The Discovery’s Post

What makes me truly sad is that the benefits of what we as heritage professionals in well funded and supported museums can really do for community, society, tourism in promoting our own regional histories/culture really doesn’t seem to be valued as much as it should be anymore - we have our part to play in that by remaining silent in the face of fighting our corner when pitched against elements such as heavily underfunded core services - who can blame us… Many sites/service gone or cut to the bone… We are one of the lowest paid highly skilled sectors - flexible, adaptable and skilled in what we do and yet we are always being asked to do more for less or seen as replaceable by volunteers. Don’t get me wrong there is absolutely room for and the need for volunteers but only with support and direction from paid skilled staff else who knows of the collections horrors that can occur…. Most of the behind the scenes work has long been off set in favour of keeping the doors open and the public facing element but they must go hand in hand with the collections team who busily work behind the scenes (but not out of public engagement) who are the keys that unlock the collection making it possible to get the best out of museum collections and the often priceless information they represent whilst making them safe and easy to use/find FOR ALL… Many have already left or been ejected from the sector and with that and the failure of succession planning has meant several steps backwards in knowledge and the cost and loss of that knowledge is yet to really have been measured… It seems today we say goodbye to the Winding House Caerphilly opened in my lifetime as an initiative to represent the history and people of Caerphilly. Here’s hoping it manages to get the community asset transfer and continues in some form rather than be lost forever…. A sign of the time… but a truly necessary one?

Thanks to Portland Monthly for the focusing one of its lead stories of the PoMo 20th Anniversary cover package on Reimagining Portland, a civic discussion and action group that Randy Miller and I started in early summer. This group was the result of our frustration with so much of the negative press the city has faced, and an even bigger frustration with a belief that these sorts of things can be solved by words alone. Right now we need real connection and engagement that leads to focused action, and a culture shift toward celebrating what is positive in our community instead of complaining about what is not. The good news is, this is happening--and not just with our group. (We just happened to get some nice press). There are so many people right now who are investing their time and resources, and some generational projects happening in our community. The year 2024 is critical for the city. With charter reform, a mayoral race, two open Multnomah County Commissioner seats, a new legislative session that starts in February, there is l lot of work to do. Our problems our not unique, but our solutions need to be better. I truly believe we will get where we need to be. https://lnkd.in/gTqRAdrb

https://lnkd.in/e2bNJt8V Seattle Washington is a terrific location to check out for lots of factors. Whether you are a nature fan or more into the important things that specify a civilization such as shopping center, museums, and one Starbucks, Seattle has a bit of whatever to use its visitors. Visitors might rather quickly discover that they have actually done and invested all that they must have rather early in their travel time if they aren't mindful. Listed below you will discover a couple of fantastic things to do on your journey that will not need robbing the kids's college fund in order to spend for. I'm all for paying great cash for great enjoyable, however if I can discover great enjoyable totally free, that suggests there's more cash left for things that would have otherwise been off limitations since of excessive expenses. Go ahead and prepare the supper train, you can make up the expense by consuming breakfast from a box 2 early mornings in a row or investing an afternoon in one of Seattle's lots of fantastic parks. If you 'd rather discover indoor activities that are totally free, here are a couple of ideas: 1) Frye Art Museum. Through January of 2007, the Frye Art Museum is host to a really distinct noise

The SAVE WHIM MUSEUM Advocacy Group is thrilled to announce that Estate Whim Museum (where I was proud to be their Executive Director for several years) has been chosen as one of America’s 11 Most Endangered Historic Places for 2024 by the National Trust for Historic Preservation The National Trust for Historic Preservation unveiled their 37th annual list of America’s 11 Most Endangered Historic Places, shining a light on some of the nation’s greatest cultural treasures and the threats facing them.   This year’s list exemplifies the National Trust’s continued commitment to telling the full American story, with a diverse array of sites both inside and outside the continental United States. These places mirror the complexities, challenges, and opportunities that have always been part of what it means to be American—and each have stories that are deserving of attention and care.    So far over 350 places have been listed over the life of the program, and only a handful have been lost. Estate Whim Museum, Frederiksted, St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands  Established during the colonization of St. Croix by Denmark, Estate Whim was a plantation producing cotton and sugar for export. The lives and legacies of those enslaved by plantation owners and those who continued to labor there for meager wages for a century after emancipation are inextricably tied to the site, which now hosts a museum, library and archives, and public programming. Repeated hurricanes have damaged many of Estate Whim Museum’s historic buildings and structures, and the site steward needs support and resources to move forward with repairs. https://lnkd.in/e-wKAFYG  

New York

Call for Proposals: Real Places Conference 2025! Are you passionate about preserving the real stories and places of Texas? The Real Places Conference 2025 is now accepting proposals through September 2! This premier historic preservation event is your chance to share your expertise and contribute to the preservation of Texas history. Real Places is the state's leading conference for historic preservation, bringing together professionals and volunteers from various fields. Attendees will have the opportunity to: - Network with industry-leading experts. - Learn practical, actionable solutions for community preservation. - Stay updated on the latest trends and actively contribute to their creation. We welcome proposals from: - Preservation, restoration, and museum professionals. - Government employees overseeing local preservation efforts. - Tourism and Main Street professionals. - Engaged citizens and volunteers involved in local historical societies. Session Formats: - Lightning Round/Individual: 15-minute presentation + 15 minutes for Q&A. - Traditional Panel: 90-minute session with 2-3 panelists. - Nuts & Bolts: 90-minute practical skill sessions with hands-on practice. - Round Table: 90-minute half-presentation, half-discussion format. - Guided Discussion/Working Group: 90-minute participant-driven discussions. - Workshop: 4-6 hour intensive, interactive sessions. - Academic/Research Poster Submission: Display your research in a high-traffic area. Need Help? If you have a topic idea but need assistance, email realplacesproposals@thc.texas.gov by July 31 for feedback and suggestions. Submit your proposal by September 2 and be a part of preserving Texas history at Real Places 2025: https://lnkd.in/gT4TYw_Y

In December 2023, I was invited by Courtney Christensen from Kansas City Public Library to give a keynote to open their 150th anniversary celebrations. In January I learned that ART IN THE LOOP FOUNDATION, the public art program for #KansasCity run by Downtown Council of Kansas City, had been so inspired by the talk that they had chosen #convivencia as the theme for their public art summer with KC STREETCAR AUTHORITY. This is the impact that I hoped to see from my research. In my latest newsletter, Ann Holliday and Edwing Mendez talk about how the capability of #coexistence transformed into more than 20 performances and installations. I find this story of Kansas City so inspiring. The big takeaways from it are: 1. There is no greater tool for communicating values than #publicart. 2. Public authorities have power and should use their power on how public spaces are used as a platform for the arts. 3. The biggest investments in the arts are not done by growing the cultural budget but incorporating the arts into public infrastructure. 4. Even when working on serious subjects, like downturn revitalization, do not forget play and wonder. Read the entire article here: https://lnkd.in/e6P3Y-wc

📢🚨DHR has launched a special grant program to prepare historic landmarks and history museums in Virginia for visitors in 2026, which will mark the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence! DHR will administer the $20,000,000 state funds for historic preservation projects across the Commonwealth. "The Virginia 250 Preservation Fund is critical to ensuring that Virginia is prepared to host millions of Americans for the semiquincentennial celebration of our glorious history. As home to Washington, Jefferson, Madison, Monroe, Patrick Henry and the Battle of Hampton to the Siege of Yorktown, Virginia was at the forefront of our history. Bolstering our historic sites and museums will not only encourage and aid tourism, it is our responsibility as stewards of American history,” Governor Glenn Youngkin said in a press release today. Read the rest of the announcement: https://lnkd.in/eNUi5e8j The preapplication for the Virginia 250 Preservation Fund program closes August 30. Projects need not be limited to properties related to the American Revolution to apply. DHR invites all historic sites or museums that meet the requirements to apply. History museums in non-historic buildings are also eligible for funding, but priority will be given to projects featuring properties listed in the Virginia Landmarks Register (VLR) and/or the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP), properties designated as a National Historic Landmark (NHL), or properties determined eligible for any such listing by the Department. For more information and updates regarding the program, or to fill out a preapplication, visit here: https://lnkd.in/eCJ5CyVK Image credit: Library of Congress. #stategovernment #historicpreservation #historicpreservationmatters #history #Virginia #Virginiahistory #VADHR #VA250 #America250 #america250va #americanrevolution #revolutionarywar

Check out my first article for Midstory on public history in the Great Lakes region!

Join us on March 28 at 5:00 p.m. for The Searchers: Wayfinding on the Water in the Pre-Modern Age with Connecticut River Museum. This talk is in anticipation of the Connecticut River Museum’s spring 2024 exhibition, "The Searchers: Wayfinding on the Water in the Pre-Modern Age." Museum Curator Amy Trout will give a preview of the new exhibit that recounts the risk-taking voyages of Connecticut Valley mariners over time. Crossing the seas evolved from being highly hazardous in the seventeenth century; to being quite routine by the mid-nineteenth century due, in great part, to improved methods of navigation. From Indigenous people to trans-Atlantic immigrants, there were dangers and challenges in transportation by water. Developing technology and improved navigation tools assisted in the safe and successful search for raw materials, for new markets, for trading partners, for new opportunities, and for some, freedom. Learn more by visiting our exhibition "Charting Your Course: Cutting Edge Navigation and Seafaring," on view through May 11. Register for the March 28 talk here: https://buff.ly/3V7xX4S.