Thinking About Museums: Take 2

Given all the dynamics and complex issues at play with museums today, from the museum work "behind-the-scenes" to how museums connect with visitors and the outside world, how has your perception of museums changed now having taken this class? And if not, why not? Finally: what part of museum work most interests you as a potential career path and why? Respond in at least four sentences with specifics by 5 pm, Monday, December 7, and thanks for all your posts on the Museum Work blog this semester!

Ethics and Exhibitions of Collectors as Potential Donors

Having read the Philip Kennicott article criticizing the exhibition of works from the collection of Bill and Camille Cosby (on view at the National Museum of African Art until January 2016), describe in your own words your position on museums exhibiting works from collections where the collector has been accused of sexual assault or other crimes. Should museums show works from collectors of questionable ethics, even if the works are of high quality and might not otherwise be seen in a public setting? Do you agree with the museum's statement that the show is "fundamentally about the artworks and the artists who created them, not the owners of the collections?" 

There is also in this case the fact that the couple donated $700,000 in support of the show, essentially paying to enhance the value of the collection, which itself has not been promised to the museum. How do these facts shade your position on the museum's decision to exhibit works from the collection? Respond thoughtfully in at least 4 sentences by 5:00 pm, Monday, November 16, and thanks.

Current Topics in Museum Work: Free Admission and Board Fundraising

Two issues that are current topics of discussion when it comes to museums and their survival are admission fees and board fundraising. How can a museum shift from paid admission (and that income) to offering access for free? And on a bigger topic: what if a museum gets into such financial trouble that the board of directors decides to close the institution?

For this week's blog entry assignment, students can chose either to respond to the Wampler lecture by Save the Corcoran's Jayme McLellan (JMU, November 3, 2015) "How to Make a Museum Disappear in 150 years or Fewer" on the demise of the Corcoran Gallery of Art OR to the online lecture by Maxwell Anderson, Director of the Dallas Art Museum: "Changing the Currency of Museum Membership: Participation v. Cash," part of Rewarding Museum Participation and Learning: New Approaches, Smithsonian Hirshhorn Museum, April 23, 2013 (he appears after 2 minutes) https://badgeos.org/rewarding-museum-participation/

Please respond thoughtfully to the ideas and situations presented [particularly considering if you agree or not (Anderson) or what solutions you might have to art museums in situations similar to the Corcoran's], in at least 4 sentences, and post your comments no later than 5 pm, Monday, November 9. Thanks!

Learning in Museums: Visitor Experience and Participation

As we discussed in class, learning in museums is not the same as in schools. Instead of being directed and expert-led, museums offer visitors opportunities to freely move through space, empowering each person to choose his or her own individual path based on personal interests or curiosity.

With the visitor engagement in mind, summarize either John Falk's essay "The Museum Visitor Experience" or Nina Simon's "Principles of Participation," discussing how the author maps out strategies to best support visitor learning in the museum setting. How does your author view the audience, and what does he/she see as vital to improving each visitor's museum experience in the years to come? What do you think about the author's ideas? Discuss these elements in your summary, using at least four sentences, and post to the blog no later than 5 pm, Monday, November 2. Thanks and have a great weekend!

Exhibition Design: Setting the Stage for the Museum Visitor

Exhibition design can make or break a show in a museum. Do it wrong, and the visitor response could be irritation, feeling stupid, or even worse, walking right pass the exhibition entrance. Do it right, and it becomes like a subconscious guide, revealing the power of objects and a story to tell.

With design in mind, think to your own experiences in museum exhibitions: Was there one you remember that resonated with you in part because of its good design? Or was there one that fell flat thanks to elements that interfered with your appreciation of artworks on view, or your overall experience? Recount your personal experience, using details of museum location, design aspects, and specific show, in at least four sentences. Feel free to jog your memory with a bit of research, and post your entry no later than 5pm, Monday, October 26. Thanks, and happy homecoming to all!

Museums Under Attack: Damaged Art and Thefts

On the topic of museum registrars and the role of museums as protectors of valuable cultural objects, museums do have their share of "incidents," where works are damaged or taken by members of the public. Stealing art from museums continues, even with the best security systems. After all, museums are open to the public, and as such offer opportunities for objects to get under foot, or to generate an emotional response that is not always positive. And who can resist the high stakes involved, when a single painting can be worth upwards of 50 million dollars?

Search the web for a report of a work getting damaged by the public, either by accident or on purpose to make a statement. Or find a story about an art theft, one that is either solved or unsolved. Post a short summary (4 sentences) of the incident (when, where, how, etc.) and a live link to the story/video, no later than Monday, October 5, 5 pm. Thanks!

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/aug/25/boy-trips-in-museum-and-punches-hole-through-million-dollar-painting

Deaccessioning and Museums in Dire Straits

Over the last decade, a number of prominent museums have faced dire financial straits, much like the situation the Delaware Art Museum encountered in 2014. In some cases the decision was made to deaccession works from the collection, with the plan of using the proceeds from the sale to pay off a debt, or face certain closure of the institution. As was made clear in the readings on the DAM, this practice goes against the AAM Code of Ethics, which states that money from the sale must "be used for acquisition or direct care of collections." It also goes against the mission of a museum and its service to the Public Trust.

Informed by the Delaware Art Museum readings and the discussion we had in class, respond to this particular situation. What mistakes were made? What could have the museum done differently? Do you think the AAMD was right in sanctioning the DAM, and do you think there should be exceptions to the rule when the very survival of a museum is in jeopardy? Answer all questions in at least 4 sentences, and respond no later than 5 pm, Monday, September 28. Thanks!

What Museum Jobs are out there?

Museum job titles and focus areas have been shifting over the last decade, responding in part to the expanding functions of museums in relation to audiences and interpretation. One of the key resources to learn more about what jobs exist (and are available) is the American Alliance of Museum's Job Board (called Job HQ): http://aam-us-jobs.careerwebsite.com/c/search_results.cfm?site_id=8712

Visit the site and explore. What is the range of job openings? Do they cluster around certain departments? What do the job openings say about the needs and/or nature of museums today? Or even about specific institutions themselves?

Respond in at least 4 sentences, noting examples of jobs you discover, including what museum listed the opening(s). Upload no later than 5pm, Monday, September 21.

The Primary Focus of a Museum

Thinking about our discussions in class about the concept of museums as temples for the elite protecting objects or as pleasers of "the lowest common denominator," what do you think should be the main focus of a museum? How could such a primary focus be communicated effectively to an audience? Use examples. Please respond in at least four (4) sentences, and upload to this blog no later than Monday, September 14, 5 pm. Thanks!

Thinking About Museums: Your Personal Perspective

Based on your personal experience with museums, what are they doing right? And what do you think they are doing not so well? Finally, what do you think is the biggest challenge museums face today? Please answer in at least four sentences, and upload no later than Monday, September 7, 5pm.

Welcome to Class: Time to Speak Out on All Things Museum

Welcome members of the JMU Introduction to Museum Work class

This blog is an extension of our classroom discussions, a way for you to continue to engage the issues and ideas that come up during our time together.

Your input here is important, as museums are crazy animals, institutions where what the audience experiences often is very different from what happens behind-the-scenes.

And as you will discover during the course of the class, which will combine readings and history with "real world" case studies, museums are more than institutions. They are a window onto a tangled world where art meets social assumptions, cultural expectations, budget realities, and where ideal "best practices" can take a back seat to "the opening is in 10 minutes!"

This IS part of your grade, but more important, it is a chance to rethink what you thought you knew about museums, and with this more expansive (eyes-wide-open) approach, see "museum studies" in a whole new light.

Thanks for participating, and let's see where our discussions take us!

Leah