Our community-based exhibition model builds upon a basic exhibition development model but strives to infuse community members throughout the entire process. It can be broken down into seven stages. Below is a basic description of each stage. See the full printed handbook for more details including an outline of Exhibit Development CAC meetings and implementation ideas for each stage (such as "artifact selection day, outreach ideas, exhibit opening programs, follow-up stewardship).
Initial Outreach | Exhibit Development | Research and Gathering | Exhibit Design | Exhibit Fabrication and Installation | Exhibit Opening | Follow-up
Initial Outreach
Museum staff conducts Initial Outreach during the first stage of the process. Here we begin learning about the community and its dynamics, including existing leaders and organizations and their interrelationships, geographic concentrations, current issues and concerns, existing projects and initiatives, and marginalized groups within the community if existing along with other diversities.
At the end of Initial Outreach, we have a confirmed list of CAC members and are ready to hold our first meeting and begin Exhibit Development.
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Exhibit Development
Exhibit Development occurs over several months of intensive meetings. The number, length, timing and location of the meetings depend on the dynamics of the community and the CAC. By the end of Exhibit Development, we have all the materials we need to move forward with Exhibit Design, assured that we have identified the vision, including the main messages, themes, content and form of the exhibition and its related components, desired by the CAC.
See the full printed handbook for an outline of Exhibit Development CAC meetings throughout Exhibit Development.
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Research and Gathering
Research and Gathering for an exhibition begins almost immediately. Museum Staff, interns and volunteers scour libraries, historic societies, museums, community organization files, news articles and online databases. From Initial Outreach and through the CAC, a list of individuals to contact for oral history interviews soon develops. Museum Staff, interns, CAC members and other volunteers conduct oral history interviews, with Museum Staff training volunteers, providing equipment, tracking contacts, and processing interviews.
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Exhibit Design
Armed with decisions and direction from the CAC, we begin Exhibit Design. The Exhibit Designer uses the storyline, exhibition components, and descriptions of the exhibition look, feel and atmosphere to guide development of the physical space. From here, more diagrams, initial floor plans and sketches emerge.
During this time, the Project Team also selects specific materials for the exhibition. For oral histories, Museum Staff and select CAC members review transcripts and make notations according to the exhibition main messages, themes and storyline for eventual editing and use in the exhibition in either text, audio, video or computerized format. For artifacts, photographs and documents, original and photocopied materials are brought out for review and selection by the CAC.
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Exhibit Fabrication and Installation
Exhibit Fabrication and Installation is completed most times through the efforts of Museum Staff, interns and a regular crew of volunteers, and at times through the use of contract workers. Typically we install over a two-and-a-half week period. We invite CAC members to drop-in any time during installation. We hold a formal walk-through of the exhibition for CAC members prior to the opening. CAC members also help us install particular portions of the exhibition as needed.
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Exhibit Opening
Our Exhibit Openings typically are held on Thursday evenings from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. We send out invitations to Museum members and special invited guests, including the CAC, participating community members and other contacts.
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Follow-up
Once an exhibition opens, some times additional community members come forth with stories and materials to share. They see examples of materials and stories, recognize similarities with their experience, and want to share too. We try to collect these additional oral histories and materials for our Collection.
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