1) I would like to challenge the group to consider that most museums face a reality that their audience is a smaller, more self-select group than the wider population. The future of all museums (including the Yager) is to cultivate the self-selected "likely" visitors--from the Canadian research paper, those people who go to performances, read, and go to movies. At Hartwick this translates to serious students who are not heavy partiers, and who are interested in exploring culture and learning informally. So, the challenge is--how to we reach/communicate/integrate student input into programs with STUDENTS LIKE YOU?
2) How can we attract more attention to the Yager Museum? For example, better signage outside, footprints as we described, signage on other parts of campus, brochures in key places (admissions and in new student packets), banners on the outside of the building, etc.etc.?
3) How do we project the Yager Museum's strengths to the College community in a fun, appealing, nonthreatening way? Strengths you all came up with included:
Access to museum collections for class and research; look at objects in new
ways; collections which easily correspond to other academic departments and
courses in the college; museum is too access (for students) and hallway outside
museum is heavily travelled; willingness to educate (student curated exhibits
and hands-on experience); and willingness to help students (offers internships,
work study, volunteer opportunities, and lots of ways to get involved).
4 comments:
1)to reach students, i think its easier of course to get students the right impression of the Yager when they first come in like having a movie there for HOPS or an event there during the freshman welcome weekend. I think public programs like what we are doing will help the 'friendly/open' image for the Yager for existing students. Repeated successes will instill better attitudes in people's minds.
2) to Advertise...def. the display cases reflecting student involvement and collections of the Yager. Also an article in Hilltops about our upcoming event/other events in the future would not be a bad idea.
3)I think when more people interact with the museum they will see what an asset it is. I think making people more comfortable while visiting...like the comfortable seating, docents who greet you/offer to answer questions would help this.
To Reach Student More nformation for transfer/first-year students and in the college literature. Reach out to other departments and find out what programs have worked/have not worked in attracting students. And, honestly, I think peer pressure/friendship is pretty powerful and important. Most students don't want to attend programs or other events by themselves.
Attract Attention The display cases outside of the museum should be used to advertise and draw attention to the Yager. That is such a great spot because so many people walk through there. More of a presence in the packets for first year students/transfers.
....A sign/banner at the college entrance and in front of the library would be helpful.
Projecting Stengths to Community Strengths can be advertised through the ways I mentioned above. I agree with Peggy that the museum's atmosphere should be made more comfortable (and less intimadating?) to visitors.
Not to butt in to your class process, but one thing I thought of while reading this thread is the idea of the museum offering more than just the memorization of some artifacts, but also as a place of meditation, of spiritual renewal, of stress relief, and creativity/inspiration. Maybe that message could find a home among the students, in direct ways using stories, of how their relationship to a museum has helped their lives, with real results that might lead to inspiration and connection.
Anyway, it is just a thought....
Ricardo
I love Peg's idea of incorporating something with the HOPS. most of the students who are HOPS are already enrolled in the college and will be coming here the semester after their visit. I think it would be great to somehow get them involved. So many of the programs they have to go to are in places like Dorm hall lounges and Laura's cafe, it would be great for them to do something in the museum for a change.
Advertising is definitely something I think the museum needs to work on. If i wasn't a Hartwick student or happen to pass the little brown sign on 88 I would never know the museum was here.
I think there is definite potential in working with SUCO students. if we interact with history courses, anthropology courses, etc by letting the departments and professors know what resources we have available here they may visit as a class or encourage their students to visit. I have a lot of friends at SUCO and most of them didn't even know we had a museum studies program let alone our own museum.
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