Just a quick *Amen!* to Jama's response from Colorado Humanities staff. We
are polling hosts to find out what they think, too.
Thank you!
Josephine
*Josephine Jones* | Director of Programs & Center for the Book | Colorado
Humanities
[log in to unmask] | coloradohumanities.org
7935 East Prentice Avenue, Suite 450, Greenwood Village, CO 80111
p 303 894 7951 x15 | f 303 864 9361
<https://twitter.com/cohumanities?lang=en>
<https://www.facebook.com/Colorado-Humanities-Center-for-the-Book-121288547908926/>
View the *Colorado Book Awards facebook stream
<https://www.facebook.com/cohumanities/videos/1325306114173824/> *at
https://www.facebook.com/cohumanities/videos/1325306114173824/
.
On Wed, Jul 26, 2017 at 1:46 PM, Jama Best <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> Hi Carol,
>
> Great idea! The MoMS Exhibition Starter Kits would offer a greater number
> of small museums a wide variety of exhibitions that are affordable and less
> spatially challenging for some.
>
> At the Arkansas Humanities Council we offer traveling exhibitions on
> loan. These are very popular and museums are always looking for new topics
> to showcase within their museums. With a MoMS Exhibition Starter Kit I
> believe these would be even more appealing given they would be partnering
> with the MoMS which brings prestige, excellent content, and resources. The
> accompanying community specific exhibition, events, and programming is the
> icing on the cake. We've certainly seen this over the course of the last
> few weeks while hosting *Hometown Teams *in Arkansas.
>
> If the cost is kept at a minimum, this should allow more museums with
> small budgets to acquire funds through fundraising efforts, grants, and/or
> donations without time constraints.
>
> State councils can be involved through promotion, financial support
> through grants or partnerships, and organizing professional development
> opportunities. If not, I still believe small museums would be very excited
> about the possibilities of a MoMS Starter Kit without a doubt.
>
>
> 1. Do you want to be involved in promoting these kits within your
> state? *Yes.*
> 2. Do you see this as an opportunity for accompanying humanities
> public programs and to reach more communities? *Absolutely!*
> 3. Do you worry that these exhibits would compete against MoMS
> traveling exhibitions? *No. *
> 4. We anticipate the exhibition fee to license this content for the
> host museums would be about $500 per venue, plus construction costs. Does
> this seem reasonable for the size and budgets of typical MoMS venues?
> *Yes.*
> 5. Should we be thinking about a way for MoMS to develop exhibitions
> like this for councils to travel statewide? *Yes. *Or, do you like
> this model that results in non-traveling venue specific exhibitions that
> require less council support and staff time? *Offering the option for
> councils to have one or more kits available for loan would be an option.
> This would be good in case there are small museums who lack the funding
> and/or staff to adequately fund raise. I think it's also good to offer
> small museums the ability to acquire kits that they can purchase and use
> initially and in the future.*
>
>
> Again, this is an excellent idea...full steam ahead! If there is anything
> I may do to assist please don't hesitate to contact me.
>
> Jama
>
>
> Jama Best | Senior Program Officer
> Arkansas Humanities Council
> 407 President Clinton Avenue, Suite 201, Little Rock, AR 72201
> E: [log in to unmask] | P: 501.320.5761 <(501)%20320-5761> | F:
> 501.537.4550 <(501)%20537-4550>
> Arkansas Humanities Council
> www.arkansashumanitiescouncil.org
>
>
>
>
>
> ------------------------------
> *From:* "Harsh, Carol" <[log in to unmask]>
> *To:* [log in to unmask]
> *Sent:* Wednesday, July 26, 2017 11:43 AM
> *Subject:* MoMS Exhibition Starter Kits - need your guidance
>
> Hi all,
>
> In an effort to find cost-effective ways to provide services to our small
> museum partners, the MoMS team has been thinking for quite some time about
> what we can do with content from past MoMS exhibitions. We would love to
> get your reaction to the idea of MoMS Exhibition Starter Kits. We need your
> input about what role state humanities councils could play in this endeavor.
>
> Drawing on content from past MoMS exhibitions, these skeletal,
> build-it-yourself exhibitions would be designed for small museums. MoMS
> would provide the curatorial framework for the exhibition and host museums
> would be invited to add additional content--such as historical images, art
> and artifacts, video clips, and quotes from oral histories—that feature
> their local history and culture. The end result would be a unique
> exhibition developed in partnership with the Smithsonian that features
> collections and stories in an exhibition framework that gives national
> context to a local story.
>
> The MoMS Exhibition Starter Kits would be a digital suite of items and
> instructions for developing exhibition and include such things as:
> · Digital files for curated text panels with a national scope
> · Sample photographs to supplement local collections
> · Digital audio-visual content relevant to the exhibition theme
> (hardware would be provided by the host museum)
> · Graphic package of design elements (such as logos, paint colors,
> build-it-yourself instructions)
> · Sample quotes for printing on vinyl for wall applications
> · Exhibition teacher guides
> · Suggestions for local research, story collection and suggested
> list of artifacts to include
> · Bibliography for books for adults, young readers, and children
> · Filmograhy, educational resources, and program ideas to
> complement the exhibition
>
> By using MoMS Exhibition Starter Kits, host museums would have the
> opportunity to keep the exhibitions up for an extended period of time and
> plan to host other build-it yourself exhibitions in a rotating basis, in
> addition, of course, to hosting MoMS traveling exhibitions.
>
> First, we would love to hear your reaction to this idea and how you
> believe host museums could or would use such a resource.
>
> Secondly, we want to explore with you how state humanities councils could
> be involved. If it is decided that we move forward with these MoMS Starter
> Kits,
>
> 1. Do you want to be involved in promoting these kits within your
> state?
> 2. Do you see this as an opportunity for accompanying humanities
> public programs and to reach more communities?
> 3. Do you worry that these exhibits would compete against MoMS
> traveling exhibitions?
> 4. We anticipate the exhibition fee to license this content for the
> host museums would be about $500 per venue, plus construction costs. Does
> this seem reasonable for the size and budgets of typical MoMS venues?
> 5. Should we be thinking about a way for MoMS to develop exhibitions
> like this for councils to travel statewide? Or, do you like this model that
> results in non-traveling venue specific exhibitions that require less
> council support and staff time?
>
>
> We look forward to hearing your good ideas and counsel as we think this
> out. Responding on the listserv will allow a good exchange of ideas.
> However, if you prefer to reach out to us directly you can certainly
> respond to me at [log in to unmask] (please cc Selwyn Ramp at [log in to unmask]).
>
> With warm regards,
>
>
> Carol G. Harsh
> Director, Museum on Main Street and Special Projects
> Smithsonian Institution, SITES
> P.O. Box 37012 MRC 941
> Washington, D.C. 20013-7012
>
> Deliveries
> 470 L’Enfant Plaza, SW
> Suite 7103
> Washington, D.C. 20024
>
> Tel: 202-633-5333 <(202)%20633-5333>
> Fax: 202-633-5344 <(202)%20633-5344>
> www.museumonmainstreet.org
>
>
>
>
>
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