News
From the Mid-Atlantic Association of Museums:
The Mid-Atlantic Association of Museums announced a new benefit for its members. Members now have access to an on-demand service, “Cornerstone Calls: MAAM On Demand.” Billed as “highly-focused, timely, and cost effective,” the one hour topical forums focus on key issues facing museums and museum professionals. The sessions are conducted over the telephone and operate in a conference panel format with interaction between panelists and participants. ”Cornerstone Calls” are offered free to existing MAAM members, but require an RSVP in advance.
There are two upcoming “Cornerstone Calls,” What’s Your Strategy?: The NEW ‘How To’s’ of Social Media on Thursday, May 10th at 3:00 p.m. and What Employers Want: Selling Yourself in a Tough Job Market on Wednesday, June 6th at 3:00 p.m. More information on the panelists and registration below:
What’s Your Strategy?
The NEW “How To’s” of Social Media
Thursday, May 10th @ 3:00 PM
Panelists: Sarah Sulick (PublicRelations & Social Media Manager, Smithsonian Institution) and Sarah Banks(Audience Engagement Specialist, Smithsonian Institution). This session will include a general overview of three major platforms (Facebook, Twitter and blogs) and insight into new upstart Pinterest. Included will be examples of how the National Museum of Natural History has been successful developing a social media campaign. Links to the Smithsonian’s social media policies and best practice documents will be provided to participants. This session will be conducted over the telephone and is free for existing MAAM members. To register please contact Jennifer Bank at admin@midatlanticmuseums.org
What Employers Want
Selling Yourself in a Tough Job Market
Wednesday, June 6th @ 3:00 PM
Panelists: Nancy Schnitzerling (Director of Human Resources, Liberty Science Center), Michael Gibbons (Executive Director, Babe Ruth Birthplace Foundation, Inc.), Brenda Reigle (Western Division Chief, Pennsylvania Historical & Museum Commission ), Barbara Bartlett (Director, Lorenzo State Historic Site), Heather Stivison (Executive Director, Stickley Museum).
The job market for aspiring museum professionals is tougher than ever. This one hour forum will offer insight into what current museum executives and HR managers are looking for in new applicants. This session will be conducted over the telephone and is free for existing MAAM members. To register please
contact Jennifer Bank at admin@midatlanticmuseums.org
The Woodlands Historic Mansion, Cemetery and Landscape in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
On March 23, 2012, public history and museum studies graduate students, along with emerging professionals in these fields, participated in the second annual Public History Community Forum. Held at the Woodlands Historic Mansion, Cemetery and Landscape in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, PubComm12 featured a number of behind-the-scenes tours, a panel of professional public historians, and lively discussion.
Far left: Jim Mundy, Board President for the Woodlands Cemetery Company
Jim Mundy, Board President for the Woodlands Cemetery Company and Director of the Library and Historical Collections at The Union League, provided a brief history of the site, including its transformation from an expansive private estate and innovative garden to its current status as a National Historic Landmark and active cemetery. PubComm12 attendees broke off into four tours led by staff members; a house tour, a cemetery tour, a landscape tour, and a special “director’s tour” with Executive Director of The Woodlands, Jessica Baumert.
From Left: Robert Lukens, Sarah Rutman, Jessica Baumert, John Petit, Charles Hardy III, Ross Brakman, Sarah Hagarty
After the group reconvened, the panel discussion “Paths to Success” began. Seven professionals from the Mid-Atlantic region offered advice based on their experiences as students and emerging professionals; Jessica Baumert, Executive Director of the Woodlands; John Pettit, Assistant Archivist at the Urban Archives at Temple University; Ross Brakman, Field Study Coordinator for the American Institute for History Education; Sarah Hagarty, Coordinator of Educational Resources and Initiatives at the New Jersey Vietnam Veterans Memorial Foundation; Robert Lukens, President of the Chester County Historical Society; Sarah Rutman, Assistant Registrar and Conservator at the New Jersey State Museum; and Charles Hardy, III, History Professor at West Chester University, Oral and Public History Documentarian, Historical Consultant, and Supervising Historian for ExplorePAHistory.com. An eighth panelist, Lyndsey Brown-Frigm, Executive Director of the Jacobsburg Historical Society was unable to attend.
Approximately 40 students and professionals attended this year's event
The panel was followed by a question and answer period, during which the approximately forty attendees asked the panelists and each other about coursework, internships, and career goals. As the discussion continued, the importance of networks and willing sacrifice emerged, as did the sense that it pays to keep our eyes open, as opportunities may present themselves outside institutions or the academy.
Ideas for next year’s Public History Community Forum are already coming in. Suggestions include hands-on workshops for resume or grant writing, “speed mentoring,” and a ThatCamp inspired “wild card” session that attendees vote on the day of the event.
Part of PubComm’s goals is fostering a public history community and providing opportunities for graduate students and emerging professionals in the region. As such, PubComm12 was organized by a committee comprised of graduate students and recent graduates from La Salle University, Temple University, and Rutgers-Camden.
PubComm12 was made possible by the support of the Mid-Atlantic Regional Center for the Humanities at Rutgers-Camden, and the guidance of Dr. Charlene Mires and Dr. Robert Kodosky.
Photo Credits: Adam Clements and Molly Dixon
2012 marks the 200th anniversary of the War of 1812. In honor of this event, we offer a list of War of 1812 events, exhibits, and news items. This list is by no means complete, but will hopefully offer a number of entry points into the bicentennial celebrations.
Maryland
Running now until April 13, 2012 is the War of 1812 Portrait Exhibit at the Maryland House of Delegates in Annapolis, Maryland. The exhibit features portraits rendered by Ann Monro Wood.
The Maryland Historical Society’s ongoing exhibit, With Broad Stripes and Bright Stars includes the original manuscript of the Star Spangled Banner, which has been incorporated into a new exhibit on Baltimore’s role in the War of 1812. Another exhibit, In Full Glory Reflected: Maryland During the War of 1812, opens June 10, 2012.
On April 15th, the Maryland Historical Society presents Silver & Gold for War of 1812 Officers, an installment of the Francis Scott Key Lecture Series (PDF). Ann Wagner, Associate Curator of Decorative Arts at Winterthur Museum will speak at 6:00 p.m at the Society.
Other upcoming speakers in the Francis Scott Key series include, Edward C. Papenfuse, Ph.D., Maryland State Archivist and Commissioner of Land Patents at the Maryland State Archives, and Carol Stoltis, Project Associate Curator, Center for American Art, Philadelphia Museum of Art. Dr. Papenfuse, Ph.D., will present his lecture Mapping Baltimore During the Era of the War of 1812 begins at 6:00 p.m. on October 4, 2012. Stoltis’ lecture, A Pacifist and the Defenders: Rembrandt Peale and His Portraits of Baltimore’s Heroes of the War of 1812, will be held November 1A, at 6:00 p.m.
From June 13-19, 2012, Baltimore will host The Star-Spangled Sailabration. An international parade of ships will sail into the Inner Harbor to launch the U.S. Bicentennial commemoration of the War of 1812. The ships will start passing by Fort McHenry on June 12.
Currently on view at Philadelphia’s Independence Seaport Museum is Home of the Brave: The War of 1812 in Art, Story & Song. The exhibit runs through December 31, 2012:
Comprised of objects from the collection of Independence Seaport Museum, as well as loans from the Dietrich American Foundation and other private collectors, the exhibition explores the naval aspect of the War of 1812 through the lenses of art, material and popular culture, as well as first-hand accounts of participants and on-lookers.
New York Humanities Council Events:
On April 14, 2012, at 2:00 p.m. Tom Shanahan will present a lecture, 1812: Uncle Sam’s First War at the New York State Library in Albany, New York.
Raya Lee offers a lecture, War of 1812: Fury, Frenzy and Honor at the Wood Library in Canadaigua, New York on April 18, 2012 at 6:30 p.m.
On April 19th, Dave Ruch offers a lecture/concert entitled The War of 1812: Songs and Stories from New York and Beyond. The event will be held at the Sardinia Meeting House in Sardinia, New York, starting at 7:00 p.m.
On April 23rd, at 6:00 p.m., Alfred Ronzoni will present From Battleground to Empire State: New York and the War of 1812 at York College, the City University of New York.
Robert W. Arnold III will present 1812: New York’s War, New York’s Impetus on April 25 at 7:00 p.m. at Herkimer County Community College.
From July 20, 2012 – July 21, 2012, the Sackets Harbor Battlefield State Historic Site will host President Monroe Looks Back on the War of 1812. First-person interpreter Dennis Bigelow will portray Mr. Monroe in this unique event. http://www.nyhumanities.org/events/event.php?event_id=5066
Please note that a number of the New York Humanities Council events will be held in multiple locations in the next six months. Please see their events calendar for details.
From June 15, 2012 – January 27, 2013, the Smithsonian will host 1812: A Nation Emerges in the Portrait Gallery:
This exhibition tells the story of the war that one historian called, “the second American Revolution.” Through portraits and objects, it explores key people who influenced the turn of events, including President James Madison and Dolley Madison, General Andrew Jackson, Henry Clay, John C. Calhoun, and the powerful Indian leader Tecumseh. The exhibition also follows the stories of soldiers, slaves, financiers, industrialists, artists, architects, Native Americans, and women. The victory at New Orleans became a national holiday and added to a growing sense of American nationalism. The epic battles and the aftermath known as “the era of good feelings” are central elements of this story, linked by the biographies of the extraordinary and colorful leaders whose lives shaped its direction.
The New York Humanities Council is accepting War of 1812 Mini Grants from now until September 20, 2012. Grants of up to $3,000 are available to present humanities-based public programs exploring the legacy of the War of 1812 in New York State. Eligibility requirements and application procedures are available online.
Last summer, an archaeological dig at the Plattsburgh Air Force Base uncovered military artifacts which indicated that the site was a winter encampment for soldiers during the War of 1812. Uniform buttons bearing the number 15 were uncovered, indicating that the U.S. Army’s 15th Regiment had occupied the site. More excavations are planned at the site this summer.
The National Park Service at the National Heritage Area in Baltimore, Maryland has developed a War of 1812 traveling exhibit. The exhibit is free and available to museums, libraries, and historical sites.
On the web:
Maryland War of 1812 Bicentennial Commission
Maryland Humanities Council War of 1812 Bicentennial: For information on special events, organizations, and media and archives collections.
The Official War of 1812 Bicentennial: a binational site with an events calendar covering events in Canada and the United States.
From H-Pennsylvania:
The Philadelphia History Museum at the Atwater Kent has reopened with a new exhibition concept, a community history gallery featuring exhibitions designed and curated by neighborhood organizations about the work they do and the contributions they have made to the fabric of life in the city. One goal of this new exhibition gallery concept is to give Philadelphians an active voice in presenting the city’s history based upon historical, social, cultural, intellectual, or political concepts.
The Philadelphia Voices Gallery will present three compelling exhibitions each year that give voice to the ways that Philadelphia’s community and neighborhood based organizations address issues including hunger, violence, homelessness, discrimination, housing, education, immigration, health, environment, and work.
Details on eligibility and selection and information for successful applicants can be found here. The application (PDF) deadline for this cycle of exhibits is June 8, 2012.
Applicants are invited to attend one of three informational meetings prior to submitting their applications. In addition to answering questions about the application process, the meetings will allow applicants to discuss exhibition concepts and learn more about the Philadelphia HIstory Museum’s resources and facilities. The meetings will be held at the museum on April 20, April 21, and May 5, from 1:00-2:00pm. Those interested in attending the meeting should contact Cindy Little at cindy.little@philadelphiahistory.org or call 215.685.4836.
From PFMHO:
The Pennsylvania Federation of Museums and Historical Organizations announced its 2012 Achievement Awards. The recipients will be honored at the annual Special Achievement Awards luncheon on April 2nd, during the Pennsylvania Museums’ 2012 Statewide Conference. More details about each award and its recipient are available at PFMHO’s online newsletter.
The Mercer Museum, Institutional Advancement Award
The Philadelphia Museum of Art, Institution Award of Merit
Pennsylvania State Archives, Institutional Award of Merit
Jefferson County Historical Society, S.K. Stevens Memorial Award
Thornbury Historical Society, Honorable Mention
Vance Packard, President’s Award
From Maryland Institute of Technology in the Humanities:
On Tuesday, April 3, 12:30-1:45 pm, the Maryland Institute of Technology in the Humanities is hosting “Historical Interactive Visualization: Coaxing Data to Tell Stories,” as part of its Digital Dialogue series. The speaker, Bill Ferster, directs the VisualEyes Project at the University of Virginia. His talk will look at interactive visualization projects done using the visualization authoring tool, VisualEyes, developed at UVa.
VisualEyes enables scholars to present selected primary source materials and research findings while encouraging active inquiry and hands-on learning among general and targeted audiences. It communicates through the use of dynamic displays that organize and present meaningful information in both traditional and multimedia formats, such as audio-video, animation, charts, maps, data, and interactive timelines.
The talk will be held in the Human Computer Interaction Lab, 2117 Hornbake Library (South). It is free and open to the public. MITH archives podcasts of their events for those unable to attend. They also encourage you to access their Digital Dialogues Twitter account, @digdialog (#mithdd) as a means of following the conversation.
Bucks County Community College’s Historic Preservation program is hosting “Building a Preservation Community,” March 31st, from 8:30 am to noon in Tyler Hall on the Newtown Campus. The event features keynote speaker Scott Doyle, the division chief for the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission. His talk will preview Pennsylvania’s 2012-2017 statewide historic preservation plan. Breakout sessions follow the keynote, “Undiscovered Historic Places in Your Community,” and “Caring for Historic Properties,” and “Preservation in the Community.” These sessions will be led by professors from BCCC’s Historic Preservation program.
To reserve a place for “Building a Preservation Community,” contact program coordinator Patricia Fisher-Olsen at fisherol@bucks.edu or 215-968-8286. To learn more about Historic Preservation at Bucks, visit www.bucks.edu/hp.
(Information from Newtown Patch)
The Mid-Atlantic Regional Center for the Humanities (MARCH) at Rutgers-Camden is pleased to announce its continuing sponsorship of the second annual Public History Community Forum, PubComm12.
The event is to be held on March 23, 2012 at the Woodlands Historic Mansion, Cemetery, and Landscape in West Philadelphia. Registration will start at 12:30PM and the meeting is expected to last until 5PM. There is no registration fee. This free conference is geared toward current public history graduate students from around the Philadelphia region. Students are encouraged to attend to listen to professionals from across the public history community discuss their own career paths. Speakers will explain how they came into the field and their current employment, as well as the most important steps they took to achieve success.
The event is free, but pre-registration is necessary. Current graduate students and emerging professionals in public history and museum studies are strongly encouraged to attend, as are interested undergraduate students. Established professionals interested in sharing their wisdom are always welcome. To register, visit PubComm12′s Eventbrite page. For further information, Sara Borden at sara.a.borden@gmail.com.
From H-Net New Jersey:
Crossroads Announces New Leadership
The Crossroads of the American Revolution Association is pleased to announce that Noreen Bodman has joined the organization as executive director. “Noreen’s experience with our historic organizations, cultural resources and elected officials is critical as we implement our new management plan to promote greater awareness, enjoyment and preservation of New Jersey’s Revolutionary legacy,” said Kevin Tremble, president of the Association, which was designated by Congress to manage the Crossroads of the American Revolution National Heritage Area. “Her track record of development and collaborative partnerships will enable us to tell the story of New Jersey’s crucial role to our nation.”
Ms. Bodman, former state tourism director, has long been involved with preservation and conservation issues through her work in hospitality, tourism and with the Jersey Shore Partnership. Her tenure in Atlantic City included branding, marketing, partnership programs and community outreach. She has been involved in strategic planning and fundraising in the public and private sectors, including higher education and non-profits.
Ms. Bodman’s appointment was the result of a national search launched after the retirement of Cate Litvack, who led the organization for more than six years. “Cate was instrumental in launching the National Heritage Area and developing its new management plan. I look forward to building upon that solid foundation by engaging our partners, our citizens and our visitors in celebrating and taking pride in the history that has made New Jersey a great place to live, to work, to learn and to visit” said Noreen Bodman.
“The National Park Service welcomes Noreen to the National Heritage Area team. We look forward to working with her in our continued partnership to tell the Crossroads of the American Revolution story, which is as important today as it was at the founding of our nation,” said Jill Hawk, superintendent of the Morristown and Thomas Edison National Historical Parks.
The Mid-Atlantic Association of Museums is hosting a workshop entitled, How to Create, Run and Sustain an Effective Internship Program on March 30th, from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm at the Chemical Heritage Foundation in Philadelphia (315 Chestnut St). Registration ($40/members, $50/non-members) is now open, but closes on March 20th. Download the PDF file here. Speakers include Petra T. Chu, Pauline Eversmann, Jacqueline R. Emerick, Katie Friedland, Rachel Kassman, and Jobi Zink.
From midatlanticmuseums.org:
Interns are an integral part of how museums fulfill their mission and having an internship is a “must” for most students in order to move forward with their career goals. Seems pretty straightforward, right? Think again! There are a lot of expectations involved in the partnership between an intern and an institution.
How do you know if they are a good fit? How do you design a project that will give you and the intern the most value for your time? What do they do? What are you required to do? Do you pay or not pay; stipend or wage? How do you get more?
This workshop is divided into two sessions. During the morning session, three of the largest museum studies programs will explain what they are looking for in an internship opportunity for their students. They will also share what sorts of things are not acceptable as an internship (hint: museum internships shouldn’t be shown on Dirty Jobs.) The afternoon session will be an introduction to two successful internship programs that can work at any museum. The presenters will share ideas, handouts, stories, suggestions and give advice on what sorts of things have worked in their programs. There will be time for questions and discussion to follow each session.
