositories of objects on display to
venues that are better able to tell their unique stories.
PROJECT ACTIVITIES
Describe the project activities (and quantify them using Part 2 of this form).
[Note Part 2: Quantitative Report no longer required per IMLS advice 11/22/2013]
IMLS funds allocated for project activity were spent according to budget and matching cost-share
exceeded requirements. The Year 4 financials were closed and the IMLS funding zeroed out as of 30
September 2013 (see Appendix A – SF425 Federal Financial Report Form).
All goals and planned activities established for the project period 10/1/2009 to 9/30/2013 have been
successfully achieved. MII Project Activities can be organized into four major categories:
1) Annual Museum Conference Content-Related Activity, 2) Intensive Regional Workshop Activity,
3) Dissemination of Results and National Networking Activity, and 4) MII Cohort Networking Activity.
Each is described below, and summarized in the attached Appendix B - Major Project Activity Summary,
2009-2013.
1) Annual Museum Conference Content-Related Activity
Each year of MII commenced and was completed at the annual Utah Museums Association (UMA)
conferences (October 2009, 2010, and 2011). The October 2012 conference was the capstone
conference for the project. Conference attendees were introduced to MII content through multiple
sessions over the period.
Utah Humanities Council |Museum Interpretation Initiative | IMLS Final Report – 27 December 2013 | Page 1 of 14
MII was strategically linked to UMA's conference plans over the four years. Each annual conference was
built around a theme reflecting MII's focus, with nationally renowned keynote speakers in local history
research and narration (2009), exhibit and interpretive design (2010), and participatory education
philosophy (2011). The speakers, who provided a keynote address and two hands-on workshops, were:
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2009: David Kyvig, Professor in History at Northern Illinois University and author (with Myron
Marty) of Nearby History: Exploring the Past Around You.
2010: Alice Parman, nationally recognized museum consultant and interpretive planner based in
Oregon, and author of Exhibit Makeovers: A Do-It-Yourself Workbook for Small Museums.
2011: Nina Simon, Director of the Santa Cruz Museum of Art & History and author of The
Participatory Museum.
The 2012 capstone conference focused on vision, intentional planning, and evaluation. The keynote was
Randi Korn, of Randi Korn & Associates, who served as the external evaluator for MII, and was able to
relate her topic to what had been learned in the State about organizational capacity through MII.
In addition to the keynotes and related workshops, a two-hour introductory workshop on MII's key
themes were provided at the 2009, 2010, and 2011 UMA conferences to showcase the content,
methods, and approaches upon which the subsequent intensive workshop series would expand.
Finally, peer Learning Circle Discussions were conducted by Randi Korn for MII regional workshop
participants as part of her evaluation activities to help them reflect on and process their learning
experiences over the previous year. These took place in 2010, 2011, and 2012 for the three cohorts.
The October 2012 UMA conference dovetailed with that year’s annual meeting of the American
Association for State and Local History (AASLH) in Salt Lake City. As part of the AASLH meeting, MII staff
developed a day-long “Reader’s Digest” version of the MII intensive training and delivered it as part of
the AASLH conference program. Although outside the IMLS project period, it should be noted that this
same workshop was delivered again in October 2012 as part of the conference program for the joint
Western Museums Association / Utah Museums Association conference in Salt Lake City. On both
occasions, MII workshop “graduates” participated and found the refresher valuable.
2) Intensive Regional Workshop Activity
Small museums prepared to move forward with the content learned at the UMA annual conferences
were invited to apply to participate in a series of three full-day, hands-on workshops held over the next
year. The MII workshops were free, and held in six regions (two regions delivered each year): north
(Layton in 2010), southeast (Moab in 2010), central (Fairview in 2011), metro area (Orem in 2011),
southwest (Cedar City in 2012), and Wasatch Back (Heber in 2012).
These intensive regional workshops focused on the themes of historical research and narration,
interpretive exhibit design, and best practice education methods. As part of their workshop
commitment, participants completed an exhibit project at their own museum, where their new skills in
collections research, interpretive labeling, and educational best practices were put to the test. The three
workshops in each series built on each other, and were tied together with assignments and intensive
facilitator feedback between sessions, finally capped by an onsite visit from facilitators to assess
individual exhibit projects.
WORKSHOP # 1 – Finding Our Stories: Researching Collections & Communities
Participants learned how to:
 Conduct research to place museum objects in appropriate context.
 Locate published and unpublished sources.
 Evaluate sources for bias and authenticity.
 Assemble information from various sources into collection documentation that provides
the basis for compelling and credible narratives.
WORKSHOP # 2 – Telling Our Stories: Museum Interpretation through Exhibits
 Plan and design an interpretive exhibit that conveys a big idea to visitors.
 Exhibit objects attractively and safely.
 Write labels that visitors will read.
 Make professional looking low-tech labels.
WORKSHOP # 3 – Teaching Our Stories: Museum Education & Docent Best Practices
 Develop inquiry-based, hands-on teaching strategies to engage visitors.
 Create self-guides and interactive tours to enhance visitor experience.
In addition to the training and individual guidance received from MII staff, museums were provided with
basic equipment that would increase their capacity to undertake interpretive work (e.g., computer,
color printer, scanner, digital camera, collections database, label-making tools, customized docent bags).
Written resources were also provided (e.g., reference books, technical leaflets, and exhibit planning
materials) both as hard copies and electronic copies available on the Workshop Materials section of the
MII website http://www.utahhumanities.org/MIIWorkshopMaterialsHide.htm. To encourage ongoing
connection with the small museum community and exposure to best practices, each museum was given
an annual membership to AASLH or other similar professional association.
The personalized hands-on teaching approach throughout the process kept participants engaged, as did
the expectation to produce a tangible product (interpretive exhibit at their own museum) in exchange
for the training and equipment provided. This “learning by doing” kept participants accountable and was
key to program success. Individual site visits by workshop facilitators to assess projects were also crucial,
as they allowed participants to visualize the concepts taught in context of their own museums.
More than 100 people representing 50 small museums from all parts of Utah participated in the
intensive regional workshop program. All 50 museums completed their projects, which are documented
at the Project Map section of the MII website http://www.utahhumanities.org/MIIMap.htm.
Please see Appendix C – Photographs of MII Activities, which shows selected photographs of the
regional workshops and several of the exhibit projects from all three years (2010, 2011, and 2012), as
well as Appendix D – MII Museum Exhibit Project Map (2010, 2011, 2012), which shows the range of
exhibit projects throughout the State.
3) Dissemination of Results and National Networking Activity
Dedicated sessions at the 2010, 2011, and 2012 annual UMA conferences delivered by MII regional
workshop graduates showcased their exhibit projects and the process each museum undertook to
complete it. These presentations were important for peers to see what could be accomplished and
bolstered recruitment efforts for the regional workshops.
MII project reporting activity also took place through participation and presentations by UHC’s Megan
van Frank, other MII facilitators, and MII graduates at IMLS convenings of national grant awardees (2010
and 2013), the national Federation of State Humanities Councils annual meeting (2010 and 2012), Utah
State Historical Society annual meeting (2011), the American Association for State and Local History
annual conference (2012), Field Services Alliance meetings (2012 and 2013), the U.S. Department of
State's International Visitor Leadership Program tour for a delegation museum leaders from Kyrgyzstan
(2012), and the Western Museums Association annual meeting (2013).
Project findings have been disseminated through an Internet page designed especially for this purpose,
including curricula, session PowerPoints, evaluation results, and links to related content and resources –
please see http://www.utahhumanities.org/MIIHome.htm.
MII facilitator Pamela Miller is currently at work on an article for submission to The Public Historian, a
peer-reviewed journal dedicated to publishing historical research in the public sector.
Project findings have also been published in the UMA newsletter and the Western Museums Association
blog – please see Appendix E - Project Findings Published in Utah Museums Association Newsletter and
Western Museums Association Blog (2013).
4) MII Cohort Networking Activity
To encourage the continued development of regional small museum networks, UMA launched its Small
Utah Museums Interest Group, with MII graduates at its core. The group communicates through a
Facebook page (see www.facebook.com/#!/SmallUtahMuseums) and via the MII listserv maintained by
UHC. UMA also fosters regional networks through meet and greet events, with seven gatherings held
throughout the State in 2012-2013.
Increased and more active participation of MII graduates and colleagues from their museums has been
evident at the Utah Museums Association conferences, with many of them applying for and receiving
scholarships, and a smaller core taking leadership roles, delivering sessions, and being vocal about their
needs. Because the American Association for State and Local History (2012) and the Western Museums
Association (2013) both held their recent annual meetings in Salt Lake City, many MII graduates took the
opportunity to network regionally and nationally.
PROJECT AUDIENCES
Describe the project audience(s) (and quantify them using Part 2 of this form). Only include those who actually participated or
used your project services in some way. [Note Part 2: Quantitative Report no longer required per IMLS advice 11/22/2013]
The Museum Interpretation Initiative served multiple audiences through its four broad categories of
activities:
1) Annual Museum Conference Content-Related Activity
This audience is comprised of a range of museum professionals and volunteers, service providers,
scholars, and students. Large, small, and all-volunteer museums were represented, as were university-
level museum studies faculty and students. The bulk of this audience is from the Utah Museums
Association annual conferences (2009, 2010, 2011, and 2012), as well as a national audience drawn by
the AASLH annual conference (2012). A total audience of 1,161 was served by this activity:
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UMA keynote addresses delivered by nationally prominent figures: 566 individuals
UMA hands-on workshops delivered by nationally prominent figures: 380 individuals
UMA introductory workshops to MII content and methods: 100 individuals
UMA learning circle discussions for MII workshop cohorts by Randi Korn: 100 individuals
AASLH day-long workshop based on MII workshops: 15 individuals
2) Intensive Regional Workshop Activity
The audience for MII’s intensive regional workshops was 100+ staff (paid and volunteer) from 50 of
Utah’s small museums in all corners of the State. Each museum sent 2 participants from its organization
to all 3 of the workshops in the series (although there were inevitable substitutions). Very few of the
participants had previous exposure or training in the subject matter or other museum study.
Eligibility for workshop participation was limited to museums with budgets under $200,000, using the
nationally accepted definition of “small museum” as determined by the American Association for State
and Local History. In reality, 82% of museums that participated in MII workshops had budgets below
$100,000, while 60% had budgets under $25,000.
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Layton, UT series (2010) served 18 people from 9 museums
Moab, UT series (2010) served 14 people from 7 museums
Orem, UT series (2011) served 16 people from 8 museums
Fairview, UT series (2011) served 16 people from 8 museums
Heber City, UT series (2012) served 18 people from 9 museums
Cedar City, UT series (2012) served 18 people from 9 museums
For a full list of museums and their projects, see Appendix F: MII Regional Workshop Museums and
Projects, 2010, 2011, 2012.
3) Dissemination of Results and National Networking Activity
The audience for project reporting and national networking over the four-year period was two-fold. First
were staff and volunteers from small Utah museums learning from the experiences of their peers. The
second audience comprised professional colleagues at a state, national, and international level who
have interest in providing capacity-building services to personnel of small museums and cultural
organizations:
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UMA – MII workshop exhibit project reporting sessions (2010-2012): 75 individuals
National conferences – Federation of State Humanities Councils, Utah State Historical Society,
American Association for State and Local History (2010-2012): 200 individuals
Field Services Alliance meetings (2012-2013): 75 individuals
U.S. Dept of State International Visitor Leadership Tour (2012): 8 individuals
IMLS convenings of national grant awardees (2010, 2013): ~160 individuals
Project website http://www.utahhumanities.org/MIIHome.htm (2011-2013): ~9,000 hits
4) MII Cohort Networking Activity
This activity largely serves graduates of the MII intensive regional workshops, however the creation of
UMA’s Small Museum Interest Group is widening this audience beyond that core. The 7 regional
networking events organized by UMA during 2012-2013 attracted a total of 121 individuals. The
Facebook page sees activity 2-3 times per week, and the MII listserv posts at least weekly.
PROJECT ANALYSIS
Analyze your project. Use quantitative data, qualitative examples, highlights from your evaluation and compelling anecdotes.
Accomplishments Compared to Project Goals and Objectives
The stated goals of MII were two-fold:
1) To introduce the concepts of curatorial, interpretive, and educational best practices to a wide
audience of 475 museum professionals at the Utah Museums Association annual conference.
2) To work intensively with 100 professionals from 50 small museums to create institutional
change through a series of three one-day workshops, establishment of a peer support network,
and access to national associations that provide ongoing support and resources.
The project’s objectives were to increase the capacities of professionals in Utah’s small museums so
they are able to: 1) conduct effective artifact research, 2) determine salient ideas about key artifacts in
their collections and place them in appropriate context, 3) create engaging exhibits that communicate
key ideas to visitors, and 4) develop engaging and informative docent tours and educational programs.
As detailed in the IMLS grant proposal, most of Utah’s 250+ museums are very small history museums.
They hold and exhibit the bulk of Utah’s historical collections, but provide minimal interpretation—
telling the stories of these objects—and need help creating effective exhibits and educational
experiences for their visitors. Many exist as single-room galleries, have microscopic budgets, and
operate with all-volunteer staffs that are highly motivated to collect and preserve historical artifacts, but
have little or no professional training. Most museum personnel are unaware of current museum
techniques and struggle to engage audiences.
Its major achievement is that MII provided project participants with:
1) Professional development in object research and interpretation, exhibit design and
implementation, and museum education best practices;
2) Hands-on experience implementing an exhibit integrating these elements at their own museum;
3) Materials detailing best practices, technical equipment needed to complete exhibit projects, and
access to professional associations;
4) A nucleus of peer professionals with whom they can maintain a network of support; and
5) Regular access to MII facilitators for problem solving and advice on aligning museum goals with
newly-acquired skills and information.
MII has accomplished its goals and objectives by serving as a training ground in public humanities for
approximately 566 participants at the annual UMA conferences and to 100+ staff of 50 small museums.
By introducing the concepts of interpretive best practices to staff of Utah’s small museums, and
supporting the completion of interpretive exhibit projects, MII has shifted participants’ thinking about
exhibits from a model where the small museum functions simply as a repository for objects on display
(the “antique shop”) to one where the museum is a site of story.
As part of its accomplishments, the MII project:
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Achieved 100% completion rate for the 50 museums participating in workshops / doing exhibits
Established that learning by DOING is far more effective than passively listening
Demonstrated that personalized teaching and on-site feedback are crucial for this population
Generated strong mentoring relationships through continued face-to-face interactions
Created a budding small museum regional network
Left an important legacy of equipment and educational materials
Was a catalyst for museums undertaking subsequent interpretive projects
Inspired some museum boards to recognize the importance of doing strategic work
Motivated some participants to take advantage of additional professional development
opportunities and become leaders in Utah’s museum community
UHC and UMA are especially proud that the MII project was selected for a 2012 Leadership in History
Award of Merit from the American Association for State and Local History (AASLH), one of 59 awards
given nation-wide.
Project Outcomes
MII outcomes include better trained museum staff and volunteers who now know the importance of
interpreting their museum collections, and have the skills, knowledge, and tools to actually carry out the
research and to develop interpretive exhibits and educational programming. The MII project succeeded
in shifting participants understanding of exhibit development and interpretation, as well as fostering a
more collaborative dynamic among the cohort museums.
Bearing out this success was evaluation at all levels of the MII project and which drove efforts to
improve its delivery over the project period. Evaluation of individual sessions at the UMA conferences
took place through audience surveys. Evaluation was also an important part of the workshop
curriculum. Museums worked together to critique each other’s labels and educational programs—thus
helping each other and themselves develop the best possible exhibit. During and at the end of the
workshop series, each museum’s project was evaluated by the MII staff, including analysis of research,
exhibit labels, educational programs, including personalized feedback at workshops and site visits. The
critiques enabled museums to identify ways to do things better and to improve their final product.
Museums also submitted a final report documenting their project outputs and outcomes.
The MII project as a whole received formal evaluation by Randi Korn & Associates (RKA), which
conducted evaluation activities throughout the project. A formative evaluation was conducted through
pre-workshop interviews with the 2010 cohort, followed by a summative evaluation based on postworkshop interviews with both the 2010 and 2011 cohorts. (Note that the formative and summative
evaluations produced by Randi Korn & Associates were submitted to IMLS in previous interim reports and
are also available on the MII website at http://www.utahhumanities.org/MIIProgramFindings.htm). At
the end of each year, RKA also conducted Learning Circle sessions with the workshop participants to
help them “think evaluatively,” process and reflect on what they learned, and discuss challenges in
implementing new practices at their museums. The RKA report of the 2012 cohort’s Learning Circle
evaluation session, which Korn conducted in October 2012, is attached here as Appendix G: Randi Korn
& Associates Learning Circle Evaluation of 2012 MII Cohort. The RKA reports show the success of MII
and ways that the project was improved throughout its duration.
The RKA interviews were conducted to better understand museum workers’ processes for planning,
designing, and presenting exhibitions to the public as a result of having participated in the MII
workshops. Baseline data showed that while interviewees and their museums had rich stories to tell,
they lacked an overarching strategy to guide decision-making and practice, including knowing what story
to tell and how to tell it, authenticate it, present it, and share it. In addition, prior to participating in the
MII program, most interviewees expressed a strong desire and eagerness to improve their ability to
create exhibitions and associated educational materials around stories that are relevant to their
communities. This great need for support in tandem with interviewees’ motivation to learn created ideal
circumstances for the program to be successful.
Post-program feedback from both cohorts was very positive. According to the summative evaluation,
the following are key areas of success for the MII program:
Exhibit Development Training
 Both cohorts described a completely evolved process for developing exhibits that now includes
researching and planning exhibitions around a theme, telling stories through objects, and
writing and creating effective labels.
 MII graduates expressed a new understanding of the importance of creating a theme for
exhibits and excitement around the idea that objects have stories to tell. Some said these were
eye-opening realizations for them.
 Comparing their haphazard exhibition development processes before the MII program with
more organized efforts to tell stories through selected objects around an exhibition theme after
the MII program. Many spoke emphatically about how drastically their processes had improved,
criticizing their previous arbitrary processes.
Confidence, Collaboration, and Networks
 Interviewees benefited not only from new skills and tools, but also from increased confidence
and other positive feelings about their work. These internal effects were described in different
ways; some talked about a new sense of pride in their work, while others discussed heightened
professionalism and feeling like a “real” museum. Some said they had more enthusiasm for
museum work and felt newly inspired by the opportunity to reach audiences. Many of these
sentiments were attributed to increased knowledge, but interviewees also credited the
responsiveness and encouragement of MII staff as well as the awareness of a network of people
going through the same professional transformations.
Individual feedback from MII workshop participants as part of their workshop project reports has been
enthusiastic from all three cohorts, and supports the RKA data:
"We learned how to tell stories more easily, more completely, and in an interesting way. I started
out as a museum beginner, but this has given me the confidence I lacked and desired. Now I
know what I'm doing, basically, or where to go to get help."
- Orem Heritage Museum
“This workshop has been the most valuable thing we have ever participated in. The information
was very clear, well presented, and easy to get excited about. Working together in small groups
helped us bounce ideas off one another and helped us gather ideas we had not thought of by
ourselves. The knowledge shared by the presenters during our on-site visits and the way they
personalized it for our museum really helped fine-tune our ideas. This has been the best thing
we have ever done for our museum!”
- Hogan Cabin Daughters of Utah Pioneers Museum
“Overall the process was very rewarding. Early on we had a very ambiguous and undefined idea
that caused us to struggle with choosing specific objects and creating an exhibit outline. We felt
overwhelmed by the process of researching and paring down the items to be used, but this
helped propel us into finding a very interesting spin on our objects. What little we had in the way
of provenance on our objects required us to do more diligent research. That research led us to
our final, much more interesting, theme… In the past, many of our exhibits were changed quickly
and with little thought as to what story we were trying to tell, what the final outcome would be,
or how it related to the things around it. This learning opportunity has taught us how we ought
to be designing and changing exhibits. The tools given to us are already helping us design and
present new exhibit ideas. Overall our experience with this program has been very rewarding. It
has given us the skills as a staff to create exhibits that are meaningful.”
- John Hutchings Museum of Natural History
"I now have better research and cataloging skills, which will only enhance our museum records in
the future. The knowledge I gained from research will also help me to tell a better story on our
tours. This project was time consuming, but worth every second for the end-product."
- Murray City Museum
“The opportunity to receive instruction and have hands-on experience as we progressed through
the interpretive process was outstanding. The vision and skills we developed will assist us as we
do other interpretive exhibits at the museum. We are not trained archivists or museum
personnel, so the opportunity to participate in this workshop opened up vast areas of
possibilities for us to enhance our museum. We learned that it is important for all things to have
a purpose and to be part of a whole story and not just a place for “looking at old things.” We are
still a group in progress, and are willing to continue to learn how to make our museum the best.”
- Wasatch County Daughters of Utah Pioneers Museum
"Long term, our museum will benefit so much for having participated in MII. In the past we have
let the artifact tell its own story. Now we see how limiting that is and how we can help the
artifact and a story come together in a beautiful way."
- Uintah County Western Heritage Museum
“The training that our volunteers received will serve the museum for a long time and in many
ways. The volunteers who attended are long-time, committed volunteers who will be able to use
the training to continue improving exhibits, creating new exhibits, and developing educational
programs. They have already passed some of what they have learned to other volunteers, who
will in turn be able to use the information to the benefit of the museum. No longer will projects
need to be completely managed by the curator - volunteers have been empowered to make
significant contributions to the future of Fremont Indian State Park and Museum.”
- Fremont Indian State Park and Museum
Challenges and Lessons
There is no doubt that MII has been successful in shifting participants’ thinking about exhibits and the
possibilities for interpretation at their own museums. The RKA evaluation indicated that participants
were very positive about the comprehensive training they received, and felt increased confidence in
their work. For many, introducing the concepts of interpretive best practices and supporting the
completion of comprehensive interpretive exhibit project has been sufficient to move them toward
better practice in interpretation and related areas. For example, several MII graduates have gone on to
enroll in distance museum studies courses, take advantage of professional development opportunities
offered by UMA or AASLH, or successfully competed for grants.
MII project team found, however, that while enthusiastic, most participants require continued support
to take the next steps. The RKA report identifies significant accomplishments of MII, along with
persistent challenges. This passage is from the report:
Despite this success, the challenges faced by these small museums are monumental, and while the
MII program provided transformational tools and support for participants, many capacity-related
problems persist. In fact, some interviewees noted that their prevailing challenges were in some
ways exacerbated by their newfound knowledge of best practices. They expressed a sense of feeling
overwhelmed in meeting new, higher expectations learned at the MII in the face of consistently
limited resources, including time, capable staff and volunteers, and funding. The positive feedback
from interviewees suggests that the MII program has the potential to expand to meet the ongoing
needs of small museums throughout the state.
Interpretive exhibits and programming do not happen in a vacuum, but rely on stable organizations with
good practice in collections management, board oversight, and organizational planning. Many MII
museums do not have these fundamental elements in place or even recognize their importance, and
therefore have challenges that go far beyond the scope of the MII content. Oftentimes, MII site visits
resulted in mini-assessments of the museum as a whole, with questions and issues raised that were
outside of MII’s defined scope (e.g., care of historic buildings or resources, collections management and
conservation, policies and procedures, organizational planning, audience development, volunteer
recruitment, heritage tourism, funding, etc.). More frequent site visits throughout the workshops is
something facilitators would do in future, and with expanded capacity to address a wider field of issues.
This demonstrated need for assistance on a wider range of issues is partially met by information
provided by online resources, distance education, and single workshops. But if the lessons of MII are to
be taken fully, a more individualized, site-based, hands-on approach may be necessary for those
interested in order to help best practices really take root.
MII graduates value the knowledge they have gained, but the two people trained at each museum often
need help to bring along board members, other staff, and volunteers in embracing new principles and
practices. For example, in the case of one museum, the MII graduate who became enthusiastic about
the content of MII and rightly understood the implications for other areas of museum practice, was let
go by the museum board for pursuing better collection management practices learned via MII. In
another case, the two workshop participants faced major resistance from the museum director when
they tried to create an exhibit the way they had been taught at the workshops, and both ended up
leaving the museum in exasperation following the project. These kinds of organizational politics were
beyond the scope of MII, but do point to a need to approach some organizations at a more fundamental
level than interpretation.
Finally, despite repeated surveys in the State indicating that training in exhibits and education is a very
high priority for Utah museums, filling the workshops each year was an effort. Some potential applicants
saw that the requirements were beyond their interest level, while for others the provision of equipment
was an important carrot that heightened commitment to a process that was sometimes difficult. Future
program design will need to consider the continued role of equipment (and how to better support its
use), as well as the composition and size of cohort. Also, becoming more nuanced about assessing
applicant readiness and more finely determining the target population (i.e., “small museum” vs. “micromuseum”) would be beneficial when determining whether such a training investment is “worth it.”
As the RKA evaluation sums up:
The MII program [has] provided interviewees with a powerful combination of tools, support, and
encouragement to transform their museum practices. Building on these strength areas and
exploring ways to address museums’ capacity challenges is the necessary next step for supporting
this vibrant and valuable network of institutions. The data in this summative evaluation show that
the MII program is especially important for the development of small museums, which lack not only
resources but also the contacts, confidence, and expertise needed to fully embrace new practices.
To summarize the challenges and lessons of MII participating museums:
Organizational capacity
 Excitement and struggle to integrate new standards and practices into their organizations.
 Difficulty managing workloads in the face of consistently limited resources, including time,
capable staff and volunteers, and funding.
 Prevailing challenges sometimes exacerbated by newfound knowledge of best practices.
Good work requires time, focused attention and help
 All surprised at how much time it takes to DO the work involved in creating interpretive
exhibit, yet agreed results were much better for it.
 Learning new skills means asking for help from project team, community members,
technical experts, and each other.
 Realization that interpretive programming does not happen in an organizational vacuum.
To summarize the challenges and lessons for MII project team:
No substitute for on-the-ground assistance
 Key to effectiveness was personalized “hands-on” teaching approach combined with
“learning by doing” nature of the curriculum.
 Exhibit project requirement and equipment legacy led to accountability.
 Site visits are crucial and frequency should be increased (once was not enough).
Communication
 Respect self-narrative of “small museum” while nudging its edges.
 Balance laissez faire approach with proactive management of cohort.
Scope
 Many challenges that limit museums’ ability to succeed go beyond scope of MII.
 Need for more nuanced assessment of applicant readiness for training.
Few back-up resources
 Decreased statewide service capacity means fewer resources to refer museums to.
 How to address the need for a real field services capacity in Utah?
Project Impact
Four years into the MII project, it is possible to see some longer term impacts for staff of Utah’s small
museums. For many, participation in the program has been a catalyst to move them toward better
practice in interpretation and other related areas. For example, some MII graduates have gone on to
enroll in museum studies courses and attend graduate school, while many others are taking advantage
of professional development opportunities offered by UMA and AASLH. Two earned Utah Certificates of
Museum Practice in 2013; they credit MII for getting them started, used their participation in partial
fulfillment of certificate requirements, and contend that MII remains their benchmark for good training.
Several MII museums have successfully competed for grants from UHC and State agencies for
subsequent interpretation and other types of projects. MII graduates are also moving into leadership
roles in Utah’s museum community, including board positions with UMA and the Utah Division of Arts &
Museums (UA&M), and organizing sessions of their own at the UMA conference.
Staff turnover at the MII graduate museums has been less than anticipated, with 71 of the 100 core
workshop participants still in place at their museums. Six have left their organizations but remain in the
museum sector, while 12 have left their museum as well as the sector. The status of 10 is unknown,
while one person is deceased. Of the 50 museums that sent staff to the workshops, 27 (54%) are actively
pursuing activities that improve their organizations (per communications with the MII project team),
while 9 (18%) have lost both of their MII-trained staff.
MII has successfully built the capacity of small museums to more effectively engage new audiences and
better serve their own local communities. In addition to capacity-building for individual museums, MII
has improved the statewide museum infrastructure by providing professional development that raises
standards and ambitions and by increasing opportunities for networking and peer interaction—all of
which will enhance museum work into the future. Fundamentally, this work is building more active UMA
members around the State and more effective community project partners for UHC. UHC’s leadership in
developing an ongoing collaboration with the UMA to respond to needs identified by the UA&M has
been vital at a time when State budgets and field-level support have dwindled.
The organizational capacity of the Utah Humanities Council has been increased by its direction of this
project. Megan van Frank has been asked to consult on three federal grant proposals to help leverage
the lessons learned through MII to other projects. Given UHC’s strong relationships with small regional
museums in Utah, van Frank was invited to sit on the Utah Interagency Heritage Resources Working
Group, on the local host committee for the AASLH 2012 annual meeting, as well as an informal working
group exploring how the State might provide better support to regional museums. UHC has also become
involved with the AASLH Field Services Alliance so as to better network with those providing similar
outreach services in other states. As a result of the RKA evaluation of MII, UHC sought and received seed
funding from UA&M for a small pilot to test solutions to persistent capacity-related challenges faced by
MII museums and begin to trial a field services model in Utah (see Next Steps below).
Perhaps most significantly, however, is the influence MII has had on UHC’s own strategic direction.
During the course of recent strategic planning, UHC has looked to the MII project as a model for the kind
of programming it aims to do in the future, that which is participatory, rather than passive, and which
empowers Utahns to improve their communities in tangible ways through active involvement in the
humanities.
NEXT STEPS
What’s next? Describe any plans to continue work in this area.
This passage from the RKA Summative Evaluation has guided UHC and its partners in their consideration
of what’s next:
“The MII intensive workshop program provided [participants] with a powerful combination of
tools, support, and encouragement to transform their museum practices. Building on these
strength areas and exploring ways to address museums’ capacity challenges is the necessary
next step for supporting this vibrant and valuable network of institutions. The MII program is
especially important for the development of small museums, which lack not only resources but
also the contacts, confidence, and expertise needed to fully embrace new practices.”
As part of her statewide outreach efforts, UHC’s Megan van Frank continues to provide one-on-one
consultations for interested museums. UMA also continues to encourage the development of regional
networks of small museums through which participants can continue to build upon their skills. UHC and
UMA, along with UA&M, are in conversation about how to leverage the success achieved through MII
and better foster coordination among state-level providers.
At the October 2013 joint Western Museums Association / Utah Museums Association annual
conference in Salt Lake City, van Frank convened a panel session called “Field Services 2.0: Creating New
Support Models for Small Museums,” which looked at some experiments in creative collaboration and
field service delivery. Presenters were: Janice Klein, President Elect, Museum Association of Arizona;
Kara West, Assistant Director for Field Services, Balboa Art Conservation Center; Mark Ryan, Director of
Collections and Operations, Plains Art Museum; and Kyle Jansson, Coordinator, Oregon Heritage
Commission. In addition to this session, there was vibrant conversation about this topic among MII
participants over a number of sessions.
Additionally, with seed funding from UA&M, UHC is currently trialing a “MII Stage 2” pilot project that
builds on the achievements of the MII Intensive Regional Workshops. The Stage 2 pilot – dubbed the
Museum Field Services Initiative (MFSI) – is intended to expand the range of field services delivered and
provide on-site, intensive, customized assistance to museums tackling capacity-related challenges. The
pilot aims to test a coordinated “consortium-based” model of field services delivery that leverages
expertise from a network of state-level organizations (i.e., state agencies, non-profits, large museums,
universities, etc.) that have their own statewide outreach objectives.
Three museums – all of which completed the MII workshop program – are currently participating in the
MFSI pilot (with three more on the horizon). Each completed the UA&M State Performance Goals for
Utah Museums evaluation tool to assess and document their overall strengths, weaknesses, and needs.
Based on results of this evaluation, each museum identified a doable project that addressed a high
priority need in order to advance in one of the performance goal areas. Museums are in the process of
completing the chosen project within an agreed-upon timeframe, and with the assistance of the service
team. Each of the three museums currently participating in the pilot has a different priority, and
therefore requires the assistance of different organizational partners. This process gives the museum a
tangible, completed project, as well as a roadmap for next steps.
Based on the pilot, UHC and its partners may seek to develop a larger-scale version to provide field
services to Utah’s small museums, or develop some other means to better address the broader capacityrelated challenges identified as part of the Museum Interpretation Initiative.
GRANT PRODUCTS
Attach any product that resulted from grant activities, including final evaluation reports and instruments; research findings,
publications, or manuscripts; software; curriculum guides, workbooks, or other learning resources; and other deliverables.
Provide Web-based material in hard-copy form or on disk with a description of the content and format. Forward any product
that is not yet complete to IMLS as it becomes available.[Note that 11/22/2013 advice from IMLS indicates that one copy, not
three, of any attachment or supplemental materials is sufficient.]
Note that the Randi Korn & Associates formative and summative evaluations were submitted with
previous interim reports. For online report, see these evaluations in full posted separately at
http://www.utahhumanities.org/MIIProgramFindings.htm
The article being written by Pamela Miller will be submitted to IMLS upon completion.
Please explore the project’s website http://www.utahhumanities.org/MIIHome.htm, particularly the
exhibit projects created by workshop participants linked from the Project Map (direct link is
http://www.utahhumanities.org/MIIMap.htm), as well as the full curriculum in the Workshop Materials
section (direct link http://www.utahhumanities.org/MIIWorkshopMaterialsHide.htm)
Additional grant products and supporting materials are attached as the following appendices:




Appendix H: Letters of Critical Review from Alice Parman and Wilson Martin (2012)
Appendix I: PowerPoint Summary of MII Project Findings 2010-2012
Appendix J: Museum Resources Section from MII Website (2013)
Appendix K: MII Regional Workshop Curriculum (2012)
FULL APPENDIX LIST
A. SF425 Federal Financial Report Form for Expenditures 10/1/2012 through 9/30/2013 – 1 page
Not posted in online report – contact UHC for particulars if required
B. Major Project Activity Summary, 2009-2013 – 4 pages
C. Photographs of MII Activities, 2009-2012 – 13 pages
D. MII Museum Exhibit Project Map (2010, 2011, 2012) – 1 page
E. Project Findings Published in Utah Museums Association Newsletter and Western Museums
Association Blog (2013) – 10 pages
F. MII Regional Workshop Museums and Projects (2010, 2011, 2012) – 1 page
G. Randi Korn & Associates Learning Circle Evaluation of 2012 MII Cohort – 2 pages
H. Letters of Critical Review from Alice Parman and Wilson Martin (2012) – 5 pages
I. PowerPoint Summary of MII Project Findings 2010-2012 – 22 pages
For online report, posted separately at http://www.utahhumanities.org/MIIProgramFindings.htm
J. Museum Resources Section from MII Website (2013) – 10 pages
For online report, posted separately at http://www.utahhumanities.org/MIIResources.htm
K. MII Regional Workshop Curriculum (2012) – 152 pages
Posted separately at http://www.utahhumanities.org/MIIWorkshopMaterialsHide.htm
Final Report to the Institute of Museum and Library Services
Award Number: MP-00-09-0053-09
Project Title: Museum Interpretation Initiative
Appendix B
Major Project Activity Summary,
2009-2013
4 pages total
Appendix B: Museum Interpretation Initiative – Major Project Activity Summary, 2009-2013
Annual Museum Conference Content-Related Activity
Intensive Regional Workshop Activity
Dissemination of Results and National Networking Activity
MII Cohort Networking Activity
DATE
ACTIVITY
DETAILS
October 21-23,
2009
Utah Museums
Association
Annual Conference,
Green River, UT
Keynote Lecture: The Value of Nearby History with David Kyvig
Hands-on Workshops (x2) with David Kyvig
Conference session: Telling Our Stories: Utah’s Museum Interpretation
Initiative with Laurel Casjens & Virginia Catherall
137 conference participants (Utah museum professionals & volunteers,
service providers, and scholars)
February 3-5,
2010
IMLS Convening,
Washington, DC
Project staff Megan van Frank and Laurel Casjens attend convening for
IMLS - MP21 projects.
March 1, 2010
April 26, 2010
June 21, 2010
Regional Workshop
Series, Heritage Museum
of Layton, Layton, UT
Finding Our Stories Research Workshop with Megan van Frank
Telling Our Stories Exhibits Workshop with Laurel Casjens
Teaching Our Stories Education Workshop with Virginia Catherall
Delivered to 18 staff from 9 participating museums in Layton cohort
March 8, 2010
May 3, 2010
June 28, 2010
Regional Workshop
Series, Museum of Moab,
Moab, UT
Delivered to 14 staff from 7 participating museums in Moab cohort
August &
September
2010
Site Visits to 2010
Regional Projects
Individual site visits of 3-4 hours each conducted by workshop facilitators
to the 16 museums participating in the 2010 MII workshop program in
Layton and Moab:
Bryner House Museum, Daggett County Museum, Hole in the Rock
Foundation – Bluff Fort, Hyrum Museum, Layton Heritage Museum,
Morgan County DUP Museum, Museum of Moab, Myton Memories
Museum, Ogden Union Station Museums, Southeastern Utah Museum
of the American West, Springville Mapleton DUP Museum, Stokes
Nature Center, Syracuse Museum, Weber County DUP Museum,
Western Mining and Railroad Museum, and Woodbury Art Museum.
October 11-13,
2010
Utah Museums
Association
Annual Conference,
Park City, UT
Keynote Lecture: Exhibit Makeovers with Alice Parman
Hands-on Workshops (x2) with Alice Parman
Initiative with Megan van Frank & Virginia Catherall
Closed session: MII Learning Circle for participants in the MII 2010
workshops with Randi Korn
Utah Humanities Council – Museum Interpretation Initiative | IMLS Final Report – 20 December 2013 | Appendix B page 1 of 4
DATE
ACTIVITY
DETAILS
October 11-13,
2010
Utah Museums
Association
Annual Conference, Park
City, UT
Conference session: Utah’s Interpretation Initiative: Museums Share Their
Own Stories with Megan van Frank and MII 2010 participants Karen
Stark, Sandra Allison, and Melissa Hempel
November 5,
2010
Federation of State
Humanities Councils
Annual Meeting,
Albuquerque, NM
Presentation of Museum Interpretation Initiative: Connecting with Small
Museums in Utah by project staff Megan van Frank as part of a panel
called “MoMS Best Practices”
Feb 28, 2011
April 18, 2011
June 13, 2011
Regional Workshop
Series, Orem Heritage
Museum, Orem, UT
Telling Our Stories Exhibits Workshop with Pamela Miller
Delivered to 16 staff from 8 participating museums in Orem cohort, plus
considerable feedback and assistance between workshops.
March 7, 2011
April 25, 20110
June 20, 2011
August &
September
2011
Regional Workshop
Series, Fairview Museum
of History and Art,
Fairview, UT
Telling Our Stories Exhibits Workshop with Pamela Miller
Site Visits to 2011
Regional Projects
Individual site visits of 3-4 hours each conducted by workshop facilitators
to the 16 museums participating in the 2011 MII workshop program in
Orem and Fairview:
Delivered to 16 staff from 8 participating museums in Fairview cohort, plus
Camp Floyd Stagecoach Inn State Park Museum, Castle Dale Pioneer
Museum, East Carbon City Museum, Ephraim Hansen House DUP
Museum, Fairview Museum of Art and History, Historic Wendover
Airfield, Hogan Cabin DUP Museum, John Hutchings Museum, Manti
Patten House DUP Museum, Midvale Historical Society and Museum,
Mount Pleasant Pioneer Museum, Murray City Museum, Museum of
the San Rafael, Orem Heritage Museum, Provo Pioneer Village, and
Spring City DUP Museum.
September 10,
2011
Utah State Historical
Society Annual Meeting,
Fort Douglas, UT
Presentation of Utah History and the Public: Small Museums Practicing
Public History by project staff Megan van Frank as part of a panel
called “Utah History and the Public: Engaging with the Past”
October 10-12,
2011
Utah Museums
Association Annual
Conference, Logan, UT
Keynote Lecture: The Participatory Museum with Nina Simon
Hands-on Workshops (x2) with Nina Simon
Initiative with Laurel Casjens & Virginia Catherall
DATE
ACTIVITY
DETAILS
October 10-12,
2011
Utah Museums
Association Annual
Conference, Logan, UT
Own Stories with Megan van Frank and MII 2011 participants Bunny
Ankney, Amanda Adams, and Brent Farley
Feb 27, 2012
April 23, 2012
June 18, 2012
Regional Workshop
Series, Wasatch County
DUP Museum, Heber
City, UT
Regional Workshop
Series, Cedar City DUP
Museum, Cedar City, UT
March 5, 2012
April 30, 2012
June 25, 2012
Delivering to 18 staff from 9 participating museums in Heber cohort, plus
Delivering to 18 staff from 9 participating museums in Cedar City cohort,
plus considerable feedback and assistance between workshops.
August &
September
2012
Site Visits to 2012
Regional Projects
Individual site visits of 3-4 hours each to be conducted by workshop
facilitators to the 18 museums participating in the 2012 MII workshop
program in Heber and Cedar City:
American Fork DUP Museum, Antelope Island Fielding Garr Ranch,
Beaver DUP Museum, Cedar City DUP Museum, DSC Sears Museum
Gallery, Fremont Indian State Park Museum, Great Basin Museum,
Hurricane Heritage Park Museum, Juab Company DUP Museum, Little
Hollywood Museum, Loa DUP Museum, Provo DUP Museum, Santa
Clara History Museum, Wasatch County DUP Museum, Wasatch
Mountain State Park, Wells Fargo Silver Reef Museum, Wheeler
Historic Farm, Uintah County Western Heritage Museum.
October 1-3,
2012
Utah Museums
Association Annual
Conference,
Fort Douglas, UT
Keynote Lecture: Creating Public Value with Randi Korn
Hands-on Workshops (x2) with Randi Korn
October 1-3,
2012
Utah Museums
Association Annual
Conference, Fort Douglas,
UT
Own Stories with Megan van Frank and MII 2012 participants Dan
and Karen Adams and LeeAnn Denzer
Conference session: Professional Development Opportunities for Museums
with Megan van Frank and reps from UMA, universities, nonprofits
October 1-3,
2012
Utah Museums
Association Meeting Fort
Douglas, UT
Launch of Small Utah Museums Group (comprised largely of MII
graduates), networking meeting, and working dinner run by UMA
Board Member and 2010 MII graduate Karen Stark. 25 participants
October 3-6,
2012
American Association for
State & Local History
Conference, Salt Lake
City, UT
Day-long workshop: Interpretive Exhibits: Telling Our Stories on a
Shoestring with Megan van Frank, Laurel Casjens, and Virginia
Catherall. 15 participants
DATE
ACTIVITY
DETAILS
October 3-6,
2012
American Association for
State & Local History
Conference, Salt Lake
City, UT
Conference session: Empowering Small Museums on Main Street with
Carol Harsh, Megan van Frank, Karen Stark, and Travis Schenck
Field Services Alliance Meeting: Utah’s Interpretation Initiative with
Megan van Frank
National Leadership in History Award presented to UHC and UMA for
their project Museum Interpretation Initiative
November 8,
2012
UMA – Small Utah
Museums Group,
Midway, UT
Utah Museums Association’s Small Utah Museums Group Networking
Event at Wasatch Mountain State Park (MII cohort 212). 5
participants
November 1218, 2012
Federation of State
Humanities Councils
Meeting, Chicago, IL
Project staff Megan van Frank attends Museum on Main Street planning
meeting and FSHC annual meeting to discuss MII project as part of
capacity-building efforts in Utah
November 27,
2012
Utah Council for Citizen
Diplomacy meeting,
Murray City Museum,
Murray, UT
Presentation of Museum Interpretation Initiative: Empowering Small
Museums in Utah by project staff Megan van Frank as part of the
U.S. Department of State's International Visitor Leadership Program
tour for a delegation Museum Professionals from Kyrgyzstan.
February 28,
2013
UMA – Small Utah
Museums Group,
Salt Lake CIty, UT
Event at Museum Day on Utah’s Capitol Hill. 30 participants
March 3-5,
2013
Field Services Alliance
Meeting, Nashville, TN
Project staff Megan van Frank attends FSA mid-winter meeting to discuss
MII project as part of capacity-building efforts in Utah
June 5, 2013
UMA – Small Utah
Museums Group, Layton,
UT
Event at Heritage Museum of Layton (MII cohort 2010). 12
participants
July 19, 2013
UMA – Small Utah
Museums Group,
Cedar City, UT
Event at Frontier Homestead State Park. 16 participants
August 19,
2013
UMA – Small Utah
Museums Group,
Brigham City, UT
Event at Brigham City Museum. 11 participants
September 1920, 2013
IMLS Convening, Denver,
CO
Project staff Megan van Frank and Pamela Miller attend convening for
IMLS - MP21, C3C, and NLG projects.
October 9-12,
2013
Western Museums
Association Meeting, Salt
Lake City, UT
Day-long workshop: Interpretive Exhibits: Telling Our Stories on a
Shoestring with Megan van Frank, Laurel Casjens, and Virginia
Catherall (MII related activity outside IMLS grant period)
October 9-12,
2013
WMA Meeting, SLC, UT
Project staff Megan van Frank and other MII facilitators attend WMA
annual meeting to discuss MII capacity-building efforts in Utah
October 9-12,
2013
WMA Meeting, SLC, UT
UMA Small Utah Museums Group Networking Event at WMA/UMA
meeting. 22 participants
Appendix C
Photographs of MII Activities,
2009-2012
13 pages total
Appendix C: Photographs of MII Activities
Telling Our Stories:
In addition to her keynote, Nina Simon conducted
two hands-on workshops about interactive learning
for the UMA conference in Logan, Utah, 2011.
© Utah Museums Association
Historian David Kyvig signs copies of his book
Nearby History at the UMA conference in Green
River, October 2009. © UMA
UHC table at the 2012 UMA conference in Salt Lake
advertising the MII program and UHC’s resources.
© Utah Museums Association
“You are doing great things for
museums in Utah! A model that
other states could learn from.”
Alice Parman,
National Museum Consultant, Author of
Exhibit Makeovers, and Keynote
Speaker at 2010 UMA Conference in
Park City, Utah
At the 2011 UMA conference, Amanda Adams of the John Hutchings Museum
presents their Quackery? exhibit project as part of a panel of MII graduates
sharing their exhibit development experiences. © Megan van Frank
"One of the differences we
have seen with this exhibit
and others that we have done
is the amount of historical
research. We’ve gotten far
more involved in trying to tell
different stories than we’ve
done with other exhibits.”
Bill Sanders,
Heritage Museum of Layton
Matt McBride of the Hyrum Museum shows fellow participants the
finer points of label making using the mat cutter. © Megan van Frank
Workshop participants
work in their museum teams to
brainstorm ideas for
exhibit themes and labels.
© Megan van Frank
Virginia Catherall demonstrates interactive tour
techniques at the Heritage Museum of Layton.
© Megan van Frank
"This project and workshop
opened our eyes to what a
museum can accomplish, no
matter the size of the museum,
or education of the volunteers
who are willing to put forth
the work to accomplish
the finished project."
Jennifer Archibeque,
Morgan County DUP Museum
Bill Sanders presents his Weekly Reflex exhibit project to
other members of the Layton cohort. © Megan van Frank
Weekly Reflex: Davis County’s Eyes & Ears, the MII exhibit
project completed by the Layton Heritage Museum.
© Layton Museum
Peacemakers of Yesterday exhibit project completed by the
Springville Mapleton Pioneer Museum. © Sandra Allison
Annalisa Paul wields the mat cutter provided
by the MII program to create labels for her exhibit
on the History & Lore of Logan Canyon.
© Stokes Nature Center
“Through research
I found our project had a lot
more depth than I realized.”
Sandy Allison,
Springville Mapleton Daughters
of Utah Pioneers Museum
Karen Stark practices her interactive touring skills with MII facilitator
Virginia Catherall at the Weber County DUP Museum. © Megan van Frank
Megan van Frank teaches the historical research workshop at
the Moab Museum, 2010. © Laurel Casjens
“We have broadened our networking with other
museum colleagues. That is one of the treasures
we’ve taken from this experience. The ability to call
another person when are wondering about how to
proceed with something in the future
will be invaluable.”
Kathleen Cooper, Myton Memories Museum
LaRue Barton and Corinne Roring
work on label writing for their
exhibit about the stalwart women
of Bluff Fort. © Megan van Frank
“This project has created a legacy
of exhibit construction that we
hope to continue in the future as
we work to refresh and renew
our programs and exhibits.
“We loved it and would do it
again in a heartbeat.”
Travis Schenck,
Museum of Moab
Kathleen Cooper & Kalecia Fowler present their extra-fancy exhibit
layout plan for their Miracles of Monday exhibit. © Megan van Frank
The Miracles of Monday exhibit about washday practices
in Utah’s Uintah Basin. © Myton Memories Museum
One episode in the larger Story of Posey is told
through historic letters and original artwork.
© Southeastern Utah Museum of the American West
Helper’s Post Office mural Western Town by Jenne Magafan,
c.1940, was the impetus for the historic Helper Post Office
exhibit. © Western Mining and Railroad Museum.
Introductory information for the In This House exhibit.
© Museum of Moab
Participants from the Provo Pioneer Village report on their
project progress to the Orem cohort. © Megan van Frank
“We discovered we were telling lies,” laughs Jackie Crowther
about her object research efforts. © Megan van Frank
Participants from the John Hutchings Museum unpack the
contents of the docent teaching bag created for them as part of
the MII program. © Megan van Frank
"We learned how to tell stories more
easily, more completely, and in an
interesting way. I started out as a
museum beginner, but this has given me
the confidence I lacked and desired.
Now I know what I'm doing, basically,
or where to go to get help."
Brent Farley, Orem Heritage Museum
Pam Miller teaches the Exhibits workshop at the Orem
Heritage Museum, April 2010. © Megan van Frank
Inside the schoolhouse, the new Fairfield District Schoolhouse
exhibit is mounted on the back wall, using the windows to
separate the exhibit’s subthemes. © Megan van Frank
The Midvale Museum’s exhibit on the Evolution of House & Home.
Notice how the object label uses design and color to separate
information for easy consumption by visitors. © Megan van Frank
Lenore Peterson gives a hands-on interactive tour to young visitors
to the Hogan Cabin interpretive exhibit. © Megan van Frank
Participants from Historic Wendover Airfield show off part of
their Norden Bombsight exhibit that models the technology as
used on a bombing run. © Historic Wendover Airfield
The hands-on table for the
Quackery? exhibit has learning
games for children of all ages.
© Hutchings Museum
“I do believe that a project like this can have a major impact
on bringing different community entities together.”
Maurine Ramos, Ephraim Hansen House DUP Museum
Megan van Frank discusses multiple
approaches to object research at the Fairview
workshops. © Fairview Museum
"Before the project, our schoolhouse was nice to
look at, but visitors just came in and walked
around and looked. Now we have labels that
interpret the photos and artifacts, hands-on
items, and a self-guided tour.”
Ruby Stull, Patten House DUP Museum
Workshop participants discuss research strategies during a
break out session at the Fairview Museum. © Megan van Frank
Virginia Catherall leads the Fairview cohort in a critique of the Material World
interpretive exhibit created by workshop facilitators alongside participants to
demonstrate the exhibit development process. © Laurel Casjens
Virginia Catherall and Suzan Rasmussen discuss the Fairview
Museum’s exhibit about the cultural history of the turkey in
Sanpete County during the museum’s site visit assessment.
© Megan van Frank
Part of the Pioneer Texting
exhibit at the Mt Pleasant
Museum, which tells the
local Deseret Telegraph
story. © Megan van Frank
The small but multi-layered and info-laden Entertainment Tonight Spring City
Style exhibit at the Spring City DUP Museum. © Megan van Frank
Hands-on learning for visitors to Castle Dale’s
Handcart exhibit includes pioneer games like
tic-tac-toe and handkerchief dolls.
© Megan van Frank
The Clyde’s Cavern exhibit is designed to accommodate a
rotating group of Desert Archaic and Fremont collections
from this important prehistoric site. © Megan van Frank
“We are not trained archivists or museum personnel.
The opportunity to participate in this workshop opened up vast
possibilities for us to enhance our museum.”
Kathryn Berg, Wasatch County DUP Museum, Heber
Workshop participants
report on their historical
research and project
progress during Heber
workshop.
© Laurel Casjens
Participants learn to make
exhibit labels on a shoestring
by using their new equipment.
© Laurel Casjens
Megan van Frank and Virginia Catherall lead the Heber cohort in a discussion about researching
historical context and developing exhibit narratives supported by appropriate objects.
© Laurel Casjens
Detail from historical map of the Dominguez-Escalante
trail, featured in the Great Basin Museum’s interpretive
exhibit on that subject. © Laurel Casjens
Team from the Antelope Island Fielding-Garr Ranch in their hands-on exhibit called
In the Heat of the Forge: The Essential Role of the Blacksmith, which shows how
ranching operations on the island relied utterly on the resident blacksmith.
© Megan van Frank
Object from the Wasatch Mountain State
Park’s exhibit, Maria Huber’s Influence on
Pioneer Family Life. © Laurel Casjens
Beauty and the Beast was inspired by the scary-looking
permanent wave machine in the museum’s collection and
tells the story of how early 20th Century films and advertising
created the 'need' for fancy hairstyles that could only be met
by a burgeoning local sector of professional beauty parlors.
© Uintah County Western Heritage Museum
“Long term, our museum will
benefit so much for having
participated in MII. In the past
we have let the artifact tell its
own story. Now we see how
limiting that is and how we can
help the artifact and a wellresearched story come together
in a beautiful way.”
The “Reel” Story of Silk traces the beginnings of sericulture in American Fork, Utah, during
the period of 1877-1906. The exhibit uses objects, archival materials, multi-media and
hands-on educational activities to engage visitors. © American Fork DUP Museum
LeeAnn Denzer, Uintah County
Western Heritage Museum Vernal
DSC Sears Museum Gallery project team works on their
archaeology exhibit labels during MII workshop. © Laurel Casjens
Jan Stucki of the Santa Clara Museum shows off the
contents of their new hands-on education bag made for their
exhibit School Days, School Days. © Megan van Frank
“There were differences in how we did this
exhibit… Labeling was more innovative,
using questions and better identifying
our main themes. We also developed selfstudy guides and added an audience
participation feature, which we had never
thought to do before.”
LaKay Weber, Cedar City Daughters
of Utah Pioneers Museum
Exhibit critiques involving all participants are integral
to the MII workshops. © Megan van Frank
Silver Reef Museum project team reports on the challenges and progress
of their exhibit project at MII workshop in Cedar City. © Laurel Casjens
Exhibit detail of Santa Clara Museum’s
School Days, School Days.
© Laurel Casjens
1950s stuntwoman Jackie Hamblin Rife is the subject
of Little Hollywood Museum’s exhibit. © L. Casjens
Who used to live where your community is built today? The exhibit Who Lived Here Before Us?
helps to answer that question for residents of southwestern Utah. The map orients visitors to
prehistoric and contemporary Native American communities in the region. © L. Casjens
Interactive portion of the Pioneer
Christmas in Southern Utah exhibit
invites visitors to record and share
their own Christmas memories.
© Laurel Casjens
Objects collected from the Silver Reef
mining area include many associated
with its Chinatown. © Laurel Casjens
“The Utah Humanities Council is a great
Volunteers at the Fremont Indian State
Park Museum created the Who Followed
the Fremont in Clear Creek Canyon?
exhibit, which greatly adds to the
Museum’s capacity to engage visitors.
© Megan van Frank
organization that can help small museums
reach their goals.”
Eric Fleming, Silver Reef Museum
Appendix D
MII Museum Exhibit Project Map
(2010, 2011, 2012)
1 page total
Appendix D: MII Museum Exhibit Project Map (2010, 2011, 2012)
Fantastic Local Stories!
“Rather than just throwing together
displays, we now know how to create
interpretive exhibits, and supplement
them with interactive elements,
self-guides, educational tours
and programs.”
Take a look at the exciting results!
www.utahhumanities.org/MIIHome.htm
Appendix E
Project Findings Published in
Utah Museums Association
Newsletter and Western Museums
Association Blog (2013)
10 pages total
The Museum Interpretation Initiative | Utah Museums Association
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On Friday, October 5, 2012, the Museum Interpretation Initiative: Telling Our Stories program was awarded a 2012
Leadership in History Award of Merit from the American Association of State and Local History (AASLH) at its annual
meeting in Salt Lake City. The program is a collaborative effort between the Utah Humanities Council (UHC) and the
Utah Museums Association (UMA), and has been supported by a three-year matching grant from the national Institute
for Museum and Library Services (IMLS). The AASLH Leadership in History Award is the most prestigious recognition
for achievement in the preservation and interpretation of state and local history, and the Museum Interpretation
Initiative program is among 59 projects and individuals honored nationwide, and one of only two winners from Utah in
2012.
More than 250 museums in Utah are home to the state’s most important cultural heritage. Most are small and
typically run by a few passionate staff and volunteers on a shoestring budget. One challenge they all share is how to
engage visitors with the stories of their collections and communities. To help meet this challenge, the Museum
Interpretation Initiative (MII) program has provided over the last three years nationally renowned speakers and
sessions at the annual UMA conferences, plus a series of free, intensive, regional workshops delivered to small
museums throughout Utah.
REGIONAL WORKSHOPS
Since 2010, the MII intensive workshops have helped more than 100 staff and volunteers from 50 small museums
around Utah create more engaging exhibits and bring important aspects of local history and heritage to life. The series
of hands-on workshops teach collection research, exhibit development, and interpretation techniques, which have
given museum staff skills and resources to create their own interpretive exhibits. With the help of MII facilitators, and
a “learning by doing” approach, workshop participants completed an exhibit project at their own museum. Their
projects span the state of Utah, ranging from Logan Canyon and Manila to Bluff and Santa Clara, and document
important aspects of Utah’s history (See the project map at www.utahhumanities.org/MIIMap.htm).
The experience has helped shift participants’ thinking about the power of exhibits as educational tools and their own
abilities to create them. An added benefit is the enhanced experience of museum visitors learning about local history.
Besides the training, workshop participants received equipment, educational materials, and memberships to
organizations such as AASLH. Another major benefit was the opportunity to connect with colleagues from neighboring
museums, and strengthen regional networks. The MII workshops were held regionally around the state, in Layton and
Moab (2010), Orem and Fairview (2011), and Heber City and Cedar City (2012) (See list of participating museums
and their projects below).
https://www.utahmuseums.org/spotlights/MII[1/7/2013 1:37:00 PM]
UMA CONFERENCE CONNECTION
The content of the MII program – research, exhibits, and participatory education – was also tied to the content of the
annual UMA conferences. Through the MII program, UMA was able to bring nationally known speakers to its annual
conferences, providing wonderful information, inspiration, and instruction to its members through keynote addresses
and workshops.
MII was officially launched at the 2009 UMA Conference in Green River with keynote speaker David Kyvig, author of
Nearby History: Exploring the Past Around You, a handy source on how to conduct local history research. At the
2010 UMA Conference in Park City, Alice Parman, whose book Exhibit Makeovers is a valuable “do-it-yourself”
workbook for small museums, was the keynote speaker. Nina Simon, author of The Participatory Museum, was
featured at the 2011 UMA Conference in Logan. As a fitting conclusion to the program, Randi Korn (whose museum
planning and evaluation firm served as the MII external evaluator) was the keynote speaker at the 2012 UMA
Conference in Salt Lake City.
Each year, the workshop graduates gathered at the UMA conference to benefit from the sessions and networking,
present their projects, and meet with Randi Korn as part of her evaluation activities.
A COLLABORATIVE EFFORT
The idea for MII began with a conversation between Brandon Johnson of UHC, Laurel Casjens of the Utah Office of
Museum Services (OMS), Gretchen Dietrich of UMA, and Virginia Catherall of the Utah Museum of Fine Arts (UMFA)
about ways to collaborate to help strengthen the capacity of Utah’s small museums. In 2008, after getting knocked
back in their first application for an IMLS grant, the group tried a pilot program with Brandon, Laurel, and Virginia
presenting day-long interpretation workshops around the state and shorter sessions at the UMA conference. With the
results of this pilot and data provided by statewide surveys of museum needs, UHC applied again in 2009 with UMA
as its partner, and was successful in obtaining an IMLS 21st Century Museum Professional grant, one of only seven
awards (from 59 applications) given that year nationwide.
By this time Brandon had left UHC, and Megan van Frank was hired to direct the project and join Laurel and Virginia
in teaching the workshops. Pam Miller, chair of the Office of Museum Services Advisory Board, filled in for Laurel in
2011. Anne Asman, and later Ruth White, led the UMA conference component.
The IMLS grant required a one-to-one match, and the UMA conference-goers and workshop attendees matched the
grant to a tune of more than $170,000 through their participation costs. Additional funding was provided by the
George S. and Dolores Dore Eccles Foundation and the National Endowment for the Humanities, as well as in-kind
support from UHC, UMA, UMFA, the Utah Division of Arts & Museums, as well as the workshop and conference
hosts: Heritage Museum of Layton, Museum of Moab, Fairview Museum, Orem Heritage Museum, Wasatch County
DUP Museum, Cedar City DUP Museum (with Cedar City Brian Head Tourism Bureau), Springville Mapleton DUP
Museum, Museum of the San Rafael, Fort Douglas Museum, Alf Engen Museum, and JW Powell Museum of River
History.
BENEFITS AND CHALLENGES
One of the great benefits of the MII experience was the networking and mentoring that occurred. The structure of the
workshops allowed participants to get to know each other and feel a connection through their shared experience. To
continue these collaborative and supportive relationships, MII workshop graduates have become the core of the newly
formed Small Utah Museums affinity group, although the group is open to any small Utah museum (see
www.facebook.com/SmallUtahMuseums for more information).
The MII program was very successful in teaching interpretation and providing hands-on assistance to small museums
in their efforts to produce interpretive exhibits and programs. But it was not without its challenges. For many of the
participating museums, the experience revealed weaknesses within their organizations, such as collections issues,
inadequate or non-existent policies and procedures, limited resources, inexperienced leadership, and resistance to
change. Addressing some of these issues and creating an environment where interpretation is accepted as part of the
vision for museums, and best practices are reflected in policy and procedures, will allow for future interpretive projects
to flourish and Utah’s small museums to improve and grow.
WHAT NEXT?
Efforts to spread the word about the MII program have taken place at UMA conferences and at the recent AASLH
meeting in Salt Lake City. Outreach efforts will continue.
Meanwhile, the MII program website, www.utahhumanities.org/MIIHome.htm is a great place to find resources for
Utah museums, and has a project map showcasing the individual exhibit projects done by participating museums.
Conversations are underway about the next phase in taking what has been learned with the MII program and moving
forward with further collaborative projects to strengthen and increase the capacity of Utah’s small museums.
“You are doing great things for museums in Utah! It’s a model that other states could learn from,” says national
museum consultant and author, Alice Parman. “The Museum Interpretation Initiative,” she continues, “is one of the
most thoughtfully and imaginatively designed professional development programs I’ve ever encountered.”
By Karen Stark (Utah Museums Association) and Megan van Frank (Utah Humanities Council)
Award Photo
The Museum Interpretation Initiative (MII) program was presented with the AASLH Leadership in History Award on
October 5, 2012 by (far left) D. Stephen Elliott, AASLH Chair, and (far right) Terry Davis, AASLH President and CEO.
On hand to receive the award were members of the project team (from l to r) Ruth White (Utah Museums
Association), workshop facilitators Laurel Casjens (museum consultant), Megan van Frank (Utah Humanities
Council), Virginia Catherall (Utah Museum of Fine Arts), and Pamela Miller (Utah State University - Eastern). ©
AASLH, 2012, photographer: Kenneth Jones.
WORKSHOP PARTICIPANT PROJECT LIST
MII
Year
Workshop Museum Name
Location
City
Exhibit Project
2010
Layton
Daggett County Museum
Manila, UT
Medical Practices in a Modern Frontier
2010
Layton
Heritage Museum of Layton Layton, UT
The Weekly Reflex: Davis County’s Eyes
and Ears
2010
Layton
Hyrum Museum
Hyrum, UT
The Story of Blacksmith Fork Canyon
2010
Layton
Morgan County DUP
Museum
Morgan, UT
A Pioneer Sabbath 2010
Layton
Ogden Union Station
Museums
Ogden, UT
Workers of the Railroad: A Behind the
Scenes Look
2010
Layton
Springville / Mapleton DUP Springville, UT
Museum
2010
Layton
Stokes Nature Center
Logan, UT
History and Lore of Logan Canyon
2010
Layton
Syracuse Museum Syracuse, UT
Music Comes Alive in Syracuse
2010
Layton
Weber County DUP
Museum
Ogden, UT
Utah Pioneer Pottery 2010
Moab
Bryner Pioneer Museum Price, UT
The Story of Mike Katsonis
2010
Moab
Hole in the Rock FoundationBluff, UT
Peacemakers of Yesterday
Stalwart Women of Bluff
- Bluff Fort 2010
Moab
Museum of Moab
Moab, UT
In This House
2010
Moab
Myton Memories Museum
Myton, UT
The Miracles of Monday
2010
Moab
SE Utah Museum of the
American West
Blanding, UT
The Story of Posey
2010
Moab
Western Mining & Railroad Helper, UT
Museum
The Helper Post Office 2010
Moab
Woodbury Art Museum,
Utah Valley University
Orem, UT
Contemporary Connections 2011
Fairview
Castle Dale Pioneer
Museum
Castle Dale, UT
The Pioneer Handcart: A People Powered
Wagon
2011
Fairview
East Carbon City Museum
East Carbon City, Mining Equipment: Lighting Their Way for
UT
Over 100 Years 2011
Fairview
Fairview Museum of History Fairview, UT
and Art
Talkin’ Turkey 2011
Fairview
Hansen House DUP
Museum
Ephraim, UT
Mrs. Hansen – How Do You Do?…
2011
Fairview
Mt Pleasant Pioneer
Museum
Mt Pleasant, UT
Pioneer Texting: the Deseret Telegraph in
Mount Pleasant 2011
Fairview
Museum of San Rafael
Castle Dale, UT
Clyde’s Cavern: Surviving & Thriving on
the San Rafael Swell
2011
Fairview
Patten House DUP Museum Manti, UT
Early School Houses in Manti 1850-1900 2011
Fairview
Spring City DUP Museum
Entertainment Tonight Spring City Style
1915-1927 2011
Orem
Camp Floyd Stagecoach Inn Fairfield, UT
State Park Museum
Fairfield District School and Early
Education in Utah 2011
Orem
Historic Wendover Airfield
The Norden Bombsight 2011
Orem
Hogan Cabin DUP Museum Woods Cross, UT Hogan Family: Imagine Real Life in
Pioneer Woods Cross 2011
Orem
John Hutchings Museum of Lehi, UT
Natural History
Quackery? Unique Medical Practices and
Products from the Early 1900s
2011
Orem
Midvale Historical Society & Midvale, UT
Museum
The Evolution of House & Home 2011
Orem
Murray City Museum
Murray, UT
Murray Water – Where Does It Come
From and How Is It Used?
2011
Orem
Orem Heritage Museum
Orem, UT
LDS Roots in Orem
2011
Orem
SUP Provo Pioneer Village Provo, UT
2012
Cedar City Beaver Courthouse DUP
Museum
Beaver, UT
Pioneer Music and Instruments
2012
Cedar City Cedar City DUP Museum
Cedar City, UT
A Pioneer Christmas
2012
Cedar City Dixie State College Sears
Museum Gallery
St. George, UT
Native American Tribes of the Southern
Utah Region
2012
Cedar City Fremont Indian State Park
and Museum
Sevier, UT
The Historic People of Clear Creek
Canyon
2012
Cedar City Hurricane Heritage Park
Museum
Hurricane, UT
Frontier Pioneer Farm Life
2012
Cedar City Little Hollywood Movie
Museum
Kanab, UT
Jackie Hamblin Rife: Hard Fighting
Stuntwoman
2012
Cedar City Loa DUP Museum
Loa, UT
Rags to Riches 2012
Cedar City Santa Clara History Society Santa Clara, UT
Museum
Santa Clara School
2012
Cedar City Wells Fargo Silver Reef
Museum
Leeds, UT
Chinatown in Silver Reef
2012
Heber
American Fork,
UT
The "Reel" Story of American Fork's
Pioneer Sericulture
American Fork DUP
Museum
Spring City, UT
Wendover, UT
The Haws Cabin: Living in Provo Twenty
Years After Settlement The Museum Interpretation Initiative | Utah Museums Association
2012
Heber
Antelope Island State Park - Syracuse, UT
Fielding Garr Ranch
In the Heat of the Forge: Tools of the
Blacksmith Trade
2012
Heber
Great Basin Historical
Society and Museum
Delta, UT
The Dominguez-Escalante Trail
2012
Heber
Juab Company DUP
Museum Nephi, UT
Perjury Farm: Growth of Dry Land Wheat
2012
Heber
Provo DUP Pioneer MuseumProvo, UT
Early Provo in Photos
2012
Heber
Uintah County Western
Heritage Museum
Vernal, UT
Beauty and the Beast: They Really Used
That
2012
Heber
Wasatch County DUP
Museum
Heber City, UT
Biscuits Not Bullets: Weapons and Men of
the Wasatch Militia
2012
Heber
Wasatch Mountain State
Park
Midway, UT
Maria Huber's Influence on Family Life
2012
Heber
Wheeler Historic Farm
Salt Lake City, UT All You Need is a Good Harness
© Utah Museum Association | site developed by CentralPoint
Program Perspectives: Interpretive Exhibits: Telling Our Stories on a Shoestring « WestMuse Blog
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Program Perspectives:
Interpretive Exhibits:
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By Karen Stark
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Coming to Salt Lake City? Here’s your chance to
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Program Perspectives:
Interpretive Exhibits: Telling Our
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helps small museums learn how to create
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inexpensive interpretive exhibits that excite,
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All across the West there are small museums full of
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historical and cultural treasures, rich heritage, and
wonderful stories needing to be shared. Most are
run by a small, but passionate staff struggling with
meager resources just to do the basics. How can we
create good exhibits to effectively tell our stories?
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A desire to help empower small museums to tell
their stories was the motivation behind Utah’s
Museum Interpretation Initiative: Telling Our
Stories program (MII), a joint project of the Utah
Humanities Council and the Utah Museums
2013
San Diego 2009
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Experience WMA 2012
WMA 2013
Association, supported by an IMLS 21st Century
Museum Professional Development grant. I was
fortunate to be involved in the first year of the
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three-year MII program, which consisted of a series
of three day-long, hands-on workshops over six
months, where fellow participants and I learned to
create interpretive exhibits and educational tours at
our own museums. I came away from the program
armed with knowledge, skills, resources, and, most
importantly, a new attitude and perspective about
Twitter Updates
WMA Board Member John Pepper
Henry started his new role as
Executive Director of @PAHMA
today! Congrats!
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using a museum collection to tell meaningful
20 hours ago
stories. I realized that simply displaying historical
The #WMA2013 Scholarship Fund
objects with identifying labels did not even begin to
needs you! Support learning &
convey their meaning and certainly was not fulfilling
the museum’s mission to tell the stories of our
community and its settlers.
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Join us in thanking Craters &
Over the three years of the MII program, more than
Freighters for becoming an
100 individuals from 50 small museums all around
Exhibitor at #WMA2013 in Salt
Utah received training, resources and equipment, as
Lake City! Check 'em out!
well as assistance to create interpretive exhibits and
cratersandfreighters.com
programs in their museums. The MII was awarded a
Leadership in History Award of Merit from the
American Association for State and Local History in
3 days ago
Congrats to WMA Board Member
Wesley Wenhardt for his new
position as Executive Director of
2012. The MII website showcases this project and
the Foss Waterway Seaport
the exhibits created throughout Utah.
thenewstribune.com/2013/08/01/
Attendees of the Western Museums Association, in
Follow @westmuse
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partnership with the Utah Museums Association,
2013 Annual Meeting: Drive On! Museums
and the Future have the opportunity to
participate in a day-long version of this successful
program. A pre-conference workshop titled
Interpretive Exhibits: Telling Our Stories on
a Shoestring will be taught by the original MII
facilitators, Megan van Frank, Laurel Casjens, and
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hands-on workshop held on Wednesday October 9,
2013 at the Fort Douglas Military Museum. You can
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Participants in the Telling Our Stories workshop
can look forward to:
A full day of instruction from knowledgeable,
experienced, and inspirational facilitators
Gaining an understanding of interpretation
and what makes a good interpretative exhibit
Guidance in best-practice collections research
– how to learn from objects and reliable
sources to find stories waiting to be discovered
Learning to evaluate information to get the
story right, or in some cases to tell the right
story, which may not be the story we first
thought
Understanding and assessing significance of
objects and how to place them in context
Instruction in good theme-based exhibit
design principles and planning
Exploring creative ways to present objects
safely, attractively, and meaningfully to convey
a big idea
Writing brief, engaging, accurate, and
informative exhibit text – finding the right
words to tell the story well
Hands-on practice to produce attractive,
inexpensive exhibit labels
Exploring ways to engage, excite, and educate
visitors through interactive learning
experiences, including hands-on teaching and
self-guides
Receiving valuable resource material
Networking and sharing with other
participants
Museums of any size could benefit from this
workshop. We especially recommend it for:
Staff, volunteers, and board members from
small museums throughout the West
Those from Utah museums who missed out on
previous opportunities
MII Museums who want to extend this
training to other staff, volunteers, or board
members
MII graduates who would like a refresher
course
Field Services professionals looking to develop
statewide or regional training programs that
would benefit small museums
Plan to begin your WMA 2013 Annual Meeting
experience with this foundation and perspective of
interpretation, and then build upon it with many
other great ideas from conference sessions and
networking opportunities. You will return to your
museums enlightened, inspired, and empowered to
share the stories of your collection and community.
To register for the 2013 Annual Meeting, please
visit: http://www.regonline.com/wma2013
Karen Stark serves on the Board of Directors of the
Utah Museums Association and is a Museum
Consultant specializing in small and all-volunteer
museums. She was the curator at the Weber
County Daughters of Utah Pioneers Museum for
five years and is currently working with the
Brigham City Museum of Art and History.
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Appendix F
MII Regional Workshop Museums
and Projects (2010, 2011, 2012)
1 page total
Appendix F: MII Regional Workshop Museums and Projects, 2010-2012
MII Year
Workshop
Location
Museum Name
City
Exhibit Project
2010
2010
2010
2010
2010
2010
2010
2010
2010
2010
2010
2010
2010
2010
2010
2010
2011
2011
2011
2011
2011
2011
2011
2011
2011
2011
2011
2011
2011
2011
2011
2011
2012
2012
2012
2012
2012
2012
2012
2012
2012
2012
2012
2012
2012
2012
2012
2012
2012
2012
Layton
Layton
Layton
Layton
Layton
Layton
Layton
Layton
Layton
Moab
Moab
Moab
Moab
Moab
Moab
Moab
Fairview
Fairview
Fairview
Fairview
Fairview
Fairview
Fairview
Fairview
Orem
Orem
Orem
Orem
Orem
Orem
Orem
Orem
Cedar City
Cedar City
Cedar City
Cedar City
Cedar City
Cedar City
Cedar City
Cedar City
Cedar City
Heber
Heber
Heber
Heber
Heber
Heber
Heber
Heber
Heber
Daggett County Museum
Heritage Museum of Layton
Hyrum Museum
Morgan County DUP Museum
Ogden Union Station Museums
Springville / Mapleton DUP Museum
Stokes Nature Center
Syracuse Museum
Weber County DUP Museum
Bryner Pioneer Museum
Hole in the Rock Foundation - Bluff Fort
Museum of Moab
Myton Memories Museum
SE Utah Museum of the American West
Western Mining & Railroad Museum
Woodbury Art Museum, Utah Valley University
Castle Dale Pioneer Museum
East Carbon City Museum
Fairview Museum of History and Art
Hansen House DUP Museum
Mt Pleasant Pioneer Museum
Museum of San Rafael
Patten House DUP Museum
Spring City DUP Museum
Camp Floyd Stagecoach Inn State Park Museum
Historic Wendover Airfield
Hogan Cabin DUP Museum
John Hutchings Museum of Natural History
Midvale Historical Society & Museum
Murray City Museum
Orem Heritage Museum
SUP Provo Pioneer Village
Beaver Courthouse DUP Museum
Cedar City DUP Museum
Dixie State College Sears Museum Gallery
Fremont Indian State Park and Museum
Hurricane Heritage Park Museum
Little Hollywood Movie Museum
Loa DUP Museum
Santa Clara History Society Museum
Wells Fargo Silver Reef Museum
American Fork DUP Museum
Antelope Island State Park - Fielding Garr Ranch
Great Basin Historical Society and Museum
Juab Company DUP Museum
Provo DUP Pioneer Museum
Uintah County Western Heritage Museum
Wasatch County DUP Museum
Wasatch Mountain State Park
Wheeler Historic Farm
Manila, UT
Layton, UT
Hyrum, UT
Morgan, UT
Ogden, UT
Springville, UT
Logan, UT
Syracuse, UT
Ogden, UT
Price, UT
Bluff, UT
Moab, UT
Myton, UT
Blanding, UT
Helper, UT
Orem, UT
Castle Dale, UT
East Carbon City, UT
Fairview, UT
Ephraim, UT
Mt Pleasant, UT
Castle Dale, UT
Manti, UT
Spring City, UT
Fairfield, UT
Wendover, UT
Woods Cross, UT
Lehi, UT
Midvale, UT
Murray, UT
Orem, UT
Provo, UT
Beaver, UT
Cedar City, UT
St. George, UT
Sevier, UT
Hurricane, UT
Kanab, UT
Loa, UT
Santa Clara, UT
Leeds, UT
American Fork, UT
Syracuse, UT
Delta, UT
Nephi, UT
Provo, UT
Vernal, UT
Heber City, UT
Midway, UT
Salt Lake City, UT
Medical Practices in a Modern Frontier
The Weekly Reflex: Davis County’s Eyes and Ears
The Story of Blacksmith Fork Canyon
A Pioneer Sabbath
Workers of the Railroad: A Behind the Scenes Look
Peacemakers of Yesterday
History and Lore of Logan Canyon
Music Comes Alive in Syracuse
Utah Pioneer Pottery
The Story of Mike Katsonis
Stalwart Women of Bluff
In This House
The Miracles of Monday
The Story of Posey
The Helper Post Office
Contemporary Connections
The Pioneer Handcart: A People Powered Wagon
Mining Equipment: Lighting Their Way for Over 100 Years
Talkin’ Turkey
Mrs. Hansen – How Do You Do?…
Pioneer Texting: the Deseret Telegraph in Mount Pleasant
Clyde’s Cavern: Surviving & Thriving on the San Rafael Swell
Early School Houses in Manti 1850-1900
Entertainment Tonight Spring City Style 1915-1927
Fairfield District School and Early Education in Utah
The Norden Bombsight
Hogan Family: Imagine Real Life in Pioneer Woods Cross
Quackery? Unique Medical Practices and Products from the Early 1900s
The Evolution of House & Home
Murray Water – Where Does It Come From and How Is It Used?
LDS Roots in Orem
The Haws Cabin: Living in Provo Twenty Years After Settlement
Beaver's Musical History
A Pioneer Christmas in Southern Utah
Who Lived Here Before Us? Native American Tribes of Southern Utah
Who Followed the Fremont in Clear Creek Canyon?
Who Is Your Hero?
Jackie Hamblin Rife: Hard Fighting Stuntwoman
Riches to Rags to a Rich Heritage
School Days School Days
Chinese Pioneers Influenced Life in Silver Reef
The "Reel" Story Silk
In the Heat of the Forge: the Essential Role of the Blacksmith Trade
The Escalante-Dominguez Expedition
Perjury Farm Began Dry Land Farming in Juab County
Provo: From Humble Beginnings to a Thriving Community
Beauty and the Beast: They Really Used That
Biscuits Not Bullets: Wasatch Militia Men and Weapons
Maria Huber's Influence on Pioneer Family Life
All You Need is a Good Harness
Appendix G
Randi Korn & Associates (RKA)
Learning Circle Evaluation
of 2012 MII Cohort
2 pages total
APPENDIX G: Randi Korn & Associates Learning Circle Evaluation of 2012 MII Cohort
Learning Circle Summary 2012
Submitted by Randi Korn
The Museum Interpretation Initiative (MII), a Utah Humanities Council project funded through the
Institute of Museum and Library Services, was just the right kind of professional development program for
small museums. The third and final Learning Circle1 convened during the 2012 Utah Museum
Associations conference. Similar to the two other Learning Circles that took place (one in 2010 and
another in 2011), this year’s convening was designed to support participants’ collective reflections on their
learning and experiences in MII. Like the reflections that were discussed in 2011, MII participants
expressed appreciation for their teachers—Megan Van Frank, Laurel Casjens, and Virginia Catherall—and
they also delighted in their personal achievements, given their hard work and accomplishments. The
summary below captures conversation trends from the final Learning Circle.
Accomplishments
The Learning Circle was divided into two parts: in the first part participants were invited to reflect on their
experiences by responding to questions that were designed to help them focus on their accomplishments
and challenges. Then participants were asked to sit in one of four breakout groups, review materials from
an exhibition—The Silk Road, and asked to discuss and critique the materials based on their newly gained
knowledge according to a predetermined list of exhibition elements that were part of their curriculum (e.g.,
big idea, introductory text, hands-on components, etc.).
There were several indications that participants learned a great deal from MII. But before they could
describe their specific accomplishments, they wanted to take a moment to rejoice: one participant, when
contemplating what she was most proud of, blurted out “It’s DONE!” In her voice was both amazement
and relief, and others in the group seemed to understand her expression, as they, too, were surprised that
they could create a professional exhibition and live to tell about it. The group was sharing their disbelief
humorously; yet they all realized how far they had come and some of their laughter may have been meant
to poke fun at their former selves, as what came next was a more serious reflection on their
accomplishments.
Professional learning was realized and easily shared. Even though they joked about completing their MII
project, they also said their work in the museum was just beginning. Several noted that they could look
around their museum and see that all of the exhibits needed redesigning except one—their MII project.
They know what they learned and what facilitated their learning. In particular, the critiques offered by
their teachers were enormously helpful, and they appreciated the gentleness with which their work was
appraised. They referenced their readings as well, and while a few participants noted that not all the
readings were applicable, they realized that some of those readings may become more useful in the future.
They recognized how much they had learned when earlier in the day a few of the participants were touring
the Church History Museum; they reported that they spent most of their time critiquing the exhibits and
labels rather than experiencing the exhibits, noting that they were acting like museum professionals. They
voiced their pleasure by saying, “We have been transformed,” “we have gotten our degrees,” and “we have
become our own critics.” Their critiques of The Silk Road materials demonstrated that they weren’t
inflating their progress; their comments demonstrated fluency of ideas and vocabulary consistent with
1
A Learning Circle is a reflective practice strategy developed and pioneered by Carolyn Cohen (2007). Its intent is to help
practitioners process their newly gained knowledge by reflecting on their learning in a group setting with others who had a
similar experience.
Page 1 of 2
what they were taught in MII. For one participant, her learning about museums extended beyond the
exhibition realm; she noted that the process helped her recognize other kinds of problems in her museum
and is seeking advice on how to manage them.
Challenges at First
One line of questioning in the Learning Circle was about aspects of the curriculum or tasks that
participants felt uncomfortable tackling. The two most often mentioned items were selecting objects and
creating hands-on activities. Through MII, participants learned that grouping artifacts and objects should
be purposeful and aligned with the exhibition’s big idea, which is quite different from what was described
in the 2010 report of soon-to-be MII participants when they asked to explain their exhibition design
process: “helter-skelter know-how; there’s no real strategy;” and “There doesn’t seem to be a lot of rhyme
or reason at this point” (RK&A 2010). The workshop PowerPoint presentation highlights high-level
thinking required to present artifacts, for example, grouping artifacts to portray relationships and context
and/or emphasize comparisons. It appears that participants’ struggle with selecting and placing the
artifacts may represent their most significant learning curve as they were required to completely change a
way of thinking and a way of working.
Creating hands-on activities was a different kind of challenge for some participants, as the very notion of
having hands-on elements interfered with existing perceptions of their museums. One participant said,
“We’re a hands-off museum” while another said “It opened up the chasm for hands-on,” as if there was
an inherent black hole in interactivity. A few participants then went on to explain their hands-on
components and the process by which they were created. Their solutions demonstrated imagination and
that they were able to overcome their worries and fears about people “touching” something and doing
more than looking at artifacts and reading text in an exhibition.
Conclusion
Over the last three years the MII team of museum professionals worked with dozens of dedicated
emerging museum professionals from across the state to build their capacity in planning, designing, and
executing exhibits. The first year’s curriculum was informed by the interviews RK&A conducted in 2010
and each subsequent year’s curriculum was tweaked according to feedback from the Learning Circles and
the summative evaluation that was conducted in 2012. Each year’s changes strengthened the curriculum as
well as the quality of participants’ experiences and projects.
I have attended four of the last Utah Museum Association conferences so past MII participants recognize
me and are comfortable casually sharing their thoughts. The MII project created enthusiasm for
professional museum work. With ample time to process and apply all that they learned, several have
expressed wanting an opportunity to work on another museum project so they can further hone their
skills. Others have indicated that they want to redo their museum project as they would approach it
differently now. The saying “Hindsight is 20-20” is fitting here; they recognize that what they learned has
settled into their beings, and with a clearer understanding, they want to demonstrate their improved skills.
MII has afforded small museums in Utah and the volunteers and staff who work on their behalf a
wonderful opportunity to learn and apply basic museum practice to their museums. At the very least, all
participants have shared an experience and created projects of which they are deeply proud. Their feelings
of accomplishment will extend well into the future.
Page 2 of 2
Appendix H
Letters of Critical Review in Support
of MII Nomination for AASLH
National Award of Merit (2012)
 Alice Parman (scholarship)
 Wilson Martin (impact)
5 pages total

MP-00-09-0053-09 Period Covered: 10/1/2009 to 9

Transcription

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