What is your museum giving up for Lent?

Yesterday began the Christian season of Lent, the six weeks leading up to Easter. For Christians, Lent is a time of introspection, resolution, and moderation-- a time for positive change. Traditionally, it has also been a time when believers give up some comfortable indulgence, at least until the Easter Bunny arrives.

Here's an idea, what if instead of giving up your morning Starbucks, or late-night sweets, you pledged to help your museum give up some of its comfortably self-indulgent practices over the next six weeks?

My list of five habits your museum could lose for Lent:

1. Starting new initiatives or designing programs without first checking in with the museum's strategic plan. Instead, be sure that your efforts will not only support your mission, but also make progress toward meeting specific objectives.
2. Ignoring popular cultural trends/events that could otherwise build valuable connections for your visitors. For example, with two weeks of Olympic competition taking place, geography, science, math, weather, history, and cultures could easily be highlighted and give your content a contemporary spin.
3. Not recycling in your cafe. I continue to be amazed by the number of museums where recycling receptacles are not provided for guests in the cafe. Let us be leaders in doing the right thing for our planet.
4. Giving today's students the same tour you have given for the last 15 to 20 years. Most of us are only too happy to point out the differences between the youth of today and the childhood we knew ourselves. If kids are so different today, why are many museums still dragging students through the same tired school tour that was already old when I took it twenty-some years ago?
5. Forgetting the little things families need for a successful museum visit. As we move toward spring break and the increase in family visitors it always brings, take a spin through your museum and make sure that the galleries, cafe, and restrooms are prepared to make families welcome and comfortable during their stay. See my post "Is your museum family-friendly? Really??" for details on how to maximize your impact with minimum effort.

With just a few changes over the next 6 weeks your museum can head into spring with a fresh sense of commitment to serving your audience with authentic experiences and attention to detail. So, what are you giving up for Lent?

Image: No Cupcakes magnet from Zazzle.com

New museum honors the life and legacy of Coach Eddie Robinson

Congratulations to Paul Haynes and the InterActive Group on the debut of the exhibits they developed, designed, and produced for the new Eddie Robinson Museum. Below is a link to the Museum's website and a review that appeared in the New York Times last Friday.

The Eddie G. Robinson Museum

Louisiana Museum Confronts Segregation

By SAMUEL G. FREEDMAN

Published: February 13, 2010

A new museum in Louisiana celebrates Eddie Robinson, whose career at Grambling began in the Jim Crow era.

Photo: Coach Robinson, The Eddie G. Robinson Museum

Judge in Italy orders return of Getty Bronze | LA Times Blog

It seems as if the culture war between Italy and LA's Getty Museum has been going on for longer than this good-looking guy has been around, and undoubtedly today's judicial decision by Italian judge Lorena Mussoni in the case of the beautiful young athlete pictured at left will not be end of the struggle to possess this incredible object.

Unless the Italians do successfully confiscate the sculpture, it is currently on exhibit at the Getty Villa in Malibu.

For the details on the latest court decision, check out David Ng's article in his LA Times blog Culture Monster.

Judge in Italy orders return of Getty Bronze

Culture Monster

February 11, 2010

David Ng

Photo: Statue of Victorious Youth. Getty Museum
Posted using ShareThis

Evalyn Gates to lead Cleveland Museum of Natural History

After an eighteen-month search the Cleveland Museum of Natural History has announced that Evalyn Gates, PhD will take the reins as Executive Director beginning May 17th. Dr. Gates is widely-known as an astrophysicist and author, but I first became aware of her through her work encouraging young women to pursue careers in the sciences, a cause for which she has been an inspirational example. I look forward to watching how her leadership will shape the future of this exceptional institution.

Cleveland Museum of Natural History picks physicist as its new director

By John Mangels, The Plain Dealer

February 09, 2010, 6:46PM

Seattle museum to receive comprehensive Picasso exhibit

I caught this bit of news today and thought I would share it. If anyone needs an excuse to visit Seattle, the Picasso opening this October makes for a very good one.

Let us hope no one accidentally bumps into any of the canvases while they are here in the States.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/thearts/2011019744_picasso09.html


-- Post From My iPhone