IMMERSE Yourself

Museum professionals and volunteers are finding a great deal of success when they get beneath the surface and IMMERSE themselves in relevant research, professional encounters, and their community - literally and figuratively. 

The 2012 Annual CWAM Meeting in Dubois, WY will explore ways in which you and your institution can be more immersive, and how this will lead to a more effective output at every level of your operation.

The deadline is approaching for CWAM proposals, please fill out the attached session proposal form and turn it in to be part of our 2012 conference!    

CWAM 2012 session proposal form 

CWAM in Dubois, Wyoming - It Could Happen to You

By Katrina Krupicka

Director

Dubois Museum 

When you roll into Dubois, Wyoming on May 10, 2012, you may just think you've immersed yourself into one of the most remote towns in the lower 48 states. You would be right. Nestled in the upper Wind River Valley, Dubois is flanked by the Wind River Mountains to the south, and the Absaroka Mountains to the north. The nearest commercial airport is 77 miles away; the nearest shopping mall a mere 3 ½ hour drive. A sense of doubt begins to nibble in a remote corner of your consciousness: "Where has CWAM brought me!?" Your vision begins to tunnel, and your breath shallows to short gasps...until you are greeted by the front desk host at your hotel. Her friendly smile is disarming, and you finally calm down enough to start looking closer at the town of Dubois.

The heart of downtown Dubois is highlighted by boardwalks and authentic wooden store fronts. The heady blend of pine and sagebrush is carried on the breeze, and Windy Mountain just outside of town is silhouetted by the orangey-pink glow of a sunset. You review your dinner options: a wood-fired pizza at Payá; a hearty hamburger at the Cowboy Cafe; or maybe the night calls for sushi at the Nostalgia Bistro in the historic Ramshorn Inn. Regardless of what you choose, rest assured that you will be having something delicious with service that rivals the best restaurant in a big city.

The next morning you wake up feeling refreshed from a restful night's sleep breathing fresh mountain air, although it was a bit challenging to fall asleep without the sound of traffic outside your bedroom window. Who knew it could be so quiet? You throw on a jacket against the morning chill, and head down to Tammy's Coffee Haus or Kathy's Koffee to get a fresh cup of brew before attending a technology workshop at the Cyber Café. Suddenly, before you even realize it, it is the end of the day, and you are boarding a bus to take a short ride to the historic CM Ranch at the base of Whiskey Mountain for the opening reception of the CWAM conference. One of the oldest continuously operating guest ranches in the country, the CM Ranch was established in 1927 by Charles C. Moore, who designed the ranch to meet the needs of his 20-year-old guest operation. As you walk around the grounds, or take one of the tours offered by the ranch managers, you realize that every design aspect of the ranch is meant for the convenience of the guests. There is a large grassy courtyard that welcomes you to the dining hall. The Round Up, where the reception is being held, has a large walk-in fireplace that is perfect for roasting s'mores, and several different rooms that encourage intimate conversation. As you catch up with old friends, you can't help but wonder how Dubois can possibly get any better.

But it does. The conference location is the Headwaters Arts and Conference Center, located along the north bank of the Wind River. The vendors are in the second floor art gallery, where you can't decide if you would rather look at the art, or at what the vendors are offering. As you snag a bagel before the first session, you are delighted to discover that you don't have far to go. Most of the sessions are located just off the vendor room. The day passes in a blur, highlighted by a delicious catered business lunch, with time allowed in the afternoon to take a walking tour of historic downtown Dubois. The Friday night BBQ is located in the Dennison Lodge, a historic hunting lodge that is part of the Dubois Museum complex. The lodge was moved to the museum grounds in the late '90s, after the establishment of a new elk refuge on the former Dennison Ranch site threatened it with destruction. As you move through the food line, you have a hard time deciding between the pulled pork and smoked ribs prepared by Darrell, owner of Wind River Meats; although the grilled portabella mushroom topped with roasted red peppers makes you reconsider your position on vegetarian options. After finishing up your meal, you head next door to the National Bighorn Sheep Interpretive Center to decide on a dessert.

On Saturday, you take advantage of the morning yoga class offered each day of the conference. As you work your way through a sun salutation, you wonder if you have ever been to a conference that was so relaxing. You still haven't decided what you are going to do on Sunday. Should you go home over Togwotee Pass and spend the day in Jackson touring the National Museum of Wildlife Art and the new Jackson Hole Historical Society Museum? Perhaps drive through the Wind River Indian Reservation and visit the Eastern Shoshone Cultural Center in Fort Washakie and the Pioneer Museum in Lander? Or maybe you will take the opportunity to hike to the petroglyphs in the Torrey Lake Basin at the base of Whiskey Mountain. Regardless of your decision, you know that your time in Dubois has felt more like a vacation instead of a conference, and you realize that Dubois, while not what you expected, offered more than you could have ever imagined.

by Nathan Doerr 

Museum Director and Curator of Museum Education

Sheridan County Museum 

Buena Vista Transportation Museum 

The newest museum in Colorado opened in Buena Vista over the Independence Day weekend. The Buena Vista Transportation Museum opened in a restored 1890 Colorado Midland depot in McPhlemey Park on Highway 24 at West Main. Meticulously restored by Older Than Dirt restoration contractors and funded by the State Historical Fund the depot houses an exhibit in the historic freight room devoted to transportation in the Upper Arkansas River Valley. It spans the 60+ years between 1860-1920 starting with staging and freighting, the appearance of the Denver South Park and Pacific, the Denver & Rio Grande and the Colorado Midland railroads, and ending with the introduction of the Pikes Peak Ocean-to-Ocean Highway. CWAM member firm Traub Design Associates of Spring Hill, KS, designed and built the exhibit, which was funded by the Freeport MacMoRan Silver and Gold Foundation. The exhibit, Wheels of Change: The Transportation History of Buena Vista, Colorado is open daily through the summer and by appointment at other times of the year. For more information, call Buena Vista Heritage at 719-395-8458.

Grand Opening of the Heart Mountain Interpretive Learning Center  

Opened August 20, 2011

To learn more visit:  http://heartmountain.org  

The Mountain-Plains Museums Association 

2011 Annual Meeting Scholarship Winners

I am an archivist of many years standing, and although I have worked in museums on occasion, my training and experience with the care of artifact collections is very limited. I was recently given responsibility for the care and exhibition of the Orman Native American Indian Collection and I realized that I needed to get additional training in the curation of objects.

So, it was providential that I learned of the CWAM scholarship at almost the same time as I was given this new responsibility. As a non-museum professional, I greatly appreciated the opportunity to attend the Colorado-Wyoming Association of Museums Annual Conference in Durango. I enjoyed meeting and networking with museum professionals and being introduced to the world of museums.

The Orman Native American Indian Collection was donated to Colorado State University-Pueblo in 1964 and was under the management of the Art Department for many years. The collection was recently moved to the University Archives, but remains stored in the original 1964 shipping boxes and crates, which are far from archival.

The Orman collection contains artifacts ranging from weavings to pottery to clothing and will require a variety of storage approaches. Since my experience and training is primarily related to the archival storage of two-dimensional paper and photographic items, I realized that I needed more information to be able to deal with these objects in a professional manner.

The session(s) most useful to me personally were the practical sessions which dealt with the nitty gritty of collections care - especially 'Collection Conundrums 1 & 2'. The panelists answered many questions of interest to me, and participants raised issues that I had not thought of before.

I realize that there is much to learn and that attending CWAM was just a first step (although an important one!) into the museum world. My attendance at the CWAM meeting has helped me to add to my knowledge of museum curation, and pointed me towards useful tools and resources. Hopefully, this will translate into better storage and exhibition practices at my institution.

I want to thank all the board members and volunteers with CWAM who made this year's annual conference a huge success. I was honored to be able to attend the conference in Durango as a scholarship recipient and have an opportunity to learn from my fellow museum professionals.

            One of my favorite parts of the CWAM conference was networking with others in my field. As an emerging museum professional, CWAM has been an excellent opportunity for me to meet others, share stories and advice, and keep in touch to help each other out professionally with various projects. I appreciate how CWAM helps facilitate networking among museum professionals, and I know that the connections I've made with people through CWAM will serve me well as I further my professional career.

            Of particular interest to me at the Durango conference was the session "Stopping Visitors and Motivating Locals Through Historic Preservation," presented by Lyle Miller, the Historic Preservation Outreach Specialist with History Colorado. One of my emphases in my graduate program is historic preservation, a field which until recently I knew very little about. Preservation is an up-and-coming field with many unique opportunities, and I am excited about the prospects of increasing my understanding of the field and getting involved in projects to preserve our historic built and natural environments and landscapes. Lyle Miller's presentation was an excellent introduction to how museums and historical institutions can make use of Colorado's State Historic Fund to obtain grants for a variety of preservation projects. Whether I eventually end up working within historic preservation directly or at a museum which is responsible for historic structures, I will be able to make use of the excellent information provided in this session. I also have little experience with grant applications, so the presentation provided me with a number of very useful tips and methodologies.

            Prior to beginning graduate school, I worked as a curatorial assistant at the National Mining Hall of Fame and Museum in Leadville, Colorado, where I am also currently fulfilling my program's required summer internship. Much of downtown Leadville has been designated a National Historic District on the National Register. In addition, the National Mining Hall of Fame owns and operates the Matchless Mine, which has recently been placed on both the National Register and state register of historic places. Living and working in such a historic setting has provided me with many opportunities to observe how preservation projects are being carried out in the district. Since attending Lyle Miller's session, I have found myself approaching the topic of historic preservation from new angles and considering what projects I can get involved in both now and in the near future to help stabilize and preserve structures that speak to us about our nation's past. Thank you CWAM and Lyle Miller for the insights you have provided for me at the Durango conference!

Andréa Giron

Biligual Research Assistant

Denver Museum of Nature and Science

 A Museum by the People, For ALL the People

CWAM was my first museum conference. Coming from outside the field everything was new to me; the culture, the format, and obviously the content. CWAM was packed with information; I left Durango having met professional development goals, feeling connected to my colleagues in the Colorado Wyoming region, and inspired to maintain those connections and apply my learning.

One of the sessions that stuck out for me was the multi-generational, multi-cultural presentation given by the Southern Ute Museum, Museum Tribal Collaboration. Presenters walked us through the details of their collaborative effort to bring this community-centered, community-inspired, Museum to life.

Dr. Jim Jefferson, a tribal member and scholar, explained how the collaboration with Tribal Elders influenced nearly every decision along the way. It was evident that this cultural dynamic was essential to the success, and ultimately to the community ownership, of the Museum. However, not only the Elders were engaged in the process of designing the Southern Ute Museum. Representatives described how they encouraged the youngest members of the tribal community to contribute their thoughts and ideas, Lyn Brittner shared that when one young man saw the final design for the space he declared how proud he was that they'd selected his drawing!

Two young women also joined the panel and shared their experiences and involvement with the Museum from working with young people to helping with restoration and displays. It was encouraging to see two young women being involved with the project and behind the scenes; I can only hope it is the beginning of two brilliant museum careers!

The story of this Museum is as fascinating as the Museum itself; from their presentation I can tell that tribal members' voices are reflected in the design, exhibits, and programs. No rock was left unturned, figuratively that is, as they were diligent in incorporating the natural world into their space as homage to their beliefs about their ties with the land. Story, spirit, and community built this Museum. To me, it represents the future of Museums; ones created by the people, for all the people.

Nita Naugle

Curator

Tracks and Trails Museum

Tracks to Durango

As I pulled into Durango so did the Durango-Silverton train. Our timing a similitude of the historic track that led me to the current moment that our trails were parallel and headed to a shared area. I was to attend the 2011 CWAM annual meeting as a scholarship recipient. It is a familiar story: I come from a small museum with limited resources.

I traveled as the new part-time curator of the Tracks & Trails Museum, from Oak Creek Colorado. I represent an area rich in the history of coal mining, railroad, homesteads, ranching and recreation. Behind that general summery there is more - there is the story. The story of the individuals that lived, worked, shaped the area, and died living there. In part my job is to tell the story. The CWAM conference gave me a variety of contacts, tips, hints and ideas to help in that endeavor.

From the fascinating and well done, pre-conference workshop on "Thinking Big and Building Exhibits with a Small Budget," to the post conference tour I attended at the New Animas Museum on a Home for History - I was enriched with information. Some topics that I learned about include: the construction of display mannequins, dimensional displays, testing fabrics for bleeding, history of scrapbooking, challenges of digitalization of scrapbooks, stopping kids in their tracks and program ideas, and samples and search information found in Archival Basics.

What keeps me awake at night? Right now it is Custom Collections Storage for our small museum. That workshop tied into the post conference tour at the New Animas Museum - where Jan Postler, with much grace & hospitality, shared her museum home. Our Tracks & Trails Museum is at the beginning of the journey that the New Animas Museum has already traversed. The workshop on Collections Conundrums answered specific questions that I and our museum volunteers have had. That workshop also had hands on ideas and before I even made it home I rushed to the nearest hardware store to get the parts for a display stand to be built out of PVC and a toilet flange.

By no means in this article could I mention everything. I learned a great deal in a short amount of time. I am still processing what I learned - it was also fun. I enjoyed getting to meet many new and interesting people. What an open and approachable group, even if I still don't know the story of why or how the flamingo originally became the mascot?

As the key note speaker Judy Waldon shared "Go, See, Do - Go, See, Immerse!" She suggests to find the story in my museum so visitors can find their profound. What stories can touch the traveler on a personal level, what displays tell that story, and what photos speak to that personalization? From this conference I came home with a bag of learning from the workshops which will help me tell the story. Now it's my job, to follow the tracks from Durango laid by those who spoke at the conference and to utilize their ideas and suggestions to help make a small museum in Northwest Colorado even richer.

(I thank all who made the conference scholarships possible. I would not have been able to attend without your help and support- Sincerely and Respectfully, Nita Herold Naugle, Curator, Tracks & Trails Museum, tracksandtrailsmuseum@gmail.com )

Broomfield Veterans Memorial Museum

http://broomfieldveterans.wordpress.com 

303-460-6801

Through November - Civil War:  Battle of Gettysburg July 1863" 

September 22 - 10th Mountain Division with Flint Whitlock at Mamie Doud Eisenhower Public Library

November 10 - Booksigning "Parachuting for Gold in Old Mexico" with Jim Hall at Mamie Doud Eisenhower Public Library

Denver Firefighters Museum

www.denverfirefightersmuseum.org 

303-892-1436

New Exhibit -  Breaking Barriers; Ladies of the Denver Fire Department,Through December 31.

October Events

Firehouse Halloween Party for Families

October 22, 5-8 pm., $30/person, reservations required by October 19

October 29, 7 pm - 12 am., adults only paranormal investigation, $35/person, reservation required by October 26.

Denver Museum of Miniatures, Dolls and Toys

www.dmmdt.org 

September 7-11: 31st Annual Fall Miniature Show and Sale. Workshops, exhibits, salesroom and more  

October 2: Not-So-Haunted House. Slightly spooky workshops, decorations, games and more. $1 suggested donation  

October 28, 29: Fall Family workshops

The Denver Museum of Miniatures, Dolls and Toys is very excited to host the International Guild of Miniature Artisans "Elements of Style" Exhibit Nov 2011-Jan 2012. This unique exhibit consists of 6 scenes by premier miniature artisans. These scenes premiered at the 2010 Guild Show in Philadelphia and have been traveling to miniature museums across the U.S. ever since. This is a chance for people of the front range to see the work of  modern miniature masters at its best. 

Grand County Historical Association

www.grandcountymuseum.com  

Presents "FALL HISTORY ART GALA"

Location: Grand County Pioneer Village Museum

110 E. Byers Ave., Hot Sulphur Springs, CO. 80451

Date & Time: September 17 - 6:00 to 9:00 p.m.

Admission - $20.00

Refreshments will be served

Features: Works by Denver Post Cartoonist - A.W. Steele

Art from the archives by Merritt Esmiol, Wm. H. Jackson & Lois Button

For information call: 970 725-3939 or email gcha@rkymtnhi.com 

THE GRAND COUNTY HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION

ANNUAL MEETING-DINNER-PROGRAM-AUCTION

Location: West Portal Moffat Station

At the Base of Winter Park Ski Resort

Winter Park, CO. 80482

Date & Time: November 5 - 6:00 to 9:00 p.m.

Program: "1940's SKI MEMORIES"

By local presenters

For information call 970-725-3939 or email gcha@rkymtnhi.com 

Web site: www.grandcountymuseum.com 

Reservations will be required

Fort Casper Museum

http://www.casperwy.gov/ParksRecreationandEntertainment/ConcertsCulturalPastimes/FortCasparMuseum/tabid/188/Default.aspx  

September - November:  Traveling Exhibit, "The Virginian:  Owen Wister's Creation of the Great American Novel," from the American Heritage Center

September 24 - Lunch and Learn Series at 12:00 pm, "New Yorkify, and rot':  Owen Wister and the Restorative West" presented by Rachael Dreyer

October 8 and 15:  Ghost Tours, starting at 7:00 pm (Tickets available in advance)

Metropolitan State College of Denver, Center for Visual Art

http://www.metrostatecva.org 

proudly presents ALTERED NATURE: Notable Interpretations from South America.

The exhibition features artwork by eight artists from South America who respond to patterns and rhythms in nature, ranging from plant life to human interaction. 

Artists: Aldo Chaparro (Peru), Soledad Arias (Argentina), Ana Maria Hernando (Argentina), Highraff (Brazil), Clemencia Labin (Venezuela), Rosane Volchan O'Conor (Brazil), Luzia Ornelas (Brazil), Cecilia Paredes (Peru).

Altered Nature: Notable Interpretations from South America September 1 - November 5, 2011

Molly Brown House Museum

www.mollybrown.org 

Hats Galore Workshop

Saturday, September 17 @ 10:00 am - 1:00 pm, $55/person

Create a true Victorian millinery masterpiece with the help of our historic fashion experts. We'll provide the hat, materials, and refreshments. This workshop will feature material to make a fall or winter hat. A tour of the museum is not included.   

The Judge and Mrs. Brown Full Tea

Saturday, September 24 @ 11 am and 1 pm $20/person

Discuss juvenile justice reform and other topics with Mrs. Brown and Judge Ben Lindsey over a nice cup of tea. The tea includes a tour of the exhibit examining the work of Judge Lindsey and Mrs. Margaret "Molly" Brown.

Victorian Horrors

Friday, October 14 & 21 6 pm - 9 pm 

Saturday, October 15 & 22 6 pm - 9pm 

Be spooked for the first time, or return and be spooked again by a fresh selection of wicked writings of long-dead authors. Classic stories are brought to life in the dim, flickering candlelight as Edgar Allen Poe, HG Wells and others haunt you with their tales of the macabre. Bring someone to hold on to!

Halloween Full Tea

Saturday, October 29 @ 11am and 1pm $20/per person

Halloween was a favorite Victorian holiday. Come explore our traditional decorations, enjoy special tea treats and show off your spookiest or wackiest costume. Best costumes wins prizes!

To make reservations for the events above go to www.mollybrown.org or call 303.832.4092 x10.  

Rocky Mountain Quilt Museum   

 www.rmqm.org 

"Magnificent Obsession: The Quilts of Ann Elliott" and "Kathie Kerler: Evolutions Featured Artist" 

August 1 through October 29

Experience the diversity of quilts through two vastly different one-woman exhibits.

Magnificent Obsession is a retrospective showcase of meticulously crafted, hand-stitched traditional quilts. Ann Elliott started her first quilt at age 13. She saw a Grandmother's Flower Garden and thought it was the most beautiful thing she'd ever seen. "I loved all the prints and colors," Ann recalls. "My mother sewed clothes for me when I was little and she saved all of the scraps. I cut up everything I could find into hexagons."

Kathie R. Kerler is the 2010 winner of the RMQM "Evolutions" challenge. She shows her work individually and with the group STiTCH. In 2009, she created the quilt "Framing the Future" for Clackamas County in celebration of the Oregon Sesquicentennial. Kathie has completed rigorous courses at the London City and Guilds College in London, England and at the Lesage School of Needlework in Paris, France. 

Kathie is a contributing editor to American Quilter magazine. She serves as the Master Quilt Program Coordinator for the National Quilting Association and is a NQA certified quilt judge.   

Opening reception 4-8pm Friday August 5

Monday through Saturday 10-4 

Memorial Sundays 12-4 through Labor Day

RMQM is a Blue Star Museum 

Free admission for active duty military personnel and their families through Labor Day

University of Colorado Museum of Natural History

Contact Information:

303-492-6892

http://cumuseum.colorado.edu 

The Wildlife Experience

TheWildlifeExperience.org 

720-488-3344

Fall Events at The Wildlife Experience 

Western Museum of Mining & Industry

Farmers' Market

Open every Monday and Wednesday through October. Fresh vegetables from local Pueblo farms, breads, meats, salsa and more. Look for vendors in front of the red house. Guests visiting the museum get the opportunity to see operable steam engines, learn how to gold pan, see a recreated mine drift, play with hands-on exhibits, and catch a glimpse of the pioneer lifestyle. There are over 27 acres to explore at the Museum, with picnic grounds and two very adorable burros.  For farmers' market times contact the museum at (719) 488-0880.

Exhibit Opening & Heritage Lecture

September 22

Starts at 5:00 P.M.

Thursday, September 22 we will have our opening reception for our exhibit followed by a corresponding heritage lecture.  Beverages and hors d'oeuvre will be served at the exhibit opening at 5:00 P.M. and the lecture with start at 7:00 P.M.  Free and open to the public. To reserve your spot at one for both events, call 719-488-0880 or e-mail rsvp@wmmi.org.  The museum is located just off Interstate 25 at the North Gate Blvd Exit 156A.

Exhibit Opening 5:00 P.M.

Early Labor Signs & Symptoms: A Brief History of Unions

This exhibit is a rare opportunity for the museum to showcase objects related to mining during the Colorado labor conflict of 1903-1904 as well as provide a historical approach to the beginning of the labor movement. In support of this exhibit the museum will provide programming focused on adult audiences, children and families. The museum has already received funding from Colorado Humanities to support a lecture on the epic story of labor in America by author Philip Dray.

Heritage Lecture 7:00 P.M.

History of Unions and their Status Today

Author Philip Dray will be presenting on the history of labor unions in America and their impact on society as a social movement. Dray's book, There is Power in a Union: The Epic Story of Labor in America, was published in 2010 and it traces unions from their beginnings in the 1820s textile mills of Massachusetts to recent union activity and labors concerns such as globalization. Dray is an award-winning author and Pulitzer Prize finalist. He lives in New York City and is a Fellow at the New York Institute for the Humanities at NYU. This program was made possible by a grant from Colorado Humanities.