I am currently working on an idea for a roundtable for the "Practice" track based. This would be a one-hour, facilitated discussion focusing on how museums utilize feedback while remaining true to both their mission and their collections. In developing new content, such as programs and exhibits, museums hear from many different audiences, ranging from the communities represented in their collections and visitors, to other employees, to their boards of directors. Content developers need to make thoughtful decisions about what feedback to accept and reject, based on organization mission, values, and the authenticity of the work.
For the first half of this roundtable, I hope that facilitators will be able to bring examples from their own museums that 1) showcase their conscious decisions either to accept or reject stakeholder feedback; and 2) demonstrate how that is reflected in the truthfulness of their work. For the second half of this one-hour session, I propose a facilitated discussion in which participants could bring examples of, or questions about, their own work. The goal would be to promote fruitful discussion about what museums require in evaluating these situations for the purpose of remaining authentic and accessible to their audiences.
I am hoping to see if any other members would be interested in participating in this panel. Please feel free to reach out to me at riverad@mbelibrary.org with any questions.
------------------------------
Dorothy Rivera
Manager, Research and Exhibits
Boston MA
------------------------------