Museums in Conversation Conference: Fresh Perspectives for New York State Museums

Doubletree Hotel, Tarrytown, New York
March 29-31, 2009

Add your voice to the conversation! To inaugurate a new conference name and format, we're inviting all museums across New York to come to Tarrytown to generate a new energy through conversations and networking about sustainability, cross-discipline collaboration, relevance, stewardship, and leadership.

Click here for more information on the Silent Auction, participating Cultural Passport Sites and our Conference Sponsors

Sunday March 29, 2009

8:00a-4:00p Conference Registration
Doubletree Hotel, 455 South Broadway, Tarrytown

9:00a-4:00p Pre-Conference Workshops
The workshops listed below are offered to Museums in Conversation Conference participants at an additional price. These activities take place at the locations indicated with their descriptions.

Certified Institutional Protection Manager Workshop & Certification Program
PLEASE NOTE THIS WORKSHOP IS CANCELLED

Sparking Conversations: Social Media and Audience Building
Location Sarah Lawrence College
Chairs: Kajsa Sabatke, Interpretive Projects Coordinator, The Farmers' Museum; John Buchinger, Associate Director of Education, New York State Historical Association/The Farmers' Museum; Elizabeth Trever Buchinger, Content Developer/Project Manager, GrafiQa Creative Services.

Exploring social media, but don't know where to start? Learn the basics and leave with all the tools you need to start your social media campaign with confidence.
PLEASE NOTE THIS WORKSHOP HAS BEEN FILLED AND WE ARE NO LONGER ACCEPTING REGISTRATIONS

It's a Bird! It's a Plane! No, It's a moth. Integrated Pest Management for Museums
Location Rye Historical Society, Square House, 1 Purchase Street, Rye, NY
Chairs: Erin Crissman, Curator, The Farmers' Museum, Gwen Spicer, Principal, Spicer Art Conservation, LLC.

Eagerly overlooked, pest management is less costly and time consuming than an abatement effort. Learn about IPM's costs and benefits and leave feeling empowered to develop and implement a program for your institution.

5:00-7:30p Opening Reception
Upstate History Alliance Award of Merit Presentations
Sponsored by Gaylord Brothers
Neuberger Museum of Art
Purchase College, State University of New York, 735 Anderson Hill Road, Purchase

Our conference kick-off reception takes place at the Neuberger Museum of Art, Westchester's premier showcase for modern, contemporary and African art. Join us to honor this year's Upstate History Alliance Award of Merit winners. Awards will be presented at 6:00pm. Light hors d'oeuvres and beverages will be served.

7:30-10:00p Institute at Sagamore Alumni Dinner
The Creek Restaurant and Bar
578 Anderson Hill Road, Purchase

Alumni of the Upstate History Alliance Museum Institute at Sagamore and those interested in learning about this unique professional development opportunity are invited to an informal dinner at The Creek Restaurant. Only moments from the Neuberger Museum, the Creek offers New American Cuisine at its best. Join us as we reminisce about our adventures in the Adirondacks and plan ahead for the 2009 Museum Institute at Sagamore which will focus upon Understanding Audiences.


Monday March 30, 2009

7:00a-5:30p Conference Registration
Doubletree Hotel, 455 South Broadway, Tarrytown, NY
(Note: All events listed below will take place at the Doubletree Tarrytown unless otherwise indicated)

7:30a-4:00p Conference Sponsor Exhibit Area

Attendees will have the opportunity throughout the day to view tabletop displays and speak with exhibitor representatives. This year's sponsors include: Archives Partnership Trust,, Associated Safetygroup Management, Building Conservation Associates, eTapestry, The Farmers' Museum, Gaylord Brothers, Hadley Exhibits, Hudson Microimaging, MBA Design & Display Products Corp., Museum Search and Reference, The New York State Historical Association, Red's Plastic Fabricating, Thomas & Associates Inc., Spicer Art Conservation LLC, SUNY Press, Riverhill Partners.

8:00a-3:30p Upstate History Alliance Silent Auction

Don’t miss out on your chance to purchase some of the unique and interesting items donated by attendees and other supporters. All proceeds benefit UHA and help us continue to provide a myriad of services to our constituents. Silent auction items will be on display beginning at 8:00am. Bidding will end promptly at 3:30pm and winners can pick up their items until 5:30pm at the Registration Desk. Cash, check and credit card payments are accepted.

If you are interested in donating an item to this year's Silent Auction, you can bring your item with you to the conference or you can mail it ahead of time to Upstate History Alliance, Silent Auction Donation, 11 Ford Avenue, Oneonta, NY 13820. If you have any questions about the Silent Auction, please contact Stephanie Lehner, Program Coordinator, at 800.895.1648; stephanie@upstatehistory.org.

7:45a- 9:30a Keynote Breakfast and UHA & MANY Business Meetings

Sponsored by The New York State Council on the Arts
Keynote speaker, Nina Simon, Museum 2.0
Nina Simon is an independent museum experience designer and the creative mind behind Museum 2.0, a design firm that works with museums worldwide using social technology to create dynamic, audience-driven exhibitions and programs. Nina writes the blog Museum 2.0, a top online resource on museums, participatory design, and new technologies.

9:30a- 9:45a Break

9:45a-11:00a Concurrent Sessions

Social Tagging and Museums: Hearing the Visitor's Voice
	This session will introduce the work of the steve project (www.steve.museum), a collaboration of museums investigating social tagging (collecting and using descriptions of collections) to improve access to collections and to engage and understand visitors in new ways. Discussion Leader: Susan Chun, steve.museum
Making History Relevant to the Present
	Through examining the Tenement Museum's interactive approach, this workshop addresses how museums can make history accessible and relevant by providing a space for dialogue that fosters insight on contemporary concerns. Discussion Leader: Jes Whittet, Education Associate, Lower East Side Tenement Museum
Outstanding Customer Service
	A welcoming environment with good customer service doesn't cost much-- but not having it can mean huge losses in no repeat visitation, bad word-of-mouth and poor online reviews. Make your customer service the best it can be! Discussion Leader, Mark Mortenson, President and CEO, Buffalo Museum of Science
Desperation Deaccessions: The Temptation to Monetize Collections in Times of Financial Crisis
	The NYS Board of Regents recently backed away from a proposal to allow sales from the collections of museum at financial risk. But as demonstrated by recent disposals of paintings from the National Academy Museum in New York and the recent proposal by Brandeis University to close its Rose Art Museum and sell its works, the issue of whether, when and how to sell art to pay the bills is still with us. We will discuss recent legal and news developments regarding deaccessioning, as well as the specific concerns of discussion-session participants. Discussion Leader: Lee Rosenbaum, cultural journalist and author of the art blog, CultureGrrl

11:15a- 12:30p Concurrent Sessions

Why is Change so Hard?
	Is your museum struggling with change? Hear about Harvard Business School's John Kotter and his 8 step change method in this structured conversation. We will focus on Kotter's first step: creating urgency. Discussion Leader: Donna Harris, Principal, Heritage Consulting Inc.
Witnesses: Theater of Old Words, Production of New Solutions
	Combine theater, dance, volunteers, and secondary and college students to bring the stories behind artifacts and primary source documents to life. Relate museum collections to contemporary social issues and challenges. Discussion Leader: Rebecca Baker, Manager of Prospect Development, Buffalo and Erie County Historical Society
Learning to Share: Museums and Community
	How do museums identify, engage with, and share the history, stories and traditions of their community? Representatives from the Old Stone House in Brooklyn, the Museum at Eldridge Street in Manhattan, and the Slate Valley Museum in Granvile discuss how they engage with their communities and translate that relationship into creative museum practice. Discussion Leader: Janet Rassweiler, Independent Museum Professional
It's all in the Design
	Have you ever looked upon an invitation to an opening, a school programs brochure or a museum webpage and thought-- Wow, I want to be a part of that! Well, here's your chance to drop-in with a designer to have them took at print or web material for a quick critique/idea session on your visual impact. Please be sure to bring a copy of your material for review. Participating Designers are: Elizabeth Trever Buchinger, Susan Strandberg, Patrick O'Rouke, and Jeff Tancil

12:30a-2:00p Luncheon
Sponsored by the New York State Historical Association and The Farmers' Museum

Where do we get new ideas about how museums might operate? What new things might museums try, and how can they afford the risk, even those requiring relatively small investments. These questions are on the radar of AAM's Center for the Future of Museums and they'll be the basis of a special lunchtime discussion. The discussion will be led by Elizabeth Merritt, Founding Director, Center for the Future of Museums, American Association of Museums.

MANY Drawing--Stake your claim on several prizes as we raise funds for advocacy!

2:00- 3:15p Concurrent Sessions

What Can I Do About This Problem?
	Attendees will have an opportunity to ask colleagues how they have solved some of their most vexing problems. Completely open, we'll go whever the conversation leads. Discussion Leader: Katherine Crum, President, Art Museum Partnership
There's Nothing General About a General Museum
	What is a general museum? Join staff from three general museums and learn about their unique challenges when it comes to interpretive design, audience development, fund raising, and collaborative opportunities. Discussion Leader: Cara Sutherland, Executive Director, Everhart Museum of Natural History, Science & Art
But We're a Nonprofit! What You Need to Know About Property Taxation on Museums
	Local governments are proposing that nonprofits pay their "fair share" of property taxes. Learn about the likelihood of such proposals in New York State and how they may impact museums. Discussion Leader: Joann Lindstrom MPA, Independent Museums Professional
REALMS: Re-envisioning the Approach to Learning through Museums in Society PART I
	"Paradigm shift" is the best way to describe how museums use technology in 2009 in comparison to just ten years ago. Are partnerships the way to successfully embrace the future? Discussion Leader: Erika Sanger, Director of Education, Albany Institute of History & Art

3:15-3:45 Break
Sponsored by Spicer Art Conservation LLC
Take this time to grab some refreshments, organize your thoughts, and visit the UHA Silent Auction. Bidding Ends at 3:30

Resume Review Center
What are the skills and experiences that potential employers are looking for? Bring your resume and review it with the leaders in our field. Sign up for your appointment at the Conference Registration Table.

3:45p- 5:00p Concurrent Sessions

REALMS: Re-envisioning the Approach to Learning through Museums in Society PART II
	"Paradigm shift" is the best way to describe how museums use technology in 2009 in comparison to just ten years ago. Are partnerships the way to successfully embrace the future? Discussion Leader: Erika Sanger, Director of Education, Albany Institute of History & Art
Conservation: A Capital Idea
	Capitalize on Collection Care as an engaging resources for generating contributions, increasing membership and attracting visitors. Illustrated case histories, sharing the intrigue of preservation activities will inspire new ideas of how to achieve and fund collection management dreams Discussion Leader: Susan Blakney, Chief Conservator, West Lake Conservators, Ltd.
Cultural Entrepreneurship--Engaging Communities to Create Sustainable Enterprises and Programs
	Calculated risk-taking, innovation, and creativity lead to success. The Cooperstown Graduate Program, MANY, and NYSHA introduce Cultural Entrepreneurship for individuals and organizations committed to questioning and improving who they are. Discussion Leader: Michael Flinton, Assistant Professor, Cooperstown Graduate Program
Dinosaur Bones, Paintings, and Field Trips: Museums in Children's Literature
	How are museums portrayed in children's literature? Discussion will focus on picture and chapter books. Participants are encouraged to bring books and be ready to listen to a story or two. Discussion Leader: Kerry Lippincott, Education Coordinator, Chemung County Historical Society

6:00-8:00p Networking Reception
Sponsored by The Archives Partnership Trust
Lyndhurst
635 South Broadway, Tarrytown

Welcome first time attendees and catch up with old friends over drinks and light hors d'oeuvres. Join your colleagues from across the state for an evening of informal networking at Lyndhurst, America's finest Gothic Revival mansion and a remarkable example of the Hudson River's grand and historic estates.


Tuesday March 31, 2009

8:00-10:00a Wake-up Breakfast
Sponsored by Museum Search and Reference

8:00-10:00a Poster Session Presentation
Enjoy light breakfast and refreshments and then visit our three Poster Session Events:

Student Poster Presentations: Check our the latest research and developments being uncovered by the museum field's emerging leaders.

• Technology and Meaning-Making in the Museum Environment
  How has the interactive role of museum staff and docents changed as the museum world embraces the educational possibilities of technology? Similarly, how has technology changed the way we view (or don't view) a museums collections?
  Presenter: Heather Gring, SUNY Buffalo State College recent graduate
• I Saw it on Facebook
  Did you know Facebook is FREE!! Millions of college students are reached through this networking system daily...come and see what the buzz is all about!
  Presenter: Sarah Francis, Buffalo State
• Technology and Audience-Building
  This presentation will show how museums can use different forms of technology to deliver information in a variety of ways. We will explore how technology can best be utized to reach a broader audience, as well as enrich communication and education for a museum's diverse community.
  Presenters, Danielle Brooks and Tracy Gladkowski, Buffalo State College
• The Effects of Budget Cuts on NYS's Museums
  The effects of the new budget cuts on cultural institutions have sparked much conversation about the fate of museums. Museums must find creative techniques to acquire stability while increasing funding.
  Presenter, Bethany Day, Buffalo State College
• What the Farmers' Museum Can Learn From Farm-Based Education
  This session will explore how The Farmers' Museum in Cooperstown, NY can borrow ideas from farm-based education centers in order to make its own educational programming more fulfilling and relevant.
  Presenter, Ansel Lurio, Cooperstown Graduate Program
• Of the People: Inuit Sculpture from the Collection of Mary and Fred Widding
  This session examines the student-curator exhibition, "Of the People: Inuit Sculpture from the Collection of Mary and Fred Widding," which provided a unique pre-professional learning experience for 8 undergraduate museology students
  Presenters, JJ Ignotz and Amanda Brownbridge, Ithaca College recent graduates
• Museums and Community
  By utilizing students and faculty, we will show how local museums have reached out to their communities through higher education partnerships to benefit the museum and community.
  Presenters: Danielle Brooks, Jason Rodriguez, Kristina Schmidt, Buffalo State College
• History of Open Air Museums
  This poster session will explore the history and historiography of living history museums, from their advent in Scandinavia to the controversies of historians today in the US.
  Presenter, Robin Foley, Buffalo State College
• Yes, We Did
  This poster session will give a brief overview of Matilda Joslyn Gage, how we walk the tightrope of difficult topics, how we are organizing a small space to tell multiple stories, and our membership in the International Coalition of Sites of Conscience
  Presenter, Sue Boland, SUNY Albany
  

Funders Poster Presentations: Learn about the funding opportunities available to New York State's cultural organizations and make connections with agencies that are eager to support your organization. The following institutions will have representatives available to speak to:

• New York State Council on the Arts
• New York Council on the Humanities
• Documentary Heritage Program
• Greater Hudson Heritage Network (formerly Lower Hudson Conference)
• New York State Program for the Conservation and Preservation of Library Research Materials
• Upstate History Alliance
  

Project Poster Presentations: Check out the research and projects of peer institutions and informally discuss specific issues or case studies that have broad applications.

• Making Connections: A Local History Approach to Teaching Research
  Brooklyn Connections, an educational initiative of the Brooklyn Collection, annually invites over 400 8th graders to access local history resources and develop research skills while working on a major project.
  Presenter: Lesie Shope, Project Coordinator, Brooklyn Connections, Brooklyn Collection
• Another Day, Another Dollar--Historical Money Interpretation Made Easy
  Translate any historical price, wage or currency from the 17th century to the early 20th century into its modern equivalent with a simple formula. Take home reproduction coins and quick reference charts
  Presenter: Carle Kopecky, Museum Director, Old Stone Fort Museum Complex
• Limestone, Ancient Seas and Glaciers: Geology and History Collaboration Program
  Discover how your organization can work collaboratively with other cultural and tourist attractions in your area to create hands-on programs that highligh lesser known elements of your collection and community.
  Presenter: Dan Beams, Museum Curator, Old Stone Fort Museum
• Inside and Out: Architecture and Landscape Architecture as an Environmental Teaching Tool
  Architecture can be a powerful teaching tool for engaging visitors with environmental issues. Learn how institutional mission can inform freen building projects by exploring two recent case studies: The Queens Botanical Garden and the NY Hall of Science.
  Presenters: Joan Krevlin, Partner, BKSK Architects; Jennifer Warn-Souder, Director of Capital Projects/Assistant Director, Queens Botanical Garden; Marilyn Hoyt, President and CEO, New York Hall of Science

10:00-11:00a Closing Keynote Address
Sponsored by the New York Council for the Humanities

Closing Keynote Speaker: Elizabeth Lynn, Project on Civic Reflection.

Elizabeth Lynn is the founder of the Project on Civic Reflection, where she brings a wealth of experience gained through her education, her professional experience, and her involvement in her own community. Since founding the Project in 1998, Elizabeth has dedicated her time and attention to sharing the practice of civil reflection with others.

12:00-4:00p Post-Conference Workshops
The workshops below listed are offered to Museums in Conversation Conference participants at an additional price. These workshops take place at the locations indicated with their descriptions.

Plantation on the Hudson: Philipsburg Manor
Philipsburg Manor, 381 North Broadway, Sleepy Hollow
Chair: Thom Thacker, Site Director, Philipsburg Manor
At Philipsburg Manor, half-day session participants will learn about slavery in the colonial North through an overview talk, tour, and an object-and document-based workshop.

Learning from Landscape: A Tarrytown Walking Tour
The Warner Library, 121 North Broadway, Tarrytown
Chair: Gregory Rosenthal, Education Coordinator, Thomas Cole National Historic Site
"Museums in Conversation" calls on us to engage our surrounding communities. This workshop will take participants around Tarrytown to learn a variety of methods for interpreting landscape and cityscape.

It Starts with a Plan
This workshop has been cancelled

Disability Awareness Training and Accessibility Tools
This workshop has been cancelled

Emergency Succession Planning
This workshop has been cancelled

Questions? Contact Stephanie Lehner, Program Coordinator, with any questions that you may have at stephanie@upstatehistory.org or 800.895.1648.