200 S. Third St. | Richmond, Virginia 23219 | 804.788.5820 | www.vamuseums.org | Summer 2011

Voice

Meeting Special Needs in Our Communities Through Programming

i Making the Most of the Picturing America: Virginia Style Outreach Kit for Senior Audiences

Member Profile: The Mariners’ Museum & Distance Learning

Eyes on Art session for people with Alzheimer’s and their caregivers at the University of Virginia Art Museum.

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Meeting Special Needs in Our Communities Through Programming

T he theme of our 2011 Annual Conference was “Anchoring Our Communities,” and the notion

of “place” and relevance is a recur-ring theme for museums through-out Virginia, D.C., and beyond. This is especially true during times of economic challenge, when museums – indeed all organizations – are taking a magnifying glass to their opera-tions, mission, and goals to ensure they are in line with established best practices and future trends. The self-examination doesn’t end there, though, because to remain relevant, we all must meet needs and provide valuable services within our com-munities. There are myriad ways to do this. Many museums are looking at their audience base, and engag-ing audiences that are traditionally underserved by cultural institutions. One such type of audience is made up of patrons with special needs. There are so many populations with special needs; certainly that label is applied to a vast array of very diverse audiences. From patrons with physical disabilities such as those who are blind, deaf, or wheelchair-bound to those suffering from autism, epilepsy, downs syndrome, or Alzheimer’s disease, the special needs in our communities are plenty. How does a museum play a role – as a community institution – and offer something of value to these audiences and their families and caregivers?

Certainly, in the years since the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was first passed in 1990, we’ve made great strides in our communities to ensure accessibility and opportunity for people with disabilities. These days, however, museums are taking

action above and beyond the Federal guidelines and meeting needs of spe-cial audiences through programming tailored to meet those needs. Ex-amples of forward-thinking programs abound - whether it’s a children’s museum partnering with a social service agency to deliver therapeutic programs at the museum (check out the award-winning program at Port Discovery in Baltimore at www.portdiscovery.org/educators/special-needs), or a small county museum partnering with a nursing home to hold outreach programs (see sidebar on the Isle of Wight County Museum’s experiences using the VAM Picturing America: Virginia Style outreach kit for senior audiences, page 3). In Virginia and beyond, museums are going above and beyond traditional pro-gramming to serve those who, many times, are left behind.

One innovative program designed for people with Alzheimer’s is called “Eyes on Art.” The program was piloted in September 2010 at the University of Virginia Art Museum (UVaM), in collaboration with the Alzheimer’s Association, Central and Western Virginia Chapter. After hearing about their program, similar in mission to those at much larger institutions such as MoMA and the VMFA, I contacted UVaM and began corresponding with Sharon Celsor-Hughes, docent coordi-nator, to find out more. Sharon offered a history of their program, challenges the museum faced along the way, and advice for those looking for creative partnerships and programming such as this. Any museum considering a special program that entails staff training, organizational partnerships and a creative re-thinking of the

museum experience will be able to glean some helpful advice from the interview below: VAM: Why did you decide to initiate a program for Alzheimer’s patients? SC-H: The idea for starting our program came from UVaM’s advi-sory board member, Margaret Doyle, who is the associate director for the department of communications at MoMA. MoMA started a program for people with Alzheimer’s called Meet Me At MoMA. Through funding from Metlife Foundation, MoMA devel-oped support materials and a training model for working with museums in various regions. After developing their own programs, MoMA-trained museums were encouraged to assist museums geographically nearby in establishing similar programs. The VMFA was one of these museums and their program is called ArtLinks. VAM: What type of training did museum staff receive in prepara-tion for working with an audience of Alzheimer’s patients? SC-H: In preparation for the program, VMFA’s manager of adult and higher education, Celeste Fetta, came for a site visit and invited our staff to ‘shad-ow’ one of VMFA’s ArtLinks tours. Fetta also shared materials VMFA devel-oped for selecting and training their docents for this program. In addition to the materials from MoMA and VMFA, I spoke with a number of other museums that have started museum visits for people with Alzheimer’s. Specifically, I wanted to learn more about programs connected with university museums. VAM: Obviously, a program such as

compiled by Heather Widener, with an interview with Sharon Celsor-Hughes

Sharon Celsor-Hughes, docent coordinator for UVaM, is responsible for training student and community docents in the art of giving inquiry based tours. Celsor-Hughes oversees Eyes on Art, a program developed to encourage quality of life experiences for people in early to mid-stages of Alzheimer’s disease, and their caretakers. Celsor-Hughes holds an M.A. in Folk Studies and finds that the historical knowledge gained from recording oral histories helps her relate to many of the Eyes on Art participants. In addition, Celsor-Hughes supervises a pilot program that brings students from the Virginia Institute of Autism to the Museum for highly individualized tours. Celsor-Hughes completed VAM’s Museum Management certification in December 2007.

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Meeting Special Needs in Our Communities Through Programming

this is, by necessity, a partnership between several organizations. Tell us about the partnerships you’ve developed. SC-H: UVaM partnered with the Central and Western Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association. Ellen Phipps, the chapter’s vice president of programs and services, provided training for our staff and do-cents. Staff attending the training session included UVaM’s director (Bruce Boucher), security guards, and the education depart-ment. Three docents were selected and trained in facilitating discussions with our visitors who have Alzheimer’s disease.Additionally, the Alzheimer’s Association hired a part-time art project coordinator who is the liaison between the Alzheimer’s Association, the visiting groups, and the Museum. The coordinator contacted local residential homes to set up visits to the Museum. She also arranged two “Com-munity Groups” that were for individu-als living in their own homes with their

caretaker(s). VAM: What criteria did you use to choose the art pieces to use for the program? How many pieces did you choose? SC-H: The selection of artwork was based on several criteria: • Size: It needed to be large enough for those with poor eyesight to see.

• Location: We decided to only use works on one floor for many came in wheelchairs or with walkers. We found it took some time to move from one piece to the next. The work needed to be in a location that would accommodate chairs. • Variety: We wanted a variety of art-to allow for a shift in conversation and to allow for personal preferences. Some people prefer one type of art to another; what might stimulate conversation for one person may not be of interest for another. • Engagement: We wanted the audience to be engaged, so we chose artwork that lent itself to in-depth conversation.

We chose three stations for viewing art, each station having anywhere from 1-4 works. The actual program runs for forty-five minutes,

Making a Mark in SmithfieldPicturing America: Virginia Style Outreach Kits for Senior Audiences Tracey Neikirk, of the Isle of Wight County Museum, took advantage of the VAM Picturing America: Virginia Style outreach program for senior audiences in late 2010 – early 2011. The Museum reached out to Magnolia Manor As-sisted Living in Smithfield to bring the program to residents in their Alzheimer’s Care Unit. (Pic-turing America: Virginia Style is intended for any senior audience; the program can be adapted for those with Alzheimer’s.) Here is what Tracey had to say about the audience’s responses to the art: • A piece on quilts through history elicited the most response, with an exciting revelation that one of the residents had a quilt in her room that she had made and shared the story of how it was made. Another resident was able to remem-ber that her mother made quilts and a great aunt sewed. This was quite an accomplishment for her. The lone man in our group brightened as he shared memories about his grandmother making quilts. • While viewing The Sources of Country Music by Thomas Hart Benton, the residents identified the instruments, enjoyed the colors, and connected with the concept of the nation moving from farm-ing to industrialization, represented by the train. Several were quick to react to the name of Tex Ritter and knew a fair number of facts about him. One resident was from the mountains of Tennes-see and related some comments about the music of Appalachia. • I chose Autumn Landscape, by Louis Comfort Tiffany primarily because of the lovely colors. I was surprised at how much detail several of the residents noticed. One lady studied the picture and was quick to notice the fact that it looked like a river. We discussed stained glass and named places where they’ve seen it, such as in churches, public buildings, homes. One lady commented that she had a stained glass window in her house. Finally, says Tracey, “I appreciated the opportu-nity to share this experience with the residents. It is amazing and gratifying when those that have not spoken respond. I am always looking for things to present that help us get to know them better.”

Facts* about Alzheimer’s • Of Americans aged 65 and over, 1 in 8 has Alzheimer’s, and nearly half of people aged 85 and older have the disease. • Alzheimer’s is the only cause of death among the top 10 in America without a way to prevent, cure, or even slow its progression. • More than 60 percent of Alzheimer’s and dementia caregivers rate the emotional stress of caregiving as high or very high; one-third report symptoms of depression. • In 2010, 14.9 million family and friends provided 17 billion hours of unpaid care to those with Alzheimer’s and other dementias.

*The Alzheimer’s Association 2011 Fact Sheet, accessed on May 18, 2011 at:

http://www.alz.org/documents_custom/2011_Facts_Figures_Fact_Sheet.pdf.

Continued on page 7.

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This year’s VAM Conference theme was “Anchoring our Com-

munities”, exploring how museums of “olde and new” can make themselves into commu-nity partners and centers of com-munity activity. These days, when

competition is stiff for visitors, mak-ing our institutions a place of local pride can increase their relevance in the surrounding community. In looking back on this year’s confer-ence, I recall three aspects that made it a great and rewarding time in Portsmouth.

First, location, location location! Those who have not spent much time in Portsmouth got their first taste of a city with a rich his-

tory and myriad cultural institutions. From history and art to athletics, Portsmouth’s museums complement the old colonial port perfectly. VAM’s evening events took advantage of this very walkable city, with visits to the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame, The Portsmouth Naval Shipyard Museum, The LIGHTSHIP PORTSMOUTH, and The Courthouse Galleries. Now that the newly renovated Children’s Museum is open, we’ll all be eager to return to see this wonder-ful addition to Portsmouth’s museum landscape.

Second, the sessions. VAM’s Conference Committee succeeded in creating new and diverse sessions for the conference. With the increase of “first time” conference

goers (according to our post-conference survey, 37% were “first timers!”), we think the wide array of sessions drew these new attendees to the conference. Sessions on the everyday importance of volunteer recruitment and collections management are always staples at VAM conferences, but some different session ideas came to frui-tion this year. These included “Exhibits by Wally World”, “Extreme Interpretation” and “Whose Truth Is It?” There were also several sessions on attracting younger audiences as visitors and volunteers. Sessions challenged all attendees to think outside the box.

Finally, the most rewarding aspect of any VAM Conference is the connections one makes with their colleagues during the sessions, hospitality suite, and evening programs. It is through these connections that advice is given, partnerships are born, and friendships are created. Meeting not just colleagues from other museums, but also the exhibitors in the exhibit hall allow all of us to know that we are not alone in challenges we face.

This bond of museum professionals throughout the state was summed up perfectly in the “Museum Employee Song.” Though entertaining, anyone looking around the room during the performance could tell that all of us could relate to the humorous ballad of Scott, Mike, John and Anna. It is these relationships, built through VAM Conferences, that enhance our overall knowledge of museums in Virginia and the influences and trends that affect all of us. These relationships help us “anchor” ourselves to each other and can also serve as therapy! Lets hope more of our colleagues decide to “set anchors” next year in Newport News. See you then!

2011 VAM Conference: One To Remember

Clockwise, from top left: Andy Talkov asks, “How many of you can spell Sesquicentennial?” during the Monday Morning Sesquicentennial update. Circuit Walkers warm up! The First Annual Circuit Walk to benefit the Circuit Riders program raised $�9�.“The Museum Employee Song” will debut on American Idol any day now. CEOs discuss challenges and best practices during the CEO Summit on Sunday afternoon.

by Rob OrrisonHistoric Site Manager, Bristoe Station Battlefield / Ben Lomond Historic Site, Prince William County

“...of all of the conferences I attend, including regional and national conferences, this remains my favorite. If I have only one conference to attend a year, VAM would be the one.”

- conference evaluation comment, �011

What is it?Thanks to a generous grant from the Virginia Foundation for the Humanities, VAM has acquired three sets of the National Endow-ment for the Humanities’ (NEH) Picturing America kits, complete with high qual-ity, laminated reproductions of 40 pieces of American art. The Picturing America kit also includes a Teachers’ Resource Book, as well as American literature (part of an American Library Association ‘Bookshelf’) that expands on the Picturing America themes.

How can it help small (and not-so-small) museums?The Picturing America: Virginia Style kit is designed for all museums in Virginia to bring an outreach or in-house pro-gram to senior audiences in their com-munity. Picturing America: Virginia Style combines the Picturing America materials with ad-ditional resources to assist muse-ums in meeting the needs of this broad, diverse, and sometimes hard-to-reach audience. In addition to the Picturing Amer-ica prints and Resource Guide

from the NEH, VAM has cre-ated resources that include 17 themes and time-period clusters that relate to the Picturing America collec-tion. Museums can use a theme or era for their senior outreach project, and easily link in pieces from their own collections. Virginia museums will also receive resources for developing fruitful and ongoing out-reach with senior audiences, and ideas on how to best reach and meet the needs

of senior audiences.

What does it cost?VAM does not charge a lending fee for museums to use the Picturing America: Virginia Style resources. Museums pay only the cost of shipping the kits to the museum and back to VAM (we encourage pick-up at the VAM office, via regional VAM council members, at workshops, or at the conference to save you money). The current one-way cost for VAM to ship you the kit is $25. (Your museum will be responsible for

return shipping via USPS, UPS, etc.) So, the short answer to that question is, maybe nothing, but no more than $50 in shipping costs.

How can my museum take advantage of the program?1. Decide which theme or historical era you would like your program to focus on (see sidebar on page 6 for a listing of Picturing America: Virginia Style themes).

2. Once you have chosen a theme or era, and have determined when you

would like to use the Picturing America: Virginia Style resources, contact Heather Widener, VAM’s communications direc-tor at hwidener@vamuseums.org to schedule your museum for one of our 12-week lending periods.

3. Receive the materials (which in-clude a complete set of the Picturing America art reproductions and any of the Bookshelf* titles you request) and get started!

iUsing the Picturing America: Virginia Style Outreach Kits with Senior Audiences

by Heather Widener

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a. Review the NEH Teacher’s Re-source Book, included with the kit. b. Review VAM’s theme-based ac-tivity suggestions, plus the following resources, all included in your kit: i. Inciting Oral History Narratives: Tips for Interviewers, ii. Characteristics of Older Learn-ers, and iii. Virginia Contacts for Senior Organizations. c. Add your museum’s works of art, artifacts / objects, and incorporate your own discussion points for your unique program.

4. You may borrow the materials for a period of 12 weeks. Once you are finished, just send or deliver them back to VAM, and complete our fol-low-up survey on the program. That is all you need to do!

Picturing America: Virginia Style ThemesLeadership Native PeoplesFreedom & Equality Man & NatureDemocracy America in RevolutionCourage Exploration & DiscoveryThe Modern Era: Post- WWII Creativity & Ingenuity America Torn: The Civil War Architecture & EngineeringThe African American Experience Women in AmericaThe Rise of Industrialism LandscapesThe World in Conflict: WWI – WWII

Picturing America Artwork1-A Pottery and Baskets, c. 1100 to c. 1960, Various artists1-B Mission Nuestra Señora de la Concepción, San Antonio, Texas, 1755, Various artists.2-A John Singleton Copley, Paul Revere, 17682-B Silver of the 18th, 19th, and 20th Centuries3-A Grant Wood, The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere, 19313-B Gilbert Stuart, George Washington (the Lansdowne portrait), 17964-A Emanuel Leutze,Washington Crossing the Delaware, 18514-B Hiram Powers, Benjamin Franklin, 18625-A Thomas Cole, View from Mount Holyoke,Northampton, Massachusetts, after a Thunderstorm — The Oxbow, 18365-B N. C.Wyeth, Last of the Mohicans, cover illustration, 1919 N. C.Wyeth (1882–1945).6-A John James Audubon, American Flamingo, 1838 John James Audubon (1785-1851).6-B George Catlin, Catlin Painting the Portrait of Mah-to-toh-pa — Mandan, 1861/18697-A Thomas Cole and others, State Capitol, Columbus, Ohio, 1838-18617-B George Caleb Bingham, The County Election, 18528-A Albert Bierstadt, Looking Down Yosemite Valley, California, 18658-B Black Hawk, “Sans Arc Lakota” Ledger Book, 1880-18819-A Winslow Homer, The Veteran in a New Field, 18659-B Alexander Gardner, Abraham Lincoln, U.S. Pres., 1809-1865, 186510-A Augustus Saint-Gaudens, Robert Gould Shaw and the 54th Regiment Memorial, 1884-189710-B Quilts of the 19th and 20th Centuries, Various artists11 – A Thomas Eakins, John Biglin in a Single Scull, c. 1873.11-B James McNeil Whistler, Harmony in Blue and Gold: The Peacock Room, 1876 – 187712-A John Singer Sargent, Portrait of a Boy, 189012-B Childe Hassam, Allies Day, May 1917, 191713-A Walker Evans, Brooklyn Bridge, New York, 192913-B Louis Comfort Tiffany, Autumn Landscape, 1923-192414-A Mary Cassatt, The Boating Party, 1893/189414-B Joseph Stella, Brooklyn Bridge, c. 1919-192015-A Charles Sheeler, American Landscape, 193015-B William Van Alen, The Chrysler Building, 1926-193016-A Edward Hopper, House by the Railroad, 192516-B Frank Lloyd Wright, Fallingwater, 1935–193917-A Jacob Lawrence, The Migration of the Negro Panel no. 57, 1940–194117-B Romare Bearden, The Dove,1964 Bearden, Romare (1914-1988)18-A Thomas Hart Benton, The Sources of Country Music, 197518-B Dorothea Lange, Migrant Mother and Children, 193619-A Norman Rockwell, Freedom of Speech, The Saturday Evening Post 1943, 194319-B James Karales, Selma-to-Montgomery March for Voting Rights in 1965, 196520-A Richard Diebenkorn, Cityscape I, 196320-B Martin Puryear, Ladder for Booker T.Washington, 1996

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with approximately fifteen minutes spent at each station. Groups arrive 15 minutes prior to the programming time. This allows everyone time to move into the museum while being personally greeted and given a nametag. VAM: Tell us a little about the “Inquiry Method” you use to elicit discussion around the art.

SC-H: The Inquiry Method is based on do-cents asking questions that are aimed to involve the viewer in gaining visual litera-cy. As this method lends itself to starting conversations and engaging the viewer, it works well with programs designed for people with Alzheimer’s. However, the goal for our Eyes on Art visitors has less to do with gaining visual literacy and more to do with the use of art as a means for en-gaging and stimulating conversation. Visi-tors who are in the early or middle stages of the disease are limited in their ability to recall information, especially those ev-eryday details such as what they ate, who visited them, or what they just watched on television. Frustration often occurs when asked these types of questions—both to the person with the disease and their caretaker(s). However, stimulating conversation based on what is in front of them at that moment, and knowing there isn’t a specific answer being sought, allows the person with Alzheimer’s a venue for positive interaction. VAM: What advice would you give to other museums that might be thinking of devel-oping a program such as this (or perhaps a program with a similar philosophy with a different special needs audience)? SC-H: The best advice I have for other museums interested in developing a program for any special needs group is to reach out to other museums with like programs. Ask to observe a program and learn what has worked, as well as what the challenges have been. Find out if their pro-gram has undergone changes and if so, why. No two programs I researched were exactly alike. Some used themes and oth-ers chose to go without themes in favor

of choosing works they felt would elicit the most responses. Some held these visits during regular museum hours, while others scheduled them for non-public hours. Most included caretakers; however one museum sent caretakers to the coffee shop. Many decisions will be based on the uniqueness of the institution. Finally, start small and see what works before expand-ing and involving more partnerships. Recognize that no two groups will have the same dynamic.

VAM: What has been most rewarding about this program? SC-H: The most rewarding response from this program is the smiles on the visitors’ faces as they leave the Museum. One woman got off the bus grumbling that she wished she hadn’t come, while view-ing the first work of art she remained sul-len, and as she moved to the second sta-tion she stated that she would rather be at home. Taking this cue, I asked what she likes doing when she is home. This started a brief discussion about what she likes to read and by the time she moved to the third station she was smiling, relating the work of art to her life during the depres-sion, and left telling us how she wanted to return. While others are easier to engage, it is my hope that ev-eryone leaves having a positive experience and having felt the security to express themselves in an ac-cepting and encour-aging environment.

VAM: How are you evaluating this pro-gram? What are your future plans?

SC-H: We chose to work with one partner for this pilot program, the local chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association. Currently, evaluation is based on anecdotal feed-back from the visitors, caretakers/residen-tial staff, and our docents. In the future, with involvement from other university departments, quantitative research may become another means for evaluation.

VAM will be following this topic in our blog and elsewhere. If your museum has or is de-veloping programming for special needs’ audiences, please let VAM know by calling the office at 804-788-5820, or by emailing Heather Widener, communications director, at hwidener@vamuseums.org.

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Programming for Special Needs Continued from page 3.

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Mem

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e As their Interactive Videocon-ferencing (IVC) program materials explain, “The Mari-

ners’ Museum is located in Newport News, Virginia, but our educational reach extends far beyond our phys-ical doors. “ Because of a robust distance learning program, using IVC, The Mariners’ Museum offers programming to schools across the country and around the globe.

The distance learning program at The Mariners’ began in 2002 when the Mu-seum connected all the way to a school six miles away. Anna Holloway, director of education at the time, even drove the program supplies to the school.

The first IVC studio was in a trailer (see photo, below). The first programs devel-oped were based on programs already taught at The Mariners’ to students coming

in to the Museum. That has changed - these days, museum programs are developed with both avenues of delivery in mind.

The Mariners’ Museum now offers a variety of IVC programming: two language arts programs, four science programs, and nine social studies pro-grams for schools, in addition to special programs for adult learners. School programs align with national standards of learning and can be adjusted to meet the specific needs of classroom teachers and students. Additionally, while some programs may be available to a wide range of grade levels, each program is adjusted to the grade level of the students participating. Distance learning programs are delivered on-demand using H.323 protocol.

The program has been growing steadily - especially since the Museum’s studios have expanded from a single studio in a trailer in 2002 to the new three-studio area in 2009. These days, the Museum can present three programs simultane-ously. The most IVC programs delivered in a single day was 15. Program num-bers have grown from 258 in 2008 to 352 in 2010. Programs are far-reaching; The Mariners’ has taught programs to over half of the states in the nation, with the largest markets being Texas and New

York State. Additionally, they’ve taught programs to students in Canada, The Dominican Republic, Spain, and Taiwan.

According to Anne Marie Millar, director of education and distance learning programs at The Mariners’ Museum, “Any museum interested in offering educational program via interactive videoconferencing will need to keep two primary things in mind. First and foremost, they cannot be afraid of tech-nology. Secondly, it is imperative that they look beyond the Virginia Standards of Learning to learning standards across the nation. It takes a lot of work, but the result is extremely rewarding! We’ve enjoyed meeting and working with teachers and students from across the country and around the world. But more

importantly, all of our pro-gramming has become more innovative because we are thinking about how we can incorporate technology into all of our educational offerings - for students walking through our physical AND virtual doors.”

Incidentally, the folks at The Mariners’ Museum re-cently got word that they received the 2011 Berrien County Teachers’ Favorite

Award for the category of Best World History Muse-ums & Organizations. Find

out more at http://www.berrienresa.org/technology/vc/contentproviders/teachersfavorite/2011/.

IVC Programs at the Mariners’

Science• Big Winds, Big Waves: The Science of Hurricanes (Grades 4 – 9)• Tsunamis: Mighty Harbor Waves (Grades 5 – 12)• Chemistry of Conservation (Grades 6 – 12)• Chesapeake Bay: An Estuary in Crisis (Grades 4 – 9)

The Mariners’ Museum

Newport News museum “takes off ” with distance learning

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Armalita Holley, Museum Educator, works in one of the Interac-tive Videoconferencing studios at The Mariners’.

Social Studies’ Programs• Age of Exploration (Grades 1 – 12) • Titanic (Grades 4 – 12)• Pirates (Grades 2 – 12)• Riding in a Log Canoe (Grades K – 3) • Sailing into Thanksgiving (Grades K – 2)• Around the World with Santa (Grades Pre-K-2)• Clash of Armor (Grades 4 – 12)• Captive Passage: Investigating the Transatlan-tic Slave Trade (Grades: 4 – 12)• Life at Sea (Grades K – 12)

Language Arts Programs• Anansi and other African Tales (Grades K – 3)• Tales Across Two Seas (Grades K – 12)

Special Programs for Adult Learners• Searching for the Northwest Passage • The Franklin Expedition: Tragedy in Ice• From the “Haven of Death” to Nordenskiold: The Search for the Northeast Passage• Ventures to the Bottom of the World • Dangerous Crossings: The First Modern Polar Expedition, 1925 (Dr. Harold Cones, Author)

If your museum is interested in learning more about distance learning at The Mari-ners’ Museum, you may contact Anne Marie Millar, Director of Education and Distance Learning Programs at (757) 591-7748 or amillar@MarinersMuseum.org.

The Mariners’ Museum, an educational, non-profit institution accredited by the American Association of Museums, preserves and inter-prets maritime history through an interna-tional collection of ship models, figureheads, paintings and other maritime artifacts. It is home to the USS Monitor Center, which is the official repository for artifacts recovered from the Civil War ironclad ship.

The Mariners’ Museum is open from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday, and 12 to 5 p.m. Sunday. For information, visit www.MarinersMuseum.org, call (757) 596-2222 or write to The Mariners’ Museum, 100 Museum Drive, Newport News, VA 23606.

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2012

“Launching New Connections” Newport News has a rich shipbuilding heritage, and has launched countless ships into the world from its famous shipyards. As museum professionals, we launch into community partnerships, ambitious new museum projects, and sometimes unexpected collaborations every day. Just as modern shipbuilding demands innovation and cooperation, so our museums need to explore new ideas and forge new relationships to stay vibrant and relevant. We hope you’ll join us to enjoy the hospitality of Newport News, and to launch a few new connections of your own. Your career, your colleagues, your museum, and your community will thank you!

If you are interested in proposing a session at next year’s conference, watch for our Request for Proposals - it will be arriving in your email inbox soon, and it will be posted online at www.vamuseums.org!

Save the Date!

The VAM 2012 Annual Conference will be held at the Marriott Newport News at City Center from March 17-20, 2012. It’s a great professional development value - do it for your career!

VAM Conservation Assessment Grantees Announced

This year, for the fourth year, VAM offerred the VAM Conservation Assessment Grant program. Through the generosity of Rick Vogt of the F.C. Vogt Com-pany, Inc., VAM offerred a grant for the conservation assessment of furniture, wooden artifacts and architectural woodwork.

This year, we are pleased to announce two grant winners:

The Hampton Roads Naval Museum will receive a conservation as-sessment of a wooden sailor’s box, dated 1809.

The Adam Thoroughgood House (City of Virginia Beach Department of Museums) will receive a conservation assessment of architectural wood-work inside the house.

Congratulations to both of our grantees! The assessments will take place over the summer. A committee made up of a conservator, an art curator, a historic house curator, the VAM Executive Director, and a VAM board member reviewed applications and made recommendations for assistance. (Mr. Vogt was not part of the selection process.)

Many VAM members, especially from smaller museums or historic houses, have objects in their collections which are in need of conservation, but funds are lacking to hire a professional conservator to assess the conservation needs - let alone pay for - the actual conservation. An accurate, profession-al assessment is the first step to applying for financial assistance with con-servation work to a number of granting rganizations.

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VAM NewsThanks to a Connecting to Collections Statewide Implementation grant from the IMLS, the Virginia Association of Museums will partner with the Library of Virginia, Virginia Depart-ment of Historic Resources, Virginia Conserva-tion Association, the Mid-Atlantic Regional Archives Conference, Preservation Virginia and John Tyler Community College for the Vir-ginia Collections Initiative. Under the Initiative, we will implement several projects designed to address the collections needs of museums, libraries and archives in Virginia. Read more about the various projects related to the Initiative in the Director’s Corner on page 12. 2011 VAM British Exchange Program:The American Civil War in EnglandJoin us October 21-27 in London & Liverpool* Need an incentive to help you decide? If you sign-up for this amaz-ing trip by June 10, you can deduct $50 from your land package cost!

Summer Workshop August 1, 2011Preventative ConservationVirginia Museum of Fine Arts Conservation Labs

During our 2011 Annual Conference, VAM President Joe Gutierrez issued a challenge. He challenged all members of VAM to make a financial contribution, participating at whatever level they wished - $1 to $100 - to-ward VAM’s goal of raising $2,500 to support the conversion to an up-to-date association management software system. If you would like to show your support for VAM, please send a check payable to:

Attn: VAM President’s ChallengeVAM200 South 3rd St.Richmond, VA 23219

Look for VAM (and share some Cultsha bucks with us!) at the Richmond Culture Works CultshaXpo on June 25th at the Science Museum of Virginia. We’ll be promoting Virginia TimeTravelers! The 2011 Virginia TimeTravelers Program began in March. Our 2011 Theme is “Turning Points.”

Member NewsAfter nearly nine years of planning, and two years under construction, the City of Portsmouth opened its spectacular, ALL NEW 72,000-square-foot Children’s Museum of Vir-ginia on Thursday, May 26th. Congratulations!

From AAM: Please join the Museum Assess-ment Program (MAP) in congratulating its latest group of accepted museums, including the following in VA:

Historic Sandusky, Lynchburg, VA, Organiza-tional MAPUniversity of Mary Washington Galleries, Fred-ericksburg, VA, Community Engagement MAP

For museums interested in participating in MAP, AAM now offers two deadlines: July 1st and December 1st.

Join us in congratulating Kluge-Ruhe Aborigi-nal Art Collection of the University of Virginia in Charlottesville and the University of Mary Washington Art Galleries in Fredericksburg. The museums are 2011 CAP Participants.

The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) has announced the 2011 RIBA Inter-national Awards for buildings displaying architectural excellence, and Virginia Mu-seum of Fine Arts is one of the 13 recipients,

among only three United States projects. Congratulations!

From the Mariners’ Museum: on June 6, the USS Monitor received the Historical Landmark Des-ignation from the American Society of Metals.

Center in the Square is delighted to be one of the nine $100,000 recipients of the first round of Taubman Foundation Sustainability Grants.

Monticello’s Director of Gardens and Grounds, Peter Hatch was awarded the Gar-den Club of America Historic Preservation medal at the club’s annual Medal Awards Dinner, held in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Gari Melcher’s Home and Studio at Belmont received a $5,000 grant from the Duff McDuff Green Jr. Fund of the Community Foundation of the Rappahannock River Region. The mon-ey will go towards restoration of the original Dining Room draperies and furniture left by the Melchers. Additionally, Dave Ludeker, Building and Grounds Assistant at Belmont, received the University of Mary Washington’s Staff Advisory Council “Couldn’t Do it Without You Award.” Congratulations!

The Valentine Richmond History Center has

kicked off this year’s Richmond History Makers. The seventh annual program recognizes five everyday citizens and outstanding organiza-tions that are making largely unrecognized contributions to communities within the Greater Richmond Metropolitan area. The pub-lic call for nominations is May 1 - June 30, 2011.

Many VAM members are participating in Blue Star Museums! The Blue Star Museums initia-tive is a partnership among Blue Star Families, the National Endowment for the Arts, and more than 1,000 museums across America. First launched in the summer of 2010, Blue Star Museums once again are offering free admission to active duty military personnel and their families from Memorial Day, May 30, 2011, through Labor Day, September 5, 2011.

Governor Bob McDonnell announced $41 million in funding for construction of a new Yorktown Victory Center through the sale of Vir-ginia Public Building Authority bonds. Planning has been under way since 2007 for replacement of the museum, which chronicles the American Revolution. The announcement of the funding was first made at the semi-annual meeting of the Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation Board of Trustees, held May 12th.

At the Chrysler Museum of Art, work is pro-ceeding on schedule for the grand opening of the new Glass Studio, and with the inter-nal wiring and utility infrastructure in place, the glassmaking equipment is arriving next! Additionally, Chrysler Museum of Art’s iPhone/iPod app is now available as a free download. Visitors can listen to audio tours, share works of art with friends and keep up to date with upcoming events. For those who haven’t made it into the iWorld yet, no wor-ries. Visitors can pick up an iPod with the app preloaded at the Museum. They are free to Members, and $3 for all others.

Governor Bob McDonnell signed an historic cultural exchange agreement to bring “Trea-sures from the Forbidden City,” a showcase of approximately 200 objects from Beijing’s Palace Museum to Virginia in the summer of 2014.

Museum News in Your

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Preservation Virginia has created a Google Map that contains general locations, images and a brief history of some endangered or forgotten historic family cemeteries in Virginia. If you know of a cemetery that you would like to add to the map, please contact Sonja Ingram at (804) 551-3249.

The Commonwealth Coach & Trolley Museum an-nounces the restoration of two of the most signifi-cant coaches in its fleet, buses with extensive years of service in Blacksburg, Richmond, and Northern Virginia.The newly restored buses are a 1962 GMC New Look coach from the AB&W (Alexandria, Bar-croft & Washington) Bus Company and a 1966 GMC New Look coach from the Virginia Transit Company in Richmond. Each coach has been restored to its original livery (design and paint scheme) and origi-nal coach number when bought new.

The Maggie L. Walker Governor’s School for Government and International Studies captured its second national victory in the We the People: The Citizen and the Constitution National competition in Washington, D.C. The Maggie L. Walker team won the right to advance to the national competition when it defeated 10 Vir-ginia public and private high schools earlier this year in the Virginia We the People State Finals, sponsored by The Center for the Constitution at James Madison’s Montpelier.

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton received the 2011 Marshall Foundation Award at a black-tie dinner on June 2nd at the National Building Museum in Washington, DC.

The Robert H. Smith Center at Montalto, Thomas Jefferson’s ‘high mountain’ overlooking Monti-cello, was dedicated with the Robert H. Smith International Center for Jefferson Studies confer-ence “Jefferson’s Adversaries: British Leadership in the American War of Independence” May 13-14.

With Center in the Square closing for renovations, the Science Museum of Western Virginia will move to Tanglewood Mall until the Center reopens in the fall of 2012. Additionally, The History Museum of Western Virginia will move to a temporary location in the Shenandoah Hotel on Campbell Avenue. The History Museum of Western Virginia has also announced the final phase of their Capital Campaign: Crossroads of History! They are seeking an additional $1.5 million to renovate the exhibi-tion galleries in the History Museum and upgrade collections and archival storage areas.

The Miller-Kite House, Stonewall Jackson’s Head-quarters, opened for the season on Sunday, May 29th. For further information contact Casey Billhimer at 540-578-3046.

The Virginia Historical Society is looking for dona-tions of gently used history-related books. These items will be collected by the VHS Museum Shop and featured in a huge, deeply discounted book sale during a Family Day Open House on July 9.

Highway Information Media LLC has added a “Museums” button to the Welcome Center kiosk touchscreen start page. Travelers now have a direct selection to open-up information on Museums!

Hails/FarewellsFormer VAM President Scott Harris has been named director of the James Monroe Museum and Memorial Library in Fredericksburg. Harris, who currently serves as director of the New Market Battlefield State Historical Park in New Market, VA, will begin work at the museum July 18. He replaces John Pearce who retired after 27 years service to Uni-versity of Mary Washington, including 14 years as director of the museum. As director, Harris will be responsible for the management of daily operations at the museum, including long range planning, fundraising, supporting research and publications, coordinating events and physical improvements.

Also from the James Monroe Museum: Our won-derful curator, Meghan Budinger, left the museum at the end of May to begin her new job as Director of Curatorial Services at the George Washington Foundation. Farewell, and best of luck to Meghan!

Leslie King is leaving her post as executive director of the Edith Bolling Wilson Birthplace Foundation and Museum after two years. Says King, “These years have been both challenging and rewarding....we have been able to accom-plish a lot. However, it is time for me to pursue new avenues and creative endeavors beyond the Museum. And though I will miss the Mu-seum, Mrs. Wilson, and all the amazing people I have had the opportunity to work with, I know I leave the organization in most capable hands. I commend the founders of the Foundation, Bill and Farron Smith, for their continued support and energy and I thank them for allowing me to have had the opportunity to fulfill a life dream of being a museum director.”

From the Virginia Historical Society: Greg Han-sard is now senior web resources officer for the Virginia Historical Society. Jennifer Nesossis is now programs officer. Congratulations!

Andreé Brooks has been appointed Interim Executive Director of the Science Museum of Western Virginia. She has extensive experience serving non profit organizations in the Roanoke Valley as Executive Director and has been very active in the community as a volunteer.

Carol Amato died June 1, 2011 at Hospice of Virginia, Retreat Hospital, Richmond, Va. In 1994, Carol became Chief Operating Officer for the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, serving for 16 years until her retirement in 2010. She steadily guided the museum through some of its most challenging times and shepherded a build-ing program which resulted in VFMA’s largest expansion in its 75-year history. In addition to her pleasure in the increased educational facilities this created for children, Carol took particular joy in the fact that the centerpiece of this expansion, the James W. and Frances G. McGlothlin Wing, was recently recognized by the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) as a recipient of a 2011 RIBA International Award for buildings displaying architectural excellence. Carol will be sorely missed at the VMFA and in the museum community.

For those who wish to do so, the family suggests memorials to one of the following: The Carol Amato Art for Kids Fund, VMFA Foundation, 200 N. Boulevard, Richmond, Va. 23220; Hospice of Virginia, 1700 Bayberry Court, Suite 300, Rich-mond, Va. 23226; The VCU Massey Cancer Center, Development Office, P.O. Box 980214, Richmond, Va. 23298.

Backyard, and Beyond...

11S u m m e r � 0 1 11010

Dear Members, Although it doesn’t technically begin until June 22, I always think of Memorial Day and June 1 and the real start of summer. In the past, summer often meant slowing down a bit, taking a breather and final-ly filing all of those papers that pile up on the desk, credenza, chairs – just about everywhere there is a space. This summer, however, VAM is exploding out of the gate with a fast ramp-up on our recently-awarded Connecting to Collections Implementation Grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services.

There are quite a few programs covered by the grant, and we are all really excited about the ability to expand collections management assistance to VA museums. The programs fall into three categories: Safety of Collections: The grant will fund our Circuit Rider program for two more years, allowing us to serve 20 museums and sites, ten each year. A team (museum curator and archivist) will complete a site collections assessment and provide suggestions for spe-cific actions and strategies to achieve short-term (1-2 year) prioritized needs that staff/

board can practicably accom-plish. VAM will also develop a wide array of Online Collec-tions Training, both for-credit academic courses through John Tyler Community College, and more informal webinars to be offered through the VAM website. These courses will be designed to teach skills in col-lections care and management, preventative conservation, di-saster planning and response, marketing for collections need, fundraising, and more. Disaster Preparedness: VAM will hold a series of eleven Di-saster Plan Lockup workshops throughout Virginia during the two-year period, beginning late summer. If you’ve been meaning to get around to a disaster plan for your museum, this program is for you! The workshops will be designed to utilize three disaster plan templates (for varying sizes and situations of museums) to make sure you leave the workshop with a completed disaster plan. The grant will also help us to reinforce existing Museum Emergency Support Teams and support the establishment of new ones in the communities where the lock-ups will be held.

Marshalling Public and Private Support: VAM will once again work with Richmond-based marketing firm ToMarket to develop a Top Ten Endangered Artifacts media campaign. Museums will submit objects, the public will vote via social media, and a peer panel will review and select the top ten and honorable mentions. The idea is for museums to use their status in efforts with do-

nors or in grant applications to fund needed conservation on their treasured artifacts.

We will be partnering with Preservation Virginia and coor-dinating all marketing efforts with their “Most Endangered Historic Sites” list to create a complimentary awareness campaign for preservation. Does your museum have an item in its collections that desperately needs conserva-tion? Get ready – applications will be available by mid-July, with the winners announced November 1.

This two-year, $245,000 grant is the largest one VAM as undertaken. Watch for launch announcements for the various grant programs over the next

few months. If you have any questions, just contact me at the VAM office.

Sincerely,

MargoMargo Carlock, Executive DirectorVirginia Association of Museumsmcarlock@vamuseums.org

Director’s Corner

1�

Our Governing Council

President, Joe Gutierrez

VP, Planning & Resources, Sean FearnsVP, Programming, Tracy Gillespie

Secretary, Barbara Batson

Treasurer, Al SchweizerPast President, John Verrill

Ex-Officio Member, Robert C. Vaughan

DirectorsGretchen Bulova Anna HollowayDonald Buma Melanie L. MathewesNorman Burns Robin NicolsonApril Cheek-Messier Cheryl Robinson Diane Dunkley Barbara RothermelLin Ezell Gary SandlingPatrick Farris Charlotte WhittedPage Hayhurst Our StaffExecutive Director, Margo CarlockDeputy Director, Jennifer ThomasCommunications Dir., Heather Widener Accountant, Su Thongpan

Project Manager, VCI, Christina

Our VoiceVAM Voice is a member benefit pub-lished quarterly for museum profes-sionals and volunteers. The editor encourages readers to submit article proposals. Contact the Communica-tions Director for more information.

Our Contac tsPhone: 804.788.5820 Fax: 804.788.5826www.vamuseums.org membership@vamuseums.orgmcarlock@vamuseums.orgjthomas@vamuseums.orgtimetravelers@vamuseums.orghwidener@vamuseums.org

Our News D eadlinesSpring: February 1st

Summer: May 1st

Fall: August 1st

Winter: November 1st

Our MissionThe Virginia Association of Museums

is a non-profit, professional member-

ship organization for museums and

individuals associated with museums,

primarily in Virginia and Washington,

DC, serving all museum disciplines.

The Association provides education,

information, resource and support ser-

vices, facilitates communication among

the institutions and individuals of its

membership, fosters inclusiveness and

serves as an advocate to governmental

and other decision-making authorities

on issues relating to museums.