Author: Bay, Ann

Publication Year: 1972

Media Type: Report

Summary:

Abstract:

This study of humanities programs for young people in twenty-four American museums was prompted by an awareness of the need for up-to-date descriptive material about current museum education practices. The museums were visited in 1972 with the support of a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities and chosen from recommendations made by presidents and representatives of the Regional Conferences of the American Association of Museums and other people with a wide knowledge of the field. The choices were determined by indications of success in working with the schools, in developing effective teaching materials and methods, in recruiting and training personnel, in funding expanding programs, and in reaching into the community. The selection represents a wide geographic spread and a range of sizes, types, budgets, and specialties. The study, however, makes no pretense of being wholly and unerringly representative of the best in museum education programs. In the interest of objectivity, the museums of the Smithsonian Institution, which sponsored the project, were excluded.

The study is in two parts. Part one is a set of fourteen case studies, each of which analyzes the programs of a single museum under eight subject headings. The chapters follow identical schemes to facilitate comparisons and are arranged geographically. Part Two discusses, under the same subject headings, programs of special interest that did not lend themselves to the case study format. The emphasis is on humanities programs as defined by the National Endowment for the Humanities and on programs for young people below the college level.

Before editing, drafts of the case studies were reviewed for accuracy by the museums. A few of the museums suggested material to be added; the suggestions were followed whenever possible within limitations of space and consistency of format. Information about the backgrounds of staff members has been deleted from two of the chapters at the request of the museums.

The intention was to describe well-tried approaches to common problems in the hope that the study will help the many people in American museums who are working in the face of increasing public demands and shrinking financial resources to improve the effectiveness of the museum's role in educating the young. (p. vii-viii)

CONTENTS
Foreword.
Preface.
Acknowledgments.

Part 1. Case studies.

The Children's museum, Boston. 
The Braintree Historical Society. 
The New York State Historical Society. 
MUSE, the Bedford Lincoln Neighborhood museum. 
The Hagley museum. 
The museum of African art. 
The Afro-American cultural development center, Inc. 
The Milwaukee Public Museum. 
The Minnesota Historical Society. 
The Fort Worth Museum of Science and History. 
The Colorado State museum. 
The museum of New Mexico. 
The Arizona State museum. 
The Oakland museum.

Part 2. Analysis. 

Exhibits. 
Teaching exhibit rooms. 
Exhibits planned by education staff. 
Participatory exhibits.
Programs given in the museum. 
Programs for young children. 
Programs for high school students. 
Repeat visit programs. 
Informal programs. 
Extension services. 
Loan materials. 
Programs given in the classroom. 
Satellite museum program. 
Television.
Staff. 
Regular staff. 
Part-time staff. 
Volunteer and paid.
Funding.
Coordination with schools. 
Museum programs and the school curriculum. 
Communication with teachers. 
Evaluation of programs and materials. 
Distribution and extension materials.
Facilities. 
Publications.
Other matters: Inter-museum cooperation.

Postscript. 
Museums visited and persons to write to for more information. 
References cited. 
Illustration credits.

Arts & Intersections:

Categories: Arts Education