Wednesday, July 24
There are three types of registration for this year’s conference – Virtual Only, Virtual + Single Day, and Virtual + In-Person. No matter which one you selected, you have access to this year’s virtual day of programming. Come be our guest in the Midwest from wherever you are!
The following sessions and networking activities will be hosted in Zoom Webinar or Zoom Meeting. Login and dial-in information will be available to registered attendees in the conference virtual platform. Zoom’s built-in transcriptions will be provided. ASL interpretation will be made available up on request during registration.
AMM Annual Business Meeting
8:00 AM – 8:20 AM CT (9:00 AM – 9:20 AM ET)
AMM Member Business
Prior to our opening sessions, AMM members are invited to join us live for our 2024 Annual Business Meeting for board election advance voting results and other announcements. (You don’t have to be a member to tune in. All are welcome!)
Morning Virtual Tour
8:30 AM – 8:50 AM CT (9:30 AM – 9:50 AM ET)
Virtual Tour: Hopewell Earthworks UNESCO World Heritage Sites
Masterpieces of human creative genius, the Hopewell Ceremonial Earthworks are gigantic earthen enclosures built by American Indians 2,000 years ago. They were places of ceremony connected to the cosmos by alignments to key risings and settings of the moon and sun. Join us as we learn about these sacred earthworks of the ancient Hopewell culture and gain a new appreciation of the achievements of Ohio’s Indigenous peoples—as well as a deeper connection to the world and our place in it.
Opening Session
9:00 AM – 10:00 AM CT (10:00 AM – 11:00 AM ET)
World Heritage Sites Collaboration
What does it take to become a UNESCO World Heritage site? A collaboration unlike any other! To kick off The Way Forward, we’ll host a conversation with key members of the collaborative multi-partner team that worked for 20 years to achieve World Heritage status for 8 of Ohio’s Hopewell Earthworks sites. We’ll find out why the Ohio History Connection, National Park Service, Tribal partners, and local community members came together to make this idea a reality and how it feeds into bigger goals for the future. We learn about how the project began – the relationship-building that occurred that was essential for success – and unpack the collaborative process. What steps did the team take to build trust, bring all of the right voices to the table, and stay connected along the way? What challenges did they encounter, and how did they overcome those roadblocks? Have there been ripples of this project into other areas of their work?
Presenters:
- Chief Glenna Wallace, Eastern Shawnee Tribe of Oklahoma
- Logan York, Tribal Historic Preservation Officer, Miami Tribe of Oklahoma
- Chris Alford, Superintendent, Hopewell Culture National Historical Park
- Brad Lepper, Senior Archaeologist, World Heritage Program, Ohio History Connection
- Bill Kennedy, Site Manager for Fort Ancient Earthworks & Nature Preserve, Ohio History Connection
- Sarah Hinkelman, Site Manager for Newark Earthworks, Ohio History Connection
- Jennifer Aultman, Chief Historic Sites Officer, Ohio History Connection
Virtual Networking
10:30 AM – 11:30 AM CT (11:30 AM – 12:30 PM ET)
Shifting Landscapes, Paths Forward When Things Are Changing
Come as you are and connect with your peers across the region! In small groups, we’ll chat about changes on the horizon and the concerns and ideas we’ve had as we consider the way forward. Maybe the upcoming Presidential election and legislation has you worried or the demographics of your community are changing. Maybe you wonder how others are navigating changing funder priorities or what opportunities they’re discovering with the arrival of new industries. Bring your questions and your challenges, and let’s connect!
Concurrent Sessions
12:00 PM – 1:00 PM CT (1:00 PM – 2:00 PM ET)
Amplifying Indigenous Voices: A Case Study from the Haha Wakpadan / Bassett Creek Oral History Project
Collections Stewardship
Learn how to plan a successful oral history project in partnership with Indigenous communites and lead The Way Forward to going beyond land acknowledgement statements. Participants will explore a case study from Minnesota and receive a handout with resources, examples, and a template to sketch out their own project ideas.
Presenters: Crystal Boyd, Valley Community Presbyterian Church, and John Crippen, Hennepin History Museum
One Step Back, Two Steps Forward: Conversations on Museum Career Inclusion and Accessibility
Leadership & Operations
In this session members of a mid-size art museum in Ohio share challenges and progress made with efforts to develop and implement new programming and career opportunities inspired by community conversations centered on inclusivity and our strategic plan. Three exploratory studies will be examined, setting the stage for audience discussion.
Presenters: Dr. Shannon Peck-Bartle, Dayton Art Institute; Bryan Smith, Dayton Art Institute; and Jamaal Durr, Dayton Art Institute
Virtual Networking
1:30 PM – 2:30 PM CT (2:30 PM – 3:30 PM ET)
Close Encounters of the Visitor Kind
Take a break from your busy day for some laughs! During this lighthearted story swap hour, we’ll share the surprising conversations we’ve had with visitors, hilarious or heartwarming comments we’ve overheard at the museum, wild tasks we’ve been asked to do (aka “all other duties as assigned”), and unique offers or requests we’ve been asked to consider. This roundtable is sure to bring a smile to your face!
Concurrent Sessions
3:00 PM – 4:00 PM CT (4:00 PM – 5:00 PM ET)
NASA STEAM Kits – A Novel Revenue Stream though Partnerships with Governmental Agencies: A Way Forward from COVID-19
Education & Programs / Fundraising & Revenue
COSI and NASA present an inside look at the Learning Lunchbox STEAM kit program with a case study on the Space-themed kits developed and distributed in partnership with NASA. Attendees will gain insight on pursuing programs that cut across museum professions and show outcomes of programs centered on partnerships.
Presenters: Dr. Elizabeth Marchio, Center of Science and Industry (COSI); Dr. Gary Timko, Center for Research and Evaluation (CRE) at the Center of Science and Industry (COSI); Meredith Kotter, Center of Science and Industry (COSI)
Championing the Less Visible: Fundraising for Collections Care
Fundraising & Revenue
Through a moderated conversation about the Ohio History Connection’s new Collections Care Center, panelists will share the various ways the organization attempted to build relationships with state officials, leverage existing resources and partnerships, and develop new avenues of funding to build a state-of-the-art collections facility.
Presenters: Becky Odom, Ohio History Connection; Megan Wood, Ohio History Connection; Ann Ruege, Ohio History Connection; Todd Topper, Minnesota Historical Society
Afternoon Virtual Tour
4:30 PM – 5:00 PM CT (5:30 PM – 6:00 PM ET)
Virtual Tour: To Be Announced!
Sponsored by JW Croft Consulting Group
Thursday, July 25
** Bonus Live Session! **
9:00 AM – 10:00 AM CT (10:00 AM – 11:00 AM ET)
Creating Safe Spaces: Preventing & De-escalating Conflict with Staff and Visitors
Museums 101
Are you concerned about conflict within your institution? Would you like to prepare your staff with strategies and training to de-escalate these situations? Join Eric Dougal and HUB International to learn to minimize the risk of aggression, de-escalate conflicts, and protect your staff and patrons in these challenging new times.
Presenters: Eric Dougal, HUB International, and Jim Chisholm, Senior Risk Consultant, Organizational Resilience I Risk Services at HUB International
Pre-recorded Sessions
A handful of additional sessions will be made available as recordings for access on-demand, when it is convenient for you.
Connecting with University Students and Academic Programs
Leadership & Operations
Wondering how your museum can develop relationships with university students and academic programs that result in much-needed assistance and an influx of new ideas while also providing experience to the next generation of museum professionals? In this presentation, you will learn best practices for connecting with universities and managing interns.
Presenter: Prof. Megan Pellegrino, Walsh University/Hoover Historical Center
Improving Access and Inclusion at Cultural Institutions
Leadership & Operations
Join Dr. De’Andrea Matthews, National Diversity Council Certified Diversity Professional (NDCCDP), for Improving Access and Inclusion at Cultural Institutions, where she will provide relevant examples and resources on how museums can become more welcoming and inclusive for all.
Presenter: De’Andrea Matthews, Detroit Zoological Society
Improving Collections Care with CAP
Collections Stewardship
Looking to improve your museum’s collections care but don’t know where to begin? The Collections Assessment for Preservation (CAP) program can help you identify your most critical needs. Learn more and hear from past participants how turning to outside consultants might benefit your museum.
Presenters: Tiffani Emig, Foundation for Advancement in Conservation; Stephanie Petcavage, Akron Art Museum; and Tammi Shrum, Historic Zoar Village
Do You Live Here? Historic Building Interpretation for Elementary School Students
Fundraising & Revenue
This session focuses on elements of the creation and implementation of field trip programing for historic sites with special emphasis on interpreting historic buildings for students. Session participants can expect to learn about incorporating experiential learning, training staff to give engaging tours that meet state education standards, and scheduling strategies.
Presenters: Sammy Nelson, Ramsey County Historical Society/Gibbs Farm, and Janie Bender, Ramsey County Historical Society/Gibbs Farm
Move Your Museum Forward Through NEH: Funding Opportunities in the Divisions of Preservation and Access and Public Programs
Education & Programs
Interested in funding to preserve and make accessible your institution’s humanities collections, conduct evaluation, or engage your audiences with new exhibitions and programming? Attend this session about grants in NEH’s Divisions of Preservation and Access and Public Programs, highlighting new programs and refreshing your knowledge on existing ones.
Presenters: Jill Austin, National Endowment for the Humanities, and Jacquelyn Clements, National Endowment for the Humanities