Presentation from the 2011 NEMA conference from research at Bank Street College of Education

1. FORGET THE MIRROR:
Find a Window and Look Outside of the Museum
NEMA Annual Conference
November 18, 2011

2. Who we are
• Sarah Brockway, Director of Visitor Experiences, The
Discovery Museums
• Jessica Neuwirth, Curator, Natick Historical Society
• Cathy Saunders, Director of Education, Providence
Children's Museum
• Rosario Ubiera-Minaya, Independent Museum
Professional
All current students or alumni of the
Bank Street Leadership in Museum Education program
• Laura B. Roberts, Advisor, Bank Street

3. What we’ll talk about
• Looking outside of museums for
lessons on engaging communities
 Parks
 Performing arts
 Political parties
 Farmers’ markets

4. How we’ll do it
• Alternate roundtable discussion of 12
lessons/observations with activities or
research

5. Cluster One: Be meaningful or significant
• Draw on a sense of purpose
• Give participants a sense that their actions
make a difference
• Make links to individual values & priorities
• Tie to participants’ identity

6. Why did you visit the farmers’ market?

7. How often do you visit a market?
The videos are on YouTube
http://youtu.be/EPvjAPu7M14
http://youtu.be/pCxfTkFHcMA

8. Cluster Two: Focus on the audience
• Allow / encourage participants to customize
experience
• Go to where people live or congregate
• Know the community and meet their needs
and interests
• Encourage repetition, even ritual
participation

9. Recalling Experience
• Share a memory of a favorite park or open
space with a partner
• And now share it with the group
• A lesson from the performing arts:
deepening the interpretation of these
stories
• From Liz Lerman Dance Exchange Toolbox
• http://danceexchange.org/toolbox/home.html

10. Cluster Three: Manage the process
• Collaborate with other
organizations, resources, people
• Create a more transparent organization
• Reinforce identity with clear brand
communication
• Use technology

11. Political branding

12. Political branding

13. Thank you!
• Questions, comments, observations…
• Find us on Facebook
• Bank Street Museum Leadership page
for our slides and lessons