Mutual Concerns of Air and Space Museums Seminar - Past Agendas

	SATURDAY, MARCH 25
	Registration and Reception at the Holiday Inn Capitol Hotel

	2:00 - 7:30 p.m.	Registration

	5:00 - 6:00 p.m.	Opening Reception/Networking (light hors d'oeuvres)

	6:00 - 7:30 p.m.	Welcome - Claudia Oakes, Chief Operating Officer, Cradle of Aviation Museum and Mutual Concerns 2006 Program Committee Chair News from the Field Your opportunity to give a three-minute update on what's going on at your museum. If you would like to give an update, please email nasmmutualconcerns@si.edu by March 10, 2006 with your name and museum, and the topic you'll be discussing.

	SUNDAY, MARCH 26
	Registration & sessions at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center (UHC) Please note: complimentary shuttle will be provided at the beginning and end of day between Holiday Inn Capitol and UHC.

	8:15 a.m.	Buses depart Holiday Inn Capitol for UHC Continental box breakfast provided for bus trip

	9:15 - 10:15 a.m.	Opening Plenary Session: *Welcome* - Ted Maxwell, Associate Director, Smithsonian Institution's National Air and Space Museum *Update on the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center (UHC)* Speakers: - Gen. John R. "Jack" Dailey, Director, Smithsonian Institution's National Air and Space Museum - Al Bachmeier, Museum Specialist, Smithsonian Institution's National Air and Space Museum *Briefing on the New International Aviation Heritage Organization* Speaker: - Frank Lennon, President, USS Saratoga Museum Foundation, Inc.

	10:15 - 10:30 a.m.	Break

	10:30 a.m. - 12:15 p.m.	Guided Tours of the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center

	10:30 - 11:45 a.m.	The Book Making Process -- In Plane View Speakers: - Dik Daso, Curator, Modern Military Aircraft, Smithsonian Institution's National Air and Space Museum - Carolyn Russo, Photographer, Smithsonian Institution's National Air and Space Museum Chair: - Trish Graboske, Publications Officer, Smithsonian Institution's National Air and Space Museum This session will provide a look at two approaches to book publishing at a museum. One speaker will present first-hand experiences on the rewards and tribulations of the book-making process as an independent project. Topics discussed will include elements of a successful book proposal, approaching book publishers, and post-publication marketing techniques -- from exhibitions to the web. The second speaker will focus on the process of producing an exhibit companion book in a collaborative effort with museum staff, and will discuss strategies for using photos, text, and content already created and approved in the museum chain of command. Tips for coordinating various museum staff to speed the process will also be shared. Examples of NASM books will be provided to give participants ideas for publications based on their own collections.\

	12:15 - 1:15 p.m.	Lunch provided

	1:15 - 2:30 p.m.	Concurrent Sessions: The Challenges and Opportunities in the Public - Private Partnership Process of Building an Aviation Interpretive Center Speakers: - Peter W. Bro, Director of Facilities, The Museum of Flight - Dale L. Smith, Community Investment Manager, The Boeing Company - David Waggoner, Airport Director. Snohomish County Airport Chair: - Barry Smith, Executive Director, Future of Flight In 2001, Snohomish County, the Boeing Company, and initially the Museum of Flight set out to transform a county airport into a new aviation center in conjunction with the popular Boeing widebody factory tour. The capital and operating models were to reflect a collaborative public/private engagement. During the planning and building process, many unexpected challenges materialized, yielding reams of legal opinions and revisions. Vastly different decision-making styles emerged, with contrasting risk sensitivities and communication practices. Tough questions arose: Who's in charge? Who speaks to the media? Who controls the cash flow, pre- and post-opening? The resulting facility has been spectacular, but some questions--and cautions--remain. --- OR --- From Collector to Cabinet: The True Museum Experience Speakers: - Carl J. Bobrow, Museum Specialist, Smithsonian Institution's National Air and Space Museum - Hanna Szczepanowska, Conservator, Smithsonian Institution's National Air and Space Museum - Anthony Wallace, Museum Program Technician, Smithsonian Institution's National Air and Space Museum Chair: - Dominick Pisano, Curator, Aeronautics Division, Smithsonian Institution's National Air and Space Museum NASM staff involved in processing, cataloging, treating, storing, and displaying the Stanley King collection of Lindbergh memorabilia will discuss techniques used to manage this large collection, which is scheduled for future installation in a large "storefront" case at the Udvar-Hazy Center. The collection contains over 500 artifacts ranging from pins and ribbons to a dress and perfume. Of particular interest during the presentation will be the perspectives of the intern as well as the conservator.

	2:30 - 2:45 p.m.	Break

	2:45 - 4:00 p.m.	Concurrent Sessions: Creating and Retaining Audience Through Your Museum Web Site Speakers: - Cia Romano, Founder and CEO, Interface Guru - Nancy Ross, Web Editor, Chicago Historical Society Chair: - Linda Wilson, Manager, Audience Research and Evaluation Institution, Shedd Aquarium Research shows that Internet users want to know what they will see and experience when they visit your museum. Unfortunately, museums frequently underutilized the Internet as a tool for audience creation and retention. This session provides a realistic look at the high expectations of today's web users, and will help participants examine if their web site is successful at conveying information users are seeking. Session presenters will share their research findings, as well as review proven strategies for meeting user expectations. --- OR --- Multidisciplinary Subject Matter: A Technique for Program Enhancement Speaker: - Bruce Bleakley, Vice President for Program Development, Frontiers of Flight Museum Chair: - Amelia Chapman, Director of Education, San Diego Aerospace Museum Subject matter for educational programming at air and space museums need not be limited to technology or history. The people, events, aircraft and space vehicles involved in the story of flight do not appear in a vacuum, but in a rich environment that includes geography, sociology, art, literature and other areas of the human experience. Case studies demonstrate how these other areas have been incorporated into aero-themed educational activities to place the subject matter in a global context. Expanding the scope of the educational experience in this manner also broadens program appeal to students, educators, visitors and potential benefactors.

	4:00 - 4:15 p.m.	Break

	4:15 - 5:30 p.m.	Concurrent Sessions: An Organizational Culture of Philanthropy: The Challenges and Rewards of a "Big Picture" Strategy Speakers: - Rick Larsen, Vice-President of Marketing/Communication, EAA AirVenture Museum - Elissa Lines, Vice-President for Development, EAA AirVenture Museum - Adam Smith, Vice-President of Outreach, EAA AirVenture Museum Chair: - Andrew H. Bro, President, Prentice Company Building a culture of philanthropy that can be communicated with passion and understanding at all levels of staffing (volunteer and professional) is key to strengthening the development program within any organization. The "culture" is built upon the organization's vision and mission, and becomes part of the mix in organizational planning. Key to successfully developing and using such a "culture" to improve end results and deepen the commitment of members and donors is the implementation of a continuous improvement strategy, an operation path that encourages integrated planning, and cross-department goal setting, bringing everyone together to meet the over-arching goals of the organization rather than the independent goals of departments. From the single person development shop to the organization that has a full cadre of development staff members, the benefits of engaging everyone at every level in thinking "philanthropically" are huge. --- OR --- School in the Park: an Innovative Museum-School Partnership Speaker: - Amelia Chapman, Director of Education, San Diego Aerospace Museum Chair: - John Bolthouse, Chief Operating Officer, San Diego Aerospace Museum The "School in the Park" (SITP) program brings hundreds of elementary students to San Diego's beautiful Balboa Park for intensive museum programming for weeks at a time. Fifth graders spend two weeks with educators at the San Diego Aerospace Museum, learning the scientific method through hands-on activities, practicing math skills with rocket launches, and exploring the solar system from their classroom. Following a presentation on the SITP program and how it can be adapted to other institutions, a group discussion of museum-school partnerships will give participants a chance to share ideas and get feedback on their own programs.

	5:30 p.m.	Conclusion of Sunday Sessions Buses depart the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center for the Holiday Inn Capitol

	MONDAY, MARCH 27
	All Sessions at The Holiday Inn Capitol

	8:45 - 10:00 a.m.	Concurrent Sessions: The Visitor Experience and the Museum Store Speakers: - Mary Christensen, Retail Planning Manager, The Museum of Flight - Jeff Frignoca, Retail Planning Manager, The Museum of Flight - Laura Murphy, President, Board of Directors, Museum Store Association Chair: - Richard Beckerman, COO & Vice President, The Museum of Flight How can your museum shop compete with giant retailers like Target and amazon.com? The real question is how can those retailers compete with the experience of standing nose to nose with a P-40, or walking under the wing of a Blackbird? After those stunning encounters, your visitor wants to talk to people who share their passion, and to find a way to take that experience home. Learn how focusing on the strengths and unique offerings of your museum can help you focus your retail effort and improve your store's bottom line, and explore the opportunities for growth and strategic partnership within the museum community. --- OR --- Conservation Training for Engineers and Volunteers Within the Museum Speakers: - Christopher Knapp, Conservation Manager Imperial War Museum - Stephen Woolford, Head of Interpretations and Collections, Imperial War Museum Chair: - Christopher J. Terry, President & CEO, Canada Science and Technology Museum Corporation The Imperial War Museum's conservation training program focuses on preparing second career museum professionals for work on historic aircraft. In conjunction with West Dean College, the museum created a collections course specifically for conservation staff, targeting engineers and volunteers at the museum. This course will be discussed in the first half of this session. The second half of the presentation will highlight a new national training scheme for aviation heritage volunteers in the U.K.

	10:00 - 10:15 a.m.	Break

	10:15 - 11:30 a.m.	Concurrent Sessions: Creative Thinking About Earned Income Speaker: - Robert E. Ellis, Executive Director/President, Air Zoo Chair: - Claudia Oakes, Chief Operating Officer, Cradle of Aviation Museum The air and space community needs to look beyond traditional sources of earned income. This session will explore how museums might increase their operating revenues by charging fees for unconventional (in the air and space museum world) but mission-related experiences such as park-type rides, high-tech theaters, motion simulators, and facility rental events such as graduation parties, proms, wedding receptions, and bar and bat mitzvahs. Such methods also enrich the diversity of a museum's audience. --- OR --- Prototyping and Visitor Testing: Pathways to Successful Visitor Experiences Speakers: - Robert Freeland, Senior Exhibit Developer, Quatrefoil Associates, Inc. - Caren Oberg, Consultant, Audience Research and Evaluation - Victoria Portway, Manager, Interactive Media, Smithsonian Institution's National Air and Space Museum - Elizabeth Anne Wilson, Discovery Station Program Coordinator Smithsonian Institution's National Air and Space Museum Chair: - Barbara Brennan, Senior Exhibit Designer, Smithsonian Institution's National Air and Space Museum Engaging, interactive experiences are an expected component of a visit to an air and space museum where technology and scientific principles are major elements of exhibit content. Prototyping and visitor testing are critical to ensuring that interactive exhibits function as expected, meet educational goals, are entertaining, accessible, safe and reliable. Attendees will learn about the art and science of prototyping and visitor testing from seasoned professionals. Through case studies and hands-on workshops they will learn the basics of creating effective prototypes, and how to test them. Attendees will discover that smart prototyping and testing saves money--and is fun!

	11:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.	Lunch and Free Time

	1:00 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.	*Address by American Association of Museums* Speaker: - Edward H. Able, Jr., President and CEO, American Association of Museums

	1:30 - 2:45 p.m.	Concurrent Sessions: Board & Staff Roles in Nonprofits Under Stress Speaker: - Richard Beckerman, COO & Vice President, The Museum of Flight Chair: - Andrew H. Bro, President, Prentice Company Nonprofits boards can provide a source of mystery, frustration, support, pride and drive to staff and outsiders. But how well do we understand the roles of our boards? Using role playing and simulation, we will be examining the roles of boards and staff to better understand our own assumptions and the dynamics involved in working with boards. Better understanding of these roles can support improved organizational performance, resilience, and a stronger bridge with the community. --- OR --- Spotlight Session: The State Aviation Museum of the Ukraine Speakers: - Valery Romanenko, Research and Development Manager, State Aviation Museum of the Ukraine - Ziatdinov Yuriy, Director, State Aviation Museum of the Ukraine Chair: - TBA This session will feature a general overview of The State Aviation Museum of the Ukraine and its unique collections, as well as a discussion on the concepts and different attitudes on creating outdoor exhibitions. The presentation will review how the museum was established and is being managed with very limited financial resources, and the work staff is doing to attract visitors, including non-aviation types. The session will also introduce the museum's Lend-Lease Aircraft Database, currently under construction by the Museum's Research Group, which among other things will have detailed information about American-built aircraft used by the Soviet Air Forces during WWII.

	2:45 - 3:00 p.m.	Break

	3:00 - 4:15 p.m.	Concurrent Sessions: Collecting Oral Histories/Improving Video Interviews Speakers: - Don Ritchie, Associate Historian, United States Senate - Matthew Simek, President & CEO, Pacific Standard Television Chair: - Martin Collins, Curator, Division of Space History, Smithsonian Institution's National Air and Space Museum Anyone can conduct an interview, but employing recommended practices when producing oral histories can transform an ordinary interview into an educational and captivating treasure. This session will give a blueprint for producing exemplary oral histories and will discuss audience consideration; literature review in the field; standard interviewing techniques; careful listening; open-ended questioning; processing practices; and deed of gift requirements. It will also highlight technical aspects that can help maximize recording quality, such as lighting, sound, and camera techniques. Preservation and publicizing of the finished recordings will round off this session. --- OR --- Spotlight Session: Preservation and Display of a Country's Aviation Heritage - The Canadian Situation Speakers: - Richard J. Franks, Chairman, Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum - Don Pearsons, Chief of Protocol, 1 Canadian Air Division - Anthony P. Smyth, Director General, Canada Aviation Museum Chair: - Adam E. Smith, Vice President of Museum and Education, EAA AirVenture Museum This session will present an overview of the status of the collection, preservation and display of historically-significant aircraft and other aviation-related artifacts in Canada as the celebration of the 2009 centennial of powered flight in Canada approaches. Presentations will be illustrated by examples of major museum developments and current preservation and restoration projects in Canada.

	4:15 p.m.	Conclusion of Monday Sessions

	6:00 - 8:30 p.m.	National Air and Space Museum Reception and Keynote Address National Air and Space Museum on the National Mall
	7:30 p.m.	Keynote Address The Cold War - Let's Not Forget Before It's Too Late Michael Fopp, Director General, Royal Air Force Museum For 40 years we all lived in the context of Mutually Assured Destruction, carrying on 'as normal' except for the occasional glitch which caught our attention and illustrated how close humankind could get to annihilating its species. The end of the Cold War marked a significant change in national security, freedom, prosperity, as well as a host of other factors. Air and space were the technologies that drove all other aspects of the Cold War, and the global community of air and space museums' collections are full of material which should enable us to tell the story using our objects as a catalyst for the wider subject. The Royal Air Force Museum is working on a huge new building which will be the UK's "National Cold War Exhibition". This project is a good example of an air force museum extending its educational reach into cultural and economic or geo-political areas. The background to its conception may also provide food for thought to other museums.

	TUESDAY, MARCH 28
	Morning Sessions at Holiday Inn Capitol

	7:30 - 8:35 a.m.	*Information on Hosting Mutual Concerns* The National Air and Space Museum is committed to taking Mutual Concerns 'on the road.' This meeting will provide information about the organizational requirements and logistic coordination necessary to partner with the National Air and Space Museum as a host. National Air and Space Museum and Museum of Flight staff will share 'lessons learned' from their work together for the 2005 meeting in Seattle. Afterwards, we would like hear from participants with suggestions for future locations and possible host sites. Any museum interested in hosting Mutual Concerns-in 2007 and beyond-is highly encouraged to attend.

	8:45 - 10:00 a.m.	Concurrent Sessions: Heritage Preservation: Government Programs and Case Studies of Disaster Planning Speakers: - Kristen Overbeck Laise, Director, Heritage Health Index, Heritage Preservation - Jane Long, Director, Heritage Emergency National Task Force Heritage Preservation - Marilyn Lyons, Former Director, Walter Anderson Museum of Art Chair: - Lawrence L. Reger, President, Heritage Preservation No air and space museum is safe from unforeseen natural or other types of disasters. Staff from Heritage Preservation, co-sponsors with FEMA of the Heritage Emergency National Task Force, will introduce programs designed for planning and recovery from disasters, as well as other national initiatives that involve museum welfare. The session will also involve representatives of two Gulf Coast museums to give examples of experience with disaster preparedness and recovery. --- OR --- Jump and Build Your Wings on the Way Down: Bringing the Drama of Flight to Life Through Street Theatre Speaker: - Lynne Jacobson, Artistic Director, Air Zoo Chair: - Robert E. Ellis, Executive Director, Air Zoo This session will be an overview of the processes involved in creating a repertory street theater troupe specializing in aviation history. Session will review the implementation of the Air Zoo's program and discuss the benefits and pitfalls of volunteer/theater artist relationships, and the end result of melding non-traditional aviation museum with theater. The speaker will highlight the effects street theater has on its unsuspecting aviation museum audience, as well as the overall benefit it has on patrons, the community and museum as a whole. Participants will be given a basic 'how-to' on creating theater in an aviation museum from scratch.

	10:00 - 10:15 a.m.	Break

	10:15 - 11:30 a.m.	Concurrent Sessions: Interactive and Customized Exhibits Using Microsoft Simulator Speakers: - Hal Bryan, Software Test Engineer, Microsoft Corporation - Amelia Chapman, Director of Education, San Diego Aerospace Museum - Mike Lambert, Software Test Engineer, Microsoft Corporation Chair: - Michael Zyskowski, Program Manager, Microsoft Corporation Microsoft Flight Simulator allows users to realistically recreate the experience of flying a myriad of different aircraft. In addition to the roughly two-dozen aircraft included in Microsoft's default package, there is an active community of third-party developers who have created thousands of additional aircraft for Flight Simulator. This means that even some of the more obscure artifacts in a museum's collection may already be available for simulation, allowing museum patrons a customized ride tailored to the aircraft they see in the museum. This session will discuss the benefits and challenges of creating and supporting customized interactive exhibits. --- OR --- Criteria for Developing Successful Museum Programs: Marketing, Implementation and Alignment with State and National Standards Speakers: - Jim Long, Education Advisory Board Member, Evergreen Aviation Museum - Craig O'Neill, Director of Marketing, The Museum of Flight - Kenneth E. Phillips, Aerospace Curator, California Science Center - Harold Rubin, Public Programs Coordinator, The Museum of Flight Chair: - Richard Beckerman, COO & Vice President, The Museum of Flight This two-part session features best practices for developing museum programs around the theme of aviation. The first part will discuss developing, marketing and implementing museum programs and will present a case study to illustrate. The second part of this session will discuss aligning museum education programs with state and national science education standards. It addresses standards-based educational programming including standards alignment, documentation, staffing credentials, volunteer requirements, time and costs.

	11:30 a.m.	Sessions Conclude Closing Remarks

	TUESDAY, MARCH 28 - Optional Field Trips

	12:00 - 4:30 p.m.	Hard-Hat Tour of the National Museum of the Marine Corps Quantico, Virginia Full - Wait List Only
	12:00 p.m.	Buses depart for, Quantico, VA Box lunch and round-trip bus transportation from seminar hotel provided The new National Museum of the Marine Corps is under construction in northern Virginia near Marine Corps Base Quantico outside the main gates. The first phase, which will open in November 2006, includes 118,000 square feet; the second phase, under design, will bring the total to nearly 200,000 square feet. Immersive exhibits will put visitors in the footsteps of Marines on battles from the pages of history. Aircraft, tanks, and other vehicles will be prominently displayed, along with period uniforms, weapons, medals, flags, and other artifacts that help visitors trace the history of the Corps from 1775 to the present. Mutual Concerns attendees are invited to a "hard hat" tour of the construction site and to a briefing on the project by Director Lin Ezell. Briefing will start in a nearby construction trailer; all participants will be required to wear hard hats and safety glasses and should wear low-heeled, closed-toe shoes and long pants. There will most likely be some ducking, stepping over/under, and dodging to be done--and if you stop anywhere for too long, Lin will put you to work. http://www.usmcmuseum.org --- OR ---

	1:00 - 4:00 p.m.	Tour and Talk Creating an Exhibition: The Price of Freedom — Americans at War National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC Join Dik Daso on an informative walk through one of the Smithsonian Institution's newest exhibitions. Dik, one of three curators for the exhibit, will talk about the creative process, design phase and buildup of the 18,000 square foot show. He will point out major themes and as well as several of the major sub-themes that were considered and used in this artifact-based, American history exhibition. http://americanhistory.si.edu/militaryhistory/ --- OR ---

	1:00 - 4:00 p.m.	Digital Photography Workshop National Air and Space Museum on the National Mall, Smithsonian Institution Following up on last years Digital Photography Workshop for Beginners, this year's session will take digital photography into the National Air and Space Museum. Digital expert Dennis Beila of Lightspeed Media will be shooting the cockpit of a Messerschmitt BF109 in the WWII gallery. Dennis has done Quick Time Virtual Reality (QTVR) images of all the aircraft at the Udvar-Hazy Center, some of which are being used in the interactive displays at the Center. Dennis will discuss lighting techniques, nuts and bolts equipment and show results of the day's shoot. In addition, Eric Long, NASM photographer, will discuss shooting exhibits digitally without the use of lights, and demonstrate how to get the best results from a digital camera and Photoshop.