Carol:

Here are some popular topics from Alabama's Road Scholars program that may
develop into an exhibition:

        Celebrations- Birthdays, Weddings & Funerals (Courtship popular
topic)
        Folklore- Folk Magic, Storytelling, Family Tales
        The Jazz Story
        Through the Back Door- Around the Kitchen Table, Family Traditions
        Culture and Change over Time- Native American History, "At Home
Between Earth and Sky"

Hope these ideas are helpful.

Susan Perry
Grants Director
Alabama Humanities Foundation
205-558-3993
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-----Original Message-----
From: Museum on Main Street [mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of
Harsh, Carol
Sent: Wednesday, May 30, 2007 9:29 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject:


Hi all,

It's time again to start thinking about the next MoMS exhibition, beyond
Journey Stories which will open in May/June 2009.  The next exhibition would
open in 2011, so we have a little time, but we need to start thinking about
the topic.

The MoMS staff has decided to throw it out to you in the Council world to
help us think about good exhibition topics.  Please think about broad themes
or ideas that you think will make a good MoMS exhibition--music or food, for
example.  As you know, its a little tricky to find a good topic, because it
needs to be a national story with a strong local connection.  It is this
local connection that really makes the difference.  Every town in every
state in the country needs to be part of the national story. It can't be too
narrow or regional.  People at the local level need to feel passionate about
it. We have found that topics are most successful that focus on Americana
and allow for celebration while also inspiring serious reflection and
sharing at the community level.

So, please give us your best ideas about topics.  Please share on the
Listserv so that others can consider your ideas.

After about two weeks we will call an end to the broad theme discussion and
try to narrow our discussion to a five or six ideas.  Then, we will task all
of you to help us find a curator and even an existing exhibition that we
could adapt to make it a MoMS story.  Several of our last few exhibitions
are sort of made from scratch, so to speak, and for staffing and financial
reasons, we feel that it is very important for this next one to draw from an
existing body of research and scholarship.

So, have at it.  Give us your best ideas!!!  We are all ears.

Kind regards,

Carol
Carol Harsh
Co-Director, Museum on Main Street
Smithsonian Institution
P.O. Box 37012, MRC 941
Washington, DC  20013-7012
202-465-5267 (cell)
202-633-5333 (office)