U Can’t Touch That
Visitors want to feel welcome and comfortable in museum spaces. Museums want to keep visitors happy while maintaining collections. These aren’t opposing states, but sometimes it feels like it. I often wonder why this whole touching thing is hard? First, humans touch things to make meaning. Don’t think touch is important. Try checking to see …
MCN 2019
MCN 2019 was an odd one, partly for its setting in a vacation paradise, and because I basically had no presentations. I did, though, help with managing volunteers, so I felt a bit unable to truly enjoy the proceedings. But, with those caveats, I will put down the biggest ideas I saw from the conference …
Some Thoughts on Partnerships
Partnerships are often human relationships scaffolding financial ones. The stakes can often be high, like a staff-position. And the level of discomfort can be equally high, because partnerships require organizations to relinquish control. What are some tips on navigating partnerships? Overall, transparency is a means of allowing both parties to understand and mitigate risk while …
Sol LeWitt
I’m on the board of an awesome readers/ writer series in Cleveland, called Brews + Prose. I was asked to join because I came from the visual arts world. They hoped I’d create bridges between the two communities. I can’t say that I have. But, the experience of going monthly has given me a rich …
Fun is Serious Work
Hiroshi Ishii of MIT Media Lab gave the 2019 Keynote for Museums and the Web. My reflections on his speech have been split into two blog posts (this week and next). The first is outward-facing and the second will be about our own work. — Hiroshi Ishii seems like fun. I spent an hour, an …
Really Hearing Our Visitors
I have generally prided myself on a kind of democratic, small d, form of museum work. I proudly took on visitor-centered aspects of the work. I have helped Cavs fans make signs for the largest parade our city had seen; I rode in a giant artwork inspired parade float (Schreckengost’s Jazz Bowl) in front of …
Technology and Decolonization
Museums feel like they have always been here, like the sky and the seas. But, while the sun has always come up, museums are not a natural phenomenon. They are much more recent, younger than many countries. Museums have their foundations in the Enlightenment and colonialism, two interrelated historic situations. Museums grow from the European …
#OMA2019 Recap : Boards, Front of House, and Conversation Burnout
The Ohio Museums Association had its 2019 conference in Akron this week. I was at the conference as a board member of OMA, eager to hear what we can do for our constituents. This week in Akron I was reminded of the phrase: All politics is local. Ohio is populous state, classically purple in elections, …
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#MW19 Reflections: Data and Diversity and Field Death
Before I go into my notes from Museums and the Web Boston, I want to thank the home committee who was seriously on their game. Everyone around the area was so welcoming and giving with their time and ideas. They created such a wonderful vibe. In looking through my notes and reflecting on my conversations …
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Year-End Review: Thinking about Your Use of Time
The year is winding down. Many organizations are near the halfway point of their fiscal year. This is the right time to take stock on your work and processes. You have time to improve processes for the second half of the year. Where should you start when you take stock? You might start with the …
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