Association of Manitoba Museums Conference & AGM 2018 Mennonite Heritage Village Steinbach MB September 20 - 22, 2018 Unrivaled Collections Management Software for Progressive Museums of all Sizes and Budgets Leverage Argus & ArgusEssentia to make your collection more visible, accessible and relevant than ever before! • Off-the-shelf yet adaptable • Full multimedia support • Mobile access for visitors and staff • Search Engine integration • Integrated Portal • Metrics and reporting • Crowdsourced curation (moderated) Whether you are a large, multi-site museum or a small museum focused on delivering big impact, our products enable you to overcome challenges to access, visibility and sharing. • You can publish your collection online • You can attract more visitors to your website • You can integrate your collection information with other systems and databases Today’s museum professionals successfully address challenges and embrace opportunities, with Argus & ArgusEssentia Call us at 604-278-6717, or visit www.lucidea.com/argus Thank you to: Our Donors Our Supporters Monique Brandt Buhler Gallery, St. Boniface Hospital, Winnipeg Sport, Culture and Heritage Sherry Dangerfield Fort Dauphin Museum, Dauphin Morris & District Centennial Museum, Morris New Iceland Heritage Museum, Gimili Leslie Poulin Peter Priess Royal Aviation Museum of Western Canada, Winnipeg Our Hosts Sam Waller Museum, The Pas Mennonite Heritage Village Museum Beryth Strong Our apologies to any supporters we may have missed Winnipegosis Historical Society, Winnipegosis when compiling these lists. Acknowledgment The Association of Manitoba Museums acknowledges that we are on Treaty 1 territory and the land on which we gather is the traditional territory of Anishinaabeg, Cree, Oji-Cree, Dakota, and Dene Peoples, and the homeland of the Métis Nation. Association of Manitoba Museums Graduates for 2018 Certificate Program in Museum Practice (CPMP) These CPMP Graduates have successfully completed seven out of eight workshops offered by AMM: Organizing and Managing Museums, Museums and the Community, Collections Management, Collections Care and Preventative Conservation, Exhibit Design, Museums and Education, The Museum Facility, Research: Policies, plans...action! Randy James, Winnipeg Police Museum, Winnipeg Peter Korzeniowski, Corrections Museum of Manitoba and Historical Society, Winnipeg Tammy Skrabek-Korzeniowski, Winnipeg Police Museum & Historical Society, Winnipeg 1 Association of Manitoba Museums Award Recipients for 2018 Awards of Excellence: Waldheim House Restoration, Mennonite Heritage Village, Steinbach Built in 1876, the Waldheim House was constructed from logs with a thatched roof. Over time the original 19th century building began to deteriorate. After receiving a government grant through the Canada 150 initiative, and donations matched by various organizations, the museum was able to seek out structural Waldheim west - before conservation experts from across the continent including master thatchers from Virginia. Because of its commitment to authenticity, MHV has gained unique and valuable knowledge about heritage building conservation. And MHV community engagement ensures the stories of the migrations of thousands of Mennonites to Manitoba are preserved and told to tens of thousands of guests annually. For its dedication to preserving and displaying Manitoba’s rich Waldheim west - after Mennonite heritage, the Mennonite Heritage Village receives the Award of Excellence. Nonsuch Gallery Renovation and Rejuvenation, The Manitoba Museum, Winnipeg After returning from the North territory in 1668, loaded down with furs and other trade goods from the Hudson Bay Company, the fully replicated Nonsuch is docked in the recreated port of Deptford, England. This uniquely immersive Gallery experience transports the visitor back to the height of the HBC using storytelling, artifacts and archival documents that delight visitors with the sights and sounds of a 17th century harbour. It is a wonderful and historically profound rejuvenation of a Manitoba classic The renewed exhibit was a collaboration Nonsuch Gallery of the Manitoba Museum and countless community partners including the HBC, the Cree of James Bay, and many local businesses and individuals. Nonsuch Exhibit For its role in preserving and educating the public about this critical period in Canadian history, The Manitoba Museum receives the Award of Excellence. 2 Association of Manitoba Museums Award Recipients for 2018 Canadian Experience in the First World War Exhibit Series, The RCA Museum, Shilo The Royal Canadian Artillery Museum exhibits were well researched and organized to tell the tales of Canadians in the trenches or on the battlefields. Visitors are taken on an emotional journey back to various stages of the war through letters, poems, medals, uniforms, artillery, and archival footage. These exhibits are a testament to the museum’s dedication in presenting the complexities of The Great War and to highlighting the global developments propelled into reality under the impetus of the war. Canadian Experience in the First World War Ehxibit For its tremendous work in eloquently and thoroughly presenting such an impactful event, The RCA receives the Award of Excellence. Awards of Merit: Volunteers, Manitoba Electrical Museum & Education Centre (MEMEC), Winnipeg After receiving word from Manitoba Hydro that the museum was no longer a part of their business plan, the already dedicated volunteers took on the role of museum leaders. Educating themselves in various areas of museum work the volunteers have: developed a new Collections Management Policy, developed and implemented new public programming, and increased the hours the museum is open. In so doing they have improved the MEMEC presence to both the public and the museum community. Early Manitoba Power Commission truck For their commitment and their continued effort to improve the museum’s presence to both the public and the museum community, the volunteers of the MEMEC receive the Award for Merit. Gordon Docking, Miami Railway Station Museum, Miami A board member since 1995, and now a co-chair along with his wife, Gordon Docking has pursued excellence for the Miami Railway Museum. He has sought expertise on what needs to be done and how best to do it, and then ensured the highest standards of implementation. He has taken AMM courses to improve his knowledge of museum best practices, using the skills gained to develop new public programming, such as the Living Museum Day, and to oversee structural improvements while maintaining historical integrity. Finally, Gordon has played an integral role in obtaining government grants to hire summer students to help run the museum. For his leadership and tireless efforts in preserving and displaying Manitoba’s railway heritage, Gordon Docking receives the Award of Merit. Gordon Docking 3 2018 Conference Program Thursday, September 20 7:00 – 9:00 Opening Reception, Steinbach Cultural Arts Centre Friday, September 21 - Mennonite Heritage Village Morning Sessions 08:30 – 09:00 Registration 09:00 – 09:15 Greetings from Mr. Ted Falk, Member of Parliament for Provencher 09:15 – 10:00 Heather Bidzinski, Canadian Museum for Human Rights (CMHR) In a Good Way: Re-envisioning Collections at a National Museum: How do you develop collections and exhibitions in a museum based on ideas? Exploring the challenges and opportunities presented by being part of the creation and opening of a national museum from concept to reality and through the use of storytelling and key artefacts, this presentation touches on the use of oral history, digital technology, and the opportunities to forge positive relationships with source communities. 10:00 – 10:30 Dr. Stephen Borys, CEO, Winnipeg Art Gallery (WAG) Bridging a Gap: Creating an Inuit Art Centre in Canada’s South: The Winnipeg Art Gallery houses the world’s largest collection of contemporary Inuit art. To celebrate the art and to honour the people who have created these works, the WAG is building an Inuit Art Centre, the first of its kind in the world. 10:30 – 11:00 Break 11:00 – 11:30 Rhonda Hinther, Brandon University The Brandon University and Assiniboine College Public History Program: This month is the official launch of the Public History Program at Brandon University and Assiniboine Community College (although courses have been taught for the past two years). This presentation reviews projects already done, being worked on now, and being planned. And, outlines how the Manitoba Museum community can get involved and benefit from students’ work. 11:30 – 12:00 Dr. Naomi Berger, City of Winnipeg Police Services What Happens When You Take a Psychologist to a Museum? A Behavioral Health Perspective on Exhibiting Difficult Knowledge: What psychological impact can exposure to difficult knowledge have on museum visitors? When is there the potential for trauma-based reactions? What is “difficult knowledge” in a museum context? What strategies should museum staff and volunteers consider in exhibiting difficult knowledge? 12:00 – 1:00 Lunch Afternoon Sessions 01:00 – 01:30 Andrea Reichert, Manitoba Crafts Museum & Library | Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame & Museum, Julianna Roberts, New Iceland Heritage Museum, Sandra Chewka, Royal Aviation Museum of Western Canada Panel: Planning for Collections Management Databases: Managing collections information is a challenge. This panel reviews software solutions being explored by the New Iceland Heritage Museum, the Royal Aviation Museum of Western