8 a.m.–5 p.m.

Registration Desk Open

10 a.m.–6 p.m.

Exhibit Hall

8:45 a.m.–10 a.m.

A/R/E/ED/ C/T

Getting on Board: The MELT Roundtable

Whether you’ve been in the field for 2 months or 20 years, we all need to brush up on the basics of looking for the perfect job and landing that first interview. This roundtable session is a great opportunity to ask questions and swap ideas with folks who know what they’re doing. Topics will include resume writing for both entry-level and mid-career professionals, how to write an effective cover letter, where to look for job postings, personal branding, and building an impressive portfolio.

Submitted and chaired by: Joy Summar-Smith, Director of Interpretation, Dr Pepper Museum, Waco

Planned by: Erin McClelland, Interpretive Planner, Texas Parks & Wildlife Department, Austin

Presenters:

• Pony Allen, Owner, Pony Allen Studios, Austin
• Brian Bray, Historic Sites Manager, City of Nacogdoches, Nacogdoches
• Kathy Goodale, Human Resources Manager, Amon Carter Museum, Fort Worth
• Kathy Shannon, Executive Director, The Petroleum Museum, Midland

8:45 a.m.–10 a.m.

A/R/E/ED/ C/T

Inspired Speech: Staying on Track with Polished Communication

Have you been, um, flustered in, um, a presentation because you had, um, an equipment glitch or hadn’t, um, practiced what you wanted to convey? ‘Ums,’ ‘ahs,’ and ‘sort ofs’ distract your listeners and prevent your message from being communicated effectively. Don’t let your brilliance be derailed by bad speaking habits! Groups like Toastmasters can help. Toastmaster Tom Ortiz will share tips for developing and delivering effective speeches, and curator Judy Linsley will explore ways to use these tips to communicate with a variety of museum audiences. Learn about key speech elements that will inspire your speaking to help you reach your goals.

Submitted and chaired by: Tracee W. Robertson, Director, University of North Texas Art Gallery, Denton

Planned by: Ryan Smith, Executive Director, Texas Energy Museum, Beaumont

Presenters:

• Thomas M. Ortiz, Ph.D., President, Silver Tongue Toastmasters Club, College Station
• Judith Linsely, Curator of Interpretation and Education, McFaddin-Ward House, Beaumont

8:45 a.m.–10 a.m.

E/C/ED

History Beneath the Waves: Nautical Archeology

The discovery and excavation of The Belle shipwreck along the Texas coast brought a wave of state and national attention to historical archaeology, and to the subsequent exhibition and interpretation of the thousands of artifacts connected with the ship. Through exploring case studies, participants will discover new opportunities in nautical archaeology, and how to bring these resources into exhibits and educational programs. (Encore presentation from Texas State Historical Association conference, 2009)

Planned and chaired by: Lisa Kalmus, Curator, Sam Houston Sanders Corps of Cadets Center, Texas A&M University, College Station

Presenters:

• Steven D. Hoyt, State Marine Archeologist, Archeology Division Texas Historical Commission, Austin
• Pam Wheat-Stranahan, Executive Director, Texas Archeological Society, San Antonio

8:45 a.m.–10 a.m.

ED

Field Trips 101: Programming in Education

Each museum is different yet each has many things in common. This 'like and dislike' principle applies to field trips that every museum chooses to host. Does your museum incorporate technology with history? Does your museum deal with abstract concepts by incorporating hands on activities? Do you use TEKS, pre- and pos- visit lessons, or incorporate cross curricular activities? Panelists will discuss their field trip “how-to” in the context of current trends and offer ideas that museum personnel can use.

Submitted, planned, and chaired by: Michael Sproat, Curator of Education, Sam Houston Memorial Museum, SHSU, Huntsville

Submitted by Sarah Hatcher, Education Curator/Museum Manager, North Texas History Center, McKinney

Presenters:

• Russ Kissick and Maggie Sprague,The Plano Conservancy for Historic Preservation, Inc., Co-Directors, located within the Interurban Railway Museum, Plano
• Anne McGaugh, Curator of Education, Star of the Republic Museum, Washington

8:45 a.m.–10 a.m.

A/E/C/T

Don’t Be Derailed! Collections Issues During Building Projects

How does one protect a museum’s collections when that institution is undergoing a renovation or building project? What collection management issues might arise during the planning phases and the actual construction, or even after the spaces are finished and open to the public? From construction dust and pest infestations to basic human error and ignorance, all are potential threats to museum objects during and after construction. During this session, panelists will discuss both the theoretical ideas behind and their first-hand experiences during their individual institution’s renovation or building project. Anyone working at a museum planning a major construction project should attend this session!

Submitted and chaired by: Leslie Meyer, Director of Archives and Collections, Permian Basin Petroleum Museum

Planned by: Ross Middleton, Director, American Quarter Horse Hall of Fame & Museum, Amarillo

Presenters:

• David Aylsworth, Collections Registrar, The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston
• Leishawn Spotted Bear, Assistant Curator of Science, Fort Worth Museum of Science and History, Fort Worth

10 a.m.–10:30 a.m.

Coffee Break

10:30 a.m.–11:45 a.m.

ED

New Voices in the Field

“New Voices in the Field” serves as a forum for students in graduate museum studies or public history programs to formally present papers on new research or projects.

Submitted and chaired by: Lynn Denton, Ph.D., Director, Public History Program, Department of History, Texas State University, San Marcos

Planned by: Guiniviere Webb, Education Program Developer, Family & Youth Programs, The Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum, Austin

10:30 a.m.–11:45 a.m.

E/C/ED

No Curator? No Problem!

Don’t let your staffing constraints derail your plans for an amazing new exhibit! This panel session explores how one institution adopted a team-based approach to get the job done. Integrating a variety of talents and disciplines leads to idea-driven exhibits, rather than artifact-driven ones. The approach also fosters a culture of creativity, injects new ideas and approaches to exhibit design, and divides the workload among team members. Panelists will share their experience with this team-based approach to exhibit design, comparing it to their other museum experiences and discussing the method’s pros and cons. They’ll also be on hand to answer the audience’s questions about this collaborative method.

Submitted and chaired by: Buster Ratliff, Operations Coordinator, Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum, Canyon

Planned by: Erin McClelland, Interpretive Planner, Texas Parks & Wildlife Department, Austin

Presenters (all from Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum, Canyon):

• Becky Livingston, Special Projects Coordinator
• Andrea Porter, Communications Coordinator
• Honnah Taylor, Assistant Communications Coordinator
• Millie Vanover, Education Coordinator

10:30 a.m.–11:45 a.m.

A/E/C/ ED/T

What Everyone Should Know About Early Texas Art

Almost all Texas art museums have demonstrated an interest in early Texas art and many Texas historical museums and libraries are discovering archives, records and works by early Texas artists. Why is the emphasis shifting? What should museums know about trends in this area? Panelists include a scholar, a person from the academic field, and a major collector of early Texas art. All have been deeply involved in the creation of the Center for the Advancement of Early Texas Art (CASETA), a non-profit organization which has sponsored original research, publications, symposiums and museum exhibitions throughout the state. This session provides an opportunity both to learn and to share information about this vital subject.

Submitted and planned by: Howard Taylor, Director, San Angelo Museum of Fine Arts, San Angelo

Chaired by: Francine Carraro, Ph.D., Executive Director, The Grace Museum, Abilene

Presenter:

• William Reaves. Owner, William Reaves Fine Art, Houston

10:30 a.m.–11:45 a.m.

A/E/C/ED

Quality Leadership vs. Leadership Qualities

As museum professionals, we are trained, formally or informally, how to do our jobs, but very few of us are trained how to be leaders. It is a fallacy that leaders are born. There are opportunities to demonstrate leadership at all levels of an organization, within any age group, and at any experience level. This session begins with an overview of leadership qualities and styles, next guides participants in identifying a personal leadership style, and finally how to develop that style to its fullest potential.

Submitted by: Joy Summar-Smith, Director of Interpretation, Dr Pepper Museum, Waco

Planned and chaired by: Lisa Kalmus, Curator, Sam Houston Sanders Corps of Cadets Center, Texas A&M University, College Station

Presenter:

• Richard Cummins. Ph.D., Director, Leadership Program, Texas A&M University, College Station

12 p.m.–1:30 p.m.

Opening Luncheon

Special Guests:

Ford Bell, President and CEO, American Association of Museums, Washington, D.C.

Ford W. Bell began as president of the American Association of Museums in June, 2007. A prominent educator, nonprofit executive and Minneapolis civic leader, he brings to AAM a record of scholarship, commitment to community engagement, proven leadership and a passion for museums as places of lifelong learning and inspiration. Bell has more than 30 years experience as a nonprofit executive, board chair, donor, trustee and educator. A candidate for the U.S. Senate in 2006, he previously was president and CEO of the Minneapolis Heart Institute Foundation, a prominent clinical cardiovascular research organization and a nationally recognized provider of community heart health education. Certified as a veterinary oncologist, Bell credits his many visits to the museum with fostering a lifelong love of nature and science.

Opening Keynote:
Making a Place for Community Engagement

Nina Simon, Principal, Museum 2.0, Santa Cruz, CA

Nina Simon is an independent museum exhibit designer with experience in participatory design, gaming, and social media. She is the principal of Museum 2.0, a design firm that works with museums worldwide using social technology to create dynamic, audience-driven exhibitions and programs. Recent clients include the Boston Children’s Museum, the Monterey Bay Aquarium, the Experience Music Project, and the Denver Art Museum. Nina is an adjunct professor of Social Technology at the University of Washington Museology program, and she runs the Museum 2.0 blog, which reaches 16,000 readers weekly and appears as a column in Museum magazine. Previously, Nina served as curator at The Tech Museum of Innovation in San Jose, CA, and was the Experience Development Specialist at the International Spy Museum in Washington, D.C.

This program was made possible in part with a grant from Humanities Texas, the state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Pre-registration is required. Cost is $28.

1:45 p.m.–3 p.m.

E/ED

The Multi-Platform Museum: Bridging Online/On Site Visitor Experiences

We all live in a multi-platform world, employing a diverse set of information sources and technologies to expand our knowledge and enrich our lives. Many museums are exploring opportunities to connect with visitors via informal web-based social services, but few are focusing on how these connections might lead to new pervasive relationships between the institution and the public. This talk will offer strategies for going beyond prescriptive pre- and post-visit online activities to envision your institution as a multi-platform museum. We will analyze which visitor experiences are most appropriate to different museum content platforms, and we will explore examples from across the museum field to illustrate mission-driven design techniques for developing, implementing, and evaluating multi-platform museum experiences. And we will do it all while focusing on the particular needs and constraints of small museums.

Submitted, planned, and chaired by: Erin McClelland, Interpretive Planner, Texas Parks & Wildlife Department, Austin

Presenter:

• Nina Simon, Principal, Museum 2.0, Santa Cruz, CA

1:45 p.m.–3 p.m.

ED

All Dressed Up with a Story to Tell: Making Living Interpretation Work

Good living interpretation takes talent, but also requires a clear understanding of your goals and what your visitors need and want out of your interpretation. This will explore what constitutes best interpretive practices for today’s museums, when or how to break character, first or third person interpretation, based upon a historic character or create a composite character, and, more importantly, how to incorporate interpretation at museums which otherwise would not. You will come away with an understanding of the way different styles of living interpretation work, and how to best utilize these at your institution.

Submitted by: Erin McClelland, Interpretive Planner, Texas Parks & Wildlife Department, Austin and Evelyn Montgomery, Curator of Exhibits and Collections, Dallas Heritage Village

Planned by: Michael Sproat, Curator of Education, Sam Houston Memorial Museum, Huntsville

Chaired by: Evelyn Montgomery, Curator of Exhibits and Collections, Dallas Heritage Village

Presenters:

• Cari Benton, Regional Interpretive Specialist, State Parks Region 7, TPWD, Kerrville
• Bryan McAuley, Superintendent, Levi Jordan Plantation SHS

1:45 p.m.–3 p.m.

C

“Connecting to Collections” Initiative: Outcomes and Findings

Three years ago a team of stellar Texas organizations embarked on an ambitious project to determine the variety and extent of collections care needs in our state. "Connecting to Collections" was funded by the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS). The multi-year effort was a pilot program to test the feasibility of conducting a statewide survey about collections care in hundreds of institutions--museums, libraries, and archives. Texas State Library and Archives Commission (TSLAC) took the lead with partners the Texas Historical Commission (THC), Texas Association of Museums (TAM), Texas Library Association (TLA), Amigos Library Services, and the Kilgarlin Center for Preservation of the Cultural Record at UT Austin’s School of Information. This session offers a review of the project’s outcomes and findings.

Presenter and chaired by: Danielle Cunniff Plumer, Project Co-Director and Coordinator, Texas Heritage Online, Texas State Library and Archives Commission, Austin

Presenters:

• Laura Casey, Project Co-Director and State Coordinator, Museum Services Program, History Programs Division, Texas Historical Commission, Austin
• Gina Minks, Manager, Amigos Imaging and Preservation Services, AMIGOS, Dallas

1:45 p.m.–3 p.m.

A/C/ED

Out of the Closet: A Community History Comes to Light

The mission of the Gulf Coast Archive and Museum of Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender History is to collect the unique history of this community. The mission, by its very nature, has shifted the paradigm from collecting “old families and great white men,” to a broader documentation of community and ideas in which gender and sexuality is the relational construct to the collections. This session will discuss the beginnings of the archive and museum, the challenges of running a Gay museum, methods for cultivating sponsorship, and provide an overview of the GLBT community in Texas in order to spark a dialogue about this underserved community.

Submitted and chaired by: Wallace Saage, Curator of Collections, The Heritage Society, Houston

Planned by: Nan Curtis, Director, MSC Forsyth Center Galleries, Bryan

Presenters:

• Jimmy Carper, Founder, Gulf Coast Archive and Museum, Houston
• Craig Farrell, Chair of Board, Gulf Coast Archive and Museum, Houston
• Judy Reeves, Treasurer/Curator, Gulf Coast Archive and Museum, Houston
• Jerry Rockwell, Volunteer, Gulf Coast Archive and Museum, Houston

3:15 p.m.–4 p.m.

A/T/C/ED/ E/R

General Session:
What About the Future of Museums? A Conversation with the Founding Director, Center for the Future of Museums, American Association of Museums

TAM looks to its national counterpart, American Association of Museums, to learn about issues facing the field, innovations in implementation of our craft, and opportunities to improve our cultural institutions. Recently AAM launched the Center for the Future of Museums to help museum professionals better anticipate the societal changes barreling towards us. This conversation with Elizabeth Merritt, Founding Director of the Center for the Future of Museums, will outline current thought and recent developments in futures trends.

Moderator: Howard Taylor, Director, San Angelo Museum of Fine Art and representative to the AAM Board of Directors

Presenter:

• Elizabeth Merritt, Founding Director, Center for the Future of Museums, AAM, Washington, D.C.

4:10 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Affinity Groups: Meeting Together for Important News from TAM

4:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.

Affinity Groups: Individual Meetings (7)

• Art Museums Affinity Group
• Collection Manager’s Committee
• Historic Site/House Affinity Group
• Multicultural Initiatives Committee
• Museum Emerging Leaders of Texas Meeting / Mixer
• TAM Educator’s Committee
• Trustees Group

5 p.m.–6 p.m.

Exhibit Hall Cocktail Party

Join TAM exhibitors for a cocktail party in the Exhibit Hall. This reception is open to all Annual Meeting delegates and includes complimentary hors d’oeuvres and one drink ticket.

5 p.m.–6 p.m.

CFAS Alumni Reception

Museum of Texas Tech University Center for Advanced Study of Museum Science and Heritage Management Reception (CFAS)

6 p.m.

Board Buses for Evening Event

6:30 p.m.–9:30 p.m.

Treasures of the Brazos Valley

All aboard for an evening journey exploring the treasures of the Brazos Valley! Sample food, drink, and entertainment at the Brazos Valley Museum of Natural History as you tour exhibits highlighting Ice Age mammals, spectacular dinosaur fossils, and Texas history. Journey to Mongolia with the special exhibit, Enduring Transformation: The Kazakh People in a Changing World, and experience beautiful photographs, cultural artifacts, textiles, traditional clothing, and a Mongolian Yurt.

Next stop: Downtown Bryan. Enjoy a smorgasbord of attractions as you venture through downtown Bryan, where an array of adventures awaits. Stop in Freedman’s Town at the Brazos Valley African American Museum for a unique cultural experience where exhibits chronicle the tragedies and triumphs of African American life. Refresh yourself with food and drink while strolling through the galleries to the sounds of rhythm and blues by local musicians. Come play at The Children’s Museum of the Brazos Valley and tap into your inner child. Join in the fun at this historic building for finger food, drinks, and an adult-themed craft. Free your spirit as you shop in the grocery exhibit, get creative and paint a Volkswagen Beetle, tap out a beat in the music room, or have fun with numerous other interactive exhibits. Discover the beauty and wonder in the art collections of the Forsyth Center Galleries as you partake in a selection of light desserts while enjoying the accompaniment of local musicians. Temporarily housed downtown during campus renovations, the Forsyth Center Galleries is home to a world-class collection of English Cameo glass, Tiffany and Steuben glass, and other important 19th- and 20th-century art glass, as well as a significant collection of American paintings.

Buses will depart the Hilton College Station starting at 6:15 p.m. and will return by 9:30 p.m.

Pre-registration is required. Participation is limited.

$28 fee includes receptions and transportation.

Off-site