Museu(M)use

Ramblings on museums, education, history, politics, current events, with a dash of kittens and real life "...but then history does not only consist of documents." - John Lukacs var _gaq = _gaq || []; _gaq.push(['_setAccount', 'UA-15678140-2']); _gaq.push(['_trackPageview']); (function() { var ga = document.createElement('script'); ga.type = 'text/javascript'; ga.async = true; ga.src = ('https:' == document.location.protocol ? 'https://ssl' : 'http://www') + '.google-analytics.com/ga.js'; var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(ga, s); })();

[museumuse]

Fascinating. (via New Font Shows What It's Like To Read With Dyslexia  )

[museumuse]

Save Alexander Hamilton. Dump Andrew Jackson.

This is not the way to get a woman on the currency.

I really love how many of my friends are engaged with this. Please, please, leave Hamilton and replace Jackson. Hamilton was the first Secretary of the Treasury and helped give us central banking. 

To quote the author, “‘Andrew “Indian Removal Act' Jackson? Andrew 'Literally Murdered A Guy' Jackson? Andrew 'Who cares what the Supreme Court rules' Jackson? Andrew 'The Coolest Thing I Did As President Was Throw A Giant Cheese-Themed Houseparty' Jackson? He gets to stay? Look, I’ve thrown giant cheese-themed parties. I don’t belong on any currency. And, unlike Jackson, I had no responsibility for the Trail of Tears.”

And this, folks, is why knowing your history is important. 

[museumuse]

A remarkable way for the visually impaired to sample the masterpieces

Breaking the number one unspoken rule in an art museum: Don't touch.

[museumuse]

Looking for some design advice. I'm trying to put together a logo for an exhibit highlighting five foodways cultures, primarily here in NY. The initial thought had been place settings at a table, but I wanted the different settings to overlap as the various cultures have influenced each other. Nothing is set right now in terms of design, color, or fonts, other than the title. Thoughts? Suggestions?

[museumuse]

I have been very lucky in life to have had many opportunities to travel across the United States and Western Europe. Twice, once in the fall of 2007 and once in the spring of 2009, I had the opportunity to visit Normandy, France. Those trips are still among the most moving experiences of my life, in particular walking along the sand on Omaha Beach. I was also lucky on my first trip to accompany a good friend whose grandfather was the first American paratrooper to land in Normandy. His story is pretty remarkable. 

[whenyouworkatamuseum]

Why we insist that school groups have chaperones.

Or worse.

Also, doing this for the entire visit is not chaperoning. 

[museumuse]

Yes the last part!!

[museumuse]

Over the winter I applied for my first grant. I'd assisted with others, but this one was my baby. And we just got the letter in the mail......we got it! 

[whenyouworkatamuseum]

The director of an art museum forwarded this email to his staff.

[Name of Director],

Thanks for your many years of service. I visit the museum on Wednesdays after my 2-3pm counseling sessions with the vet center for my ptsd from a place called Viet Nam.

The 30 - 45 minutes I walk...

[museumuse]

5 Ways to Celebrate National Park Week

I don't know about the rest of you, but if my family hadn't spent so many vacations visiting National Park's around the country, I would not have gone into this field. I still have a caboodle full of Jr. Ranger badges in my bedroom at my parent's house. I know I'm not the only one whose life was improved by the NPS, so please take the time to support them!

[museumuse]

Some days at work I get two great groups of visitors who ask really thought provoking questions, and I'm like:

Then some days, I have a donor ask if she can come in and see her donation, but she's not sure which site it went to, and can they maybe just take it back with them, and I'm like:

And then when on that same day, one of my committee members neglects to include me on what I consider a pretty major decision, I'm like: 

Except instead of waffles, I'm going to get Panera mac & cheese, and it will all be alright.

[museumuse]

Into day 8 with no break. Museums in Action was awesome. Always inspiring and refreshing to talk with others about their successes and their challenges. Sleep now, hopefully will recap soon!

[museumuse]

Mind blown. Vinyl printed panels on multi density fiber board. All you need to do is design to the same size, get the vinyl printed, and peel off the old one. Amazing.

[museumuse]

Museums make you happier and less lonely, studies find

Photo by neiljs on Flickr - One of the greatest things about freelancing is that although we're often very busy, we can choose to be "off" during 9-5 hours. This means that we can visit uncrowded museums and attend other midday events, which are often hellish on the weekends. Here are 6 reasons you should take a long lunch tomorrow and head off to your local museum: 1. Museums make you less anxious: A study out of the Norweigan University for Science and Technology found that an appreciation of culture and the arts can lower your risk of anxiety and depression. (The study actually ...

Museums make you less anxious

Museums reduce stress

Museums have the same effect on your well-being as a raise

Museums have a greater impact on your well-being than playing a sport

Museums make you less lonely

Museums are good for the economy

[museumuse]

"...the museum is there to save the collection; the collection is not there to save the museum"

American Alliance of Museum's President Ford W. Bell, in response to the Delaware Museum of Art's announcement that it will sell four pieces of their collection to pay debts and to fund their endowment. 

[museumuse]

Got a call this morning from the artist slated to do an exhibit next summer. We feature local artists, mostly painters, but some variety. Anyway, she called to say she has to cancel the exhibit because she has been so successful she's sold a number of her paintings she'd planned on exhibiting, and they're now spread all over the country.

Awesome for her, sad for us. 

[museumuse]

Study Finds a Gender Gap at the Top Museums

Women run just a quarter of the biggest art museums in the United States and Canada, and they earn about a third less than their male counterparts, according to a report.

Happy International Women's Day!

[whenyouworkatamuseum]

When the entire Education department is out sick and a non-educator has to cover the Activity Room.

[museumuse]

Also the fact that, no matter how much airborne and zinc we chug, the Ed department WILL get sick at least once during the field trip season.