LISTENING TO NEW VOICES, EMBRACING CHANGE and BANISHING SACRED COWS- What can we learn from tomorrow’s leaders about how museums of the future should look? This session was presented to academics and museum professionals at the 2011 Ohio Museums Assn. Conference on the campus of Walsh University. I led a panel of Museum Studies students who shared their perspectives on the future of museums in the 21st century. Topics included innovative programming approaches, visitor interactions, social media, and confronting dominant paradigms to engage new and existing audiences. Moderator: Jennifer Souers Chevraux, Adjunct Professor, Walsh University Museum Studies Program, Principal at Illumine Creative Solutions, and Publisher at MuseoBlogger

1. LISTENING TO NEW VOICES, EMBRACING CHANGE
BANISHING SACRED COWS

2. WHO ARE WE
WHY ARE WE HERE ?

3. OUR PRESENTERS
• Jennifer Souers Chevraux
Adjunct Faculty, Museum Studies, Walsh
University; Principal, Illumine Creative
Solutions
• Cristina Savu
Registrar, Massillon Museum
• Jessica Shoemaker
Senior, Museum Studies, Walsh University
• Megan McQuillen
Senior, Museum Studies, Walsh University

4. LET'S GET STARTED
• Center
for the Future of
Museums
• AAM's 2011 meeting theme
• Why should we care?

5. INNOVATIVE PROGRAMMING
• The Participatory
Museum
• Brief overview of Massillon
Museum s Face of Rural
America project
• Touch photographs,
Website, Public Art
other Educational programs

6. INTERACTING WITH
RESPONDING TO VISITORS
• Why is museum interaction
with visitors important?
• Co-creativeprojects can
enhance visitor and museum
relationships
• Listening to visitor suggestions
• Museums need to be relevant
to different ethnic groups in
their area

7. SOCIAL MEDIA FOR
ENGAGING AUDIENCES
• Facebook/Twitter
• Staff blogs
• Digitizing collections

8. HANDLING ROADBLOCKS SACRED
COWS TO MAKE WAY FOR CHANGE

9. EMPOWER STAKEHOLDERS
TOP TO BOTTOM
1. Message
2. Preparation
3. Voice
4. Change

10. ADAPTATION VS. EXTINCTION
• Share relevant cautionary
tales.
• Whose example could you
follow?
• Whose mistakes do you not
want to repeat?

11. YOU RE ALIVE, RELEVANT, VITAL
• Engage your community.
• Can your organization meet a
critical community need?
• Howdoes the museum
become a community leader?

12. BE CREATIVE. BOLD. FEARLESS.
• Thisisn’t that thing you
tried 15 years ago that
didn’t work.
• Constituents will notice
your effort, and that’s a
positive result.

13. AN OSTRICH WITH ITS HEAD IN
THE SAND GETS BITTEN IN THE…
• Askyour visitors and
potential audience for
feedback. You're less likely
to waste time and money.
• Follow-up after successful
projects and programs, and
gather data for funders
press.

14. SEEK OUTSIDE HELP
IF YOU NEED IT.
• Sometimes
staff needs
someone to blame.
• Seedfunding is relatively
easy to find.
• Proper
planning makes
donors and foundations feel
secure going forward.

15. DISCUSS.

16. THNX.
• Jennifer:
jennifer@illuminecs.com
• Cristina:
csavu@massillonmuseum.org
• Jessica:
jessicashoemaker@walsh.edu
• Megan:
meganmcquillen@walsh.edu

17. PRESENTED APRIL 11, 2011
OHIO MUSEUMS ASSOCIATION CONFERENCE
WALSH UNIVERSITY, NORTH CANTON, OHIO
Please contact Jennifer Souers Chevraux if you would like more information about this presentation, or if you
would like to use any of the slides.