“If you build it, they will come” may work with baseball diamonds in the middle of Iowa cornfields, but it takes more than great programs to get schools into your institution. A good marketing strategy, including well-designed publications, may be the key to connecting your outstanding program with the area …
Museum visitors come in all shapes and sizes. One of the best defined groups of visitors in the museum field is school groups. This audience provides museums with a large number of visitors on an annual basis for a wide variety of tours and programs. Making sure school groups continue …
Ask most teachers why they chose their profession and they won’t mention the palatial work environment or the exorbitant salary. They won’t even talk about the long, languid summer vacation. Most teachers teach because they love children . . . and that’s no joke. So, if you want to connect …
When children come into our art gallery, there is an immediate sense of comfort and familiarity. They see Danny the Dinosaur and it is like seeing a friend.” This comment from Dr. Jerry Mallett, the Director of the Mazza Collection Galleria, describes the special appeal of this particular art gallery. …
As a former Head Start teacher, I realize the importance of making learning interesting with hands-on activities. Working at the Lower Sioux Agency Historic Site in conjunction with Head Start allowed me to try some new teaching skills for all levels. Our first project was a Children’s Day Event. Barb …
Please don’t touch the artwork!” is the cardinal rule of art museums everywhere. But, at the Fayetteville Museum of Art we break that rule every day— and in many ways. Using our custom-made art trunks, the Museum’s education department has created nine art education programs that integrate hands-on experiences into …
This past November, The Aldrich Museum of Contemporary Art, in Ridgefield, CT, held a three-day seminar on developing school programs in art museums. The aptly titled seminar. Innovations in Museum Education, attracted 32 museum educators, consultants, and students from as far away as Los Angeles. The impetus for hosting this …
An innovative community partnership developed by the education department of the James A. Michener Art Museum came about through the discovery, during a 1994 summer meeting, that many of the museum’s docents were also active in an organization called Art Goes to School (ACTS). With limited resources and staff, the …
A Funny Thing Happened… As a former high school teacher and as a docent now at the Terra Museum of American Art, I should not be surprised by the fact that what you give children is not necessarily what they take away. For instance, it is always encouraging to find …
Years ago, I introduced one of my sisters to a colleague from work. I thought that the two of them would really hit-it-off. Like my sister, this fellow was interesting, well educated, and engaging. Yet, after only a few dates, my sister ended the relationship. When I asked about their …