This document provides a blueprint for creating pop-up museums with 5 key steps: 1) Choose a date, location and timing; 2) Select a theme relevant to the audience; 3) Prepare the space with tables, chairs, writing materials and refreshments; 4) Implement the event by facilitating conversations and collecting feedback; 5) Follow up by improving any aspects that did not work well based on evaluations. The goal is to create an informal space where community members can share personal objects and stories to spark meaningful conversations between people of all backgrounds.

1. Pop-Up Museum Blueprint
By Michelle DelCarlo http://popupmuseum.blogspot.com @PopUpMuseum
Pop-up museums are community events where people share a personal object, based on a theme.
The mission is to create conversation between people of all ages and walks of life.
Here are five steps to help you create your own pop-up museum.
1 Choose a date, time, and location
Questions to Ask Recommendations
Where will the pop-up be? Work with your community to see if it makes sense for you to
travel to them or for them to come to you.
Is the space conducive to conversation? The space you choose should feel intimate and be relatively quiet
to allow for speaking voices to be heard.
What day and time will the pop-up be? Saturdays, from 1-3PM, have worked well. Talk with your
community to see what will work best.
How long will it last? Roughly two hours is recommended.
2 Choose a theme
Questions to Ask Recommendations
Are we collaborating with a specific community? Look for established audiences in your community who would be
receptive, or that you already have relationships with. Talk to
them to see if they would find it useful or appropriate. Having a
non-collaborative pop-up works well too.
What is relevant to our audience? If collaborating with a specific audience, ask them. If not,
brainstorm what would be relevant and generate engagement.
What will help us amplify our current offerings? Tying a pop-up to a current exhibit or symposium theme is a good
way to highlight ideas you’re presenting and create engagement.
3 Prepare for the pop-up
Questions to Ask Recommendations
Have we advertised? Word of mouth and social media work well.
Do we have music and refreshments? Music should be good for mood, such as jazz, classical guitar, or
Fleet Foxes. Light snacks and drinks should be available.
Do we have tables where objects can be placed? There should be enough table top space for all participants to
display their object and label. Tables should be close enough that
participants have to rub elbows.
Do we have paper and writing utensils for labels? 3 x 5 cards and multi-colored pens work well.
Do we have places where people can sit? Chairs should be placed in clusters around the room so people
can sit and talk.

2. Pop-Up Museum Blueprint
By Michelle DelCarlo http://popupmuseum.blogspot.com @PopUpMuseum
4 Implement the pop-up
Questions to Ask Recommendations
Who will facilitate? Task someone to facilitate conversation in case of lulls. This
person should love talking with people of all walks of life.
Are we performing evaluation? It is good to keep track of progress, so evaluation is
recommended.
Do participants know what to do? Station someone near the label writing area to explain what to
do. If it’s new to people, it can be confusing.
Are people comfortable? Have the facilitator mingle with everyone to make sure there is a
healthy amount of conversation. Keep the atmosphere very
casual and unstructured. Allow for organic connections.
5 Follow-up
Questions to Ask Recommendations
What worked well? Hooray! Celebrate your success. Keep a record of what was
successful and plan to replicate what worked for you.
What didn’t work well? Not everything will be perfect at first. Change things that didn’t
work well and talk with your community to see how you can
improve. Failure is a good thing – it means you’re learning.
Inspiration
{What if we could hold an idea before us, exploring its meaning among other people and other minds?}
David Carr, Open Conversations
{What we seek is a certain kind and quality of talk: talk that yields knowledge and understanding.}
Rike Burnham & Elliott Kai-Kee, Teaching in the Art Museum
{We are more alike, my friends, / Than we are unalike.}
Maya Angelou, Human Family
Theme Ideas
Handmade · Culture · Home · Untold Stories · Adoption · Thanksgiving · Death