Museum Educators of Southern California

Museum Educators of Southern California ESSENTIALS series:
Essential Tools for Evaluating Public Programs

Monday November 10, 2008,
Hosted by the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History

9:00 AM-NOON
Download a registration form here

Does creating an evaluation plan make you cringe? Are you looking for a better way to assess if your programs are really working? Wish you had a better handle on which evaluation methods work best with certain program types? Come learn the essentials of evaluating public programs and leave with tools and information that you can put to use immediately!

Principal of Visitor Studies Services Wendy Meluch has been designing and conducting evaluative research for informal learning centers since 1997. Her clients include the Denver Museum of Nature and Science, Exploratorium, San Francisco Zoo, Anchorage Museum of History and Art, Peralta Hacienda Historical Park, and California Association of Museums, among others. During the Essentials workshop, she will discuss evaluation techniques before guiding participants through hands-on applications on a variety of public programs.

The MESC ESSENTIALS series offers museum educators basic tools and strategies for success in the field.

Workshop Itinerary
9:00-9:30 AM Registration and light breakfast

9:30-10:00 AM Welcome

10:00 AM-Noon Wendy Meluch, Evaluation Consultant, Visitor Studies Services

Noon: Networking lunch (optional)

After Lunch: Explore the Museum

Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History
2559 Puesta del Sol Road
Santa Barbara, CA 93105
805-682-4711 ext.164
http://www.sbnature.org

Most recent program:

The Nature of Change and the Next Generation
Ron Chew, Principal of Chew Communications
former Executive Director of the Wing Luke Asian Museum

Friday, September 26, 2008
10:00 am to noon

Barnsdall Art Park
4804 Hollywood Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90027
Phone: 213-485-4581

Photo of Ron Chew

Photo by Dan Lamont

Ron Chew is principal of Chew Communications and served as Wing Luke
Asian Museum Executive Director from 1991-2007. Known by many as an
innovator using cutting-edge presentations with a locally oriented
emphasis, Ron has re-defined museum education by melding cultural
identity, civic participation and museum programs into a new tool in the
fight for social justice.

Through his leadership, he was instrumental in turning around a struggling Wing Luke Asian Museum and setting its course to become a culturally thriving and financially viable institution. Ron is recipient of the Ford Foundation “Leadership for a Changing World” award and an honoree of the Association of American Museum’s Centennial Honor Roll that has recognized the top 100 people who have supported the profession and helped make America’s museums places of discovery, inspiration, joy, and life long learning.

MESC Members $12
Non-Members $20
Free parking; driving directions and map available at
http://www.barnsdallartpark.com/
Light breakfast and registration begins at 9:00 am
Program is followed by an optional lunch

2008 Annual Institute
The Leadership Role: Cues from Experts

Monday, June 16, 2008
9:00 a.m. —3:30 p.m.
The Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens
1151 Oxford Road
San Marino, CA 91108
(626) 405-2100
www.huntington.org

Attendees will have opportunities to explore the refurbished mansion with 5,300 additional
square feet of public space, the new Chinese Garden, the award-winning Conservatory, and
all the Huntington has to offer at no additional cost.

Keynote Address: Ben Cameron, Program Director, Arts, Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, New York
Ben Cameron will speak about the qualities necessary for leaders in cultural organizations, and to a model of leadership that serves individuals and museums in the long term.

Morning sessions:

Perspectives in Museum Leadership: Managing your Mission AND your Position
Linda Abraham-Silver, President and Executive Director, Great Lakes Science Center, Cleveland, OH

Discussion and workshop to address personal and professional leadership goals in the short-, mid-, and long-terms.
Join Forces to Lead Change: Collaborative Partnerships in Docent Programs
Jennifer M. Diprizio, Director of Visitor Learning, Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, Boston, MA
Susan Carr, active docent, Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County

How are innovative docent programs achieved? What are the challenges? What defines success? Hear how to build a solid bridge between the museum and the public with your docent team.
Panel Discussion: Beyond the Museum: What Can We Learn?
- Nina Lieberman-Giladi, Dean of the American Jewish University MBA program in Non-Profit Management
- Mike George, Creative Director, 20th Century Fox, Domestic Theatrical Marketing
-Jean Lipman-Blumen, Thorton F. Bradshaw Professor of Public Policy and Professor of Organizational Behavior, The Drucker School, Claremont Graduate University, Claremont, CA

Bringing together perspectives from universities, politics, and the for-profit sector, this panel will discuss ideas and tools that can be adapted for your institution.

Lunch will be provided on the garden terrace

Afternoon Sessions:

From Risk to Reward: How to Bring a Vision to Fruition
- Sheri Bernstein, Director of Education, Skirball Cultural Center on 'Noah’s Ark'
- Kitty Connolly, Botanical Education Manager, The Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens, on 'Plants are Up to Something'

Hear behind-the-scenes perspectives from two museum education leaders on their current award-winning exhibitions.
Community Scope: Exemplars in Outreach
- Aandrea Stang, Senior Education Program Manager, Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles
- Kelly Hanock, Coordinator, 9th Grade Academy, James Monroe High School, LAUSD
- Elisa Callow, Independant arts and non-profit consultant; Founding Director of the Armory Center for the Arts, Pasadena

What makes a museum and community partnership successful? This session takes a look at partnership perspectives from inside and outside the museum to break down tasks and understand the pros and cons.

To register for the Annual Institute, download the flyer with registration form and mail with a check or use our NEW online registration service. Simply visit brownpapertickets.com and search for 'mesc' in the top search box to find the Annual Institute.