Beyond Service Learning: Applied Professional Museum StudiesWestern Illinois University-Quad CitiesMuscatine RotaryNovember 18, 2013

Program Base: Applied Experiences with Museum Partners

Courses taught at the Figge Art Museum incorporate applied projects in the museum setting.

This is a unique program that offers coursework through the departments of Art, and Recreation, Parks, and Tourism Administration, at Western Illinois University, working in conjunction with museum professionals at the Figge Art Museum in Davenport, Iowa. The Figge (originally the Davenport Municipal Art Gallery) opened in 1925. Today, the collections have grown over ten-fold and include more than 3,500 paintings, sculpture, and works on paper from the 16th century to the present. In 2005, the museum launched its next phase of growth: relocation to the heart of downtown Davenport in an 100,000 sq. ft. facility overlooking the Mississippi designed by London architect David Chipperfield. The museum serves as a dynamic laboratory for Museum Studies students.

Partnerships with the Putnam Museum, The Family Museum, the Rock Island Arsenal Museum and others in the region for practicum and internship experiences.

What Do Museum Partnerships Look Like? Course Instruction

Taught by museum professionals

Practicum/Internship Experiences Students are paired with

museum staff members Recent Field Trips

Kansas City Minneapolis Chicago Des Moines Milwaukee Detroit

Workshops

Modeling and Mentoring Practice

Students enrolled in practicum, internship, and independent study projects work one-on-one with museum professionals on a variety of museum initiatives.

Example projects include: Curating, design, and installation of the Cell

Animation exhibition at the Putnam Museum with Christina Kastell

Writing interpretive materials and developing activities for Studio1, drop-in art making studio at Figge Art Museum

Developing a Family Gallery Installation at the Figge in the Museum Education class

Designing and leading interactive gallery activities at the Family Museum

Conducting visitor studies for the Figge Art Museum with staff collaboration

Digitizing the Grant Wood Archive at the Figge with Andrew Wallace, registrar

Presenting at national and international conferences

Sample: Waxing Poetic – Exploring Art and Poetry

Sample: International Conference of the Inclusive Museum

National Gallery, Copenhagen, Denmark

Sample: Field Trip to Crystal Bridges

Sample: GEMS Installation Workshop

Academic Partners The program is based in the College of

Fine Arts and Communication and the Art Department Graduate level art history courses Study Abroad programs in collaboration

with museum studies New York City Berlin

Collaboration across Colleges Zoos and Aquaria Certificate/Biology Developing concentration area in MBA

WIU-QC Recreation, Parks and Tourism Administration teach core and elective courses Community development and tourism Fundraising and volunteerism Cultural interpretation

Workshop/Portfolio Requirements

Campbell Center Partnership Another opportunity for professional mentoring WIU scholarships available for 10 students per

year ($500 each) Opportunity to study a topic of interest in-depth

20 hours of museum-based workshops are required for students to complete the Master’s program 1 workshop credit for every 4 hours of hands-on

learning experience with a museum expert Or completion of one workshop at The Campbell

Center

Arts Portfolio Assessment: All program museum experiences – courses, practicum/internship, and workshops – lead to the development of a professional portfolio required for graduation

RPTA/Museum Studies Integrated BA/MA

Apply (90 hours; 30 at WIU; 3.25 GPA) Bridge courses (9 hours) Required Courses (6 hours):

RPTA 500/MST 500 Introduction to Museum

RPTA 424G Fundraising and Volunteerism

Elective options (3 hours): RPTA 448G /B Interpretation of Cultural &

Environmental Resources RPTA 460G/B Community Tourism and

Development RPTA 467G/B Special Event

What Kinds of Jobs Do Our Grads Do?

Administrator– Bishop Hill Heritage AssociationExecutive Director – Pella Historical SocietyAssistant Director/Curator – The German American HistoryCenterPrparator/Exhibit Designer – Historic New Orleans CollectionRegistrar – Toy and Miniature Museum of Kansas CityAssociate Curator – Herbert Hoover Presidential MuseumCurator – Amana Colonies Historical SocietyDirector – American Gothic House and MuseumMuseum Educator – Putnam MuseumPreparator – University of Northern Iowa MuseumsResearch Associate – Grout Museum DistrictAssociate Registrar – National Mississppi River Museum Owner – Hawkeye Studios (custom art crating/shipping)Special Events Planner – Field MuseumDevelopment Officer – Shedd AquariumDevelopment/Intern Coordinar – Albright-Knox Art Gallery