Charettes, Workshops, Conferences

Charettes are workshops that help humanities organizations upgrade their thinking and practices to dramatically improve visitor satisfaction and increase public participation. If "business as usual" is not very successful, a charette is for you. If you need a more interesting way of operating, a charette is for you. Even if you're good, a charette can help you reach for greatness. A charette opened the door for a giant step forward for one of the best county historical societies in Missouri.

The Charette model is borrowed from the field of architecture. In that field, it is a brainstorming exercise by architects who come together for a brief period of time to think about a community problem. In our field, a charette is a gathering of a few consultants to spend one or more sessions with the leadership core of a local institution...a historic house, a Main Street Association, a museum. The objective is to involve people in "thinking outside the box" so that they can tap new creative energy and adopt practices that spell success.

MHC Director Michael Bouman tailors each charette to the needs of the institution. He will assemble a small consultant group after an initial consultation. Organizations may apply for this service year-round. There is no application deadline and there is no charge. Download and e-mail an application in our "Grants & Docs" area.

Conferences

We sponsor a conference every year in the fall and spring.

Save This Date!

When: March 12 & 13, 2010

Where: Columbia, MO at the Stoney Creek Inn & Conference Center

Cost: $75 (includes lunches and refreshments for both days)

Accommodations: Rates of $90/night are available at Stoney Creek Inn

Make plans to participate inTransformations, a conference for volunteers and staff at Missouri museums, libraries and cultural institutions. This conference promises an inspiring and educational experience with information, hands-on sessions, and innovations that can be easily and affordably implemented in libraries and museums. Here is a sneak peek at just a few of the offerings at the March conference:

What’s the difference between a “good” experience and a “great” one? Discover the path(s) that will take your organization to the next level.
Collaboration: Explore how museums and libraries working together are able to enhance the offerings of both entities.
Attracting Attention: Learn the secrets of writing successful press releases and working with the press to market programs and facilities.
Gifts tell a story: Many museums and libraries have found a profitable revenue stream in their gift shops. Find out how successful museum and library gift shops tie experiences and memories to merchandise.

If you've attended one of MHC's conferences before, you know the value of the sessions and won’t want to miss this event. If you've never been, come find out what you've been missing. You won't be disappointed. Look for additional information and a registration form in early January.

Examples of Charettes and Consulting Services

County Historical Societies and Museums

Bates County Museum, Butler
Consultations on the management and development of multiple historical buildings and collections.
Butler County Museum, Poplar Bluff
Conceptualize community-involvement projects and a "Web 2.0" implementation of digital content, using a Content Management System such as Joomla! Never heard of this? Ask for a charette!
Cass County Historical Society, Harrisonville
Evaluate several competing directions for the organization, discussion of managing the acquisition of historic structures, of developing living history programs and of mission.
Clay County Museum, Liberty
Hands-on workshop focused on visitor-centered thinking and seeing the volunteers as the most important asset in the museum.
Grundy County Museum, Trenton
Workshops to update practices in preparation for sponsorship of a Smithsonian touring exhibit.
Livingston County Museum, Chillicothe
Visitor-centered thinking for a museum that hosts bus tours.
Morgan County Museum, Versailles
Consulting on creating more interactive guided tours .
Newton County Historical Society, Neosho
Studied ways to increase membership and develop cooperation with organizations outside of the county seat of Neosho.
Nodaway County Historical Society, Maryville
Make better use of the creativity and teaching experience of the retired teachers on the board of directors. Develop ideas for a year of community history projects.
Osage County Historical Society, Linn
Assess multiple OCHS presentation sites and assets, consider OCHS mission with respect to orienting visitors and travelers, and recommend ways to improve interpretation and cooperation among county institutions in several distinctive towns including Linn (the headquarters), Chamois, Bonnets Mill, and Westphalia.
Putnam County Museum, Unionville
Volunteer training sessions and exhibit improvements to focus on distinctive assets and introduce visitor-centered practices.
Randolph County Historical Society, Moberly
Assess multiple properties in Moberly and comment on the potential for improved historical interpretation.
History Museum for Springfield-Greene County
Help the small museum staff think of ways to expand community involvement and local services.
Warren County Museum, Warrensburg
Multiple consulting visits to establish a new vision and interpretive focus before building an addition to the museum.

Local Museums and Libraries

Branson: American Presidential Museum
Affirm what is already wonderful there and contribute ideas to enhance the gift shop and the visitor experience.
Doniphan: Current River Heritage Museum
Create more meaningful story lines and exhibitions for a community museum.
Independence: Midwest Genealogy Center
Consulting on enhanced visitor experiences at a new, world-class facility of the Mid-Continent Public Library.
Jefferson City: Missouri Farm Bureau Foundation
Brainstorm ways of creating grass-roots involvement in the development of a new agricultural heritage museum in the state capital.
Jefferson City: Missouri Verterinary Museum
Look for ways to connect the membership with the association's museum, and ways for the museum to create outreach activities.
Louisiana: Louisiana Area Historical Museum
Help supporters renew mission, look for focus, and address concerns about archival stewardship.
Marble Hill: Bollinger County Library
Consulting visit to recommend enhanced activities for visitors.
Rocheport: Friends of Rocheport
Address space needs in the museum and a desire to create more family programming.
West Plains: Harlin Museum
Consulting and volunteer training to improve the use of space and the visitor experience.

Historic Houses and Properties

Bowling Green: Champ Clark House - Honey Shuck Restoration
Improve focus of interpretive and activities planning.
Columbia: John William Boone Heritage Foundation
Complete an interpretive plan that expresses the cultural tourism potential of Blind Boone and American Popular Culture, 1880-1927; also interpretive planning for expressing African American history in Columbia.
Hannibal: Mark Twain Home Foundation
Address the geographic problem of upgrading the "old-fashioned" look of several historic properties when the Foundation created a state-of-the-art museum a few blocks away..
Independence: Hiram Young Health and Heritage Center
Brainstorming and visioning sessions with community stakeholders to develop scope and vision for heritage activities in a redeveloped local school which had served the African American population.
Kansas City: John Wornall House Museum
Multiple consulting visits to help the museum and its board expand on modernized practices and activities.
Kansas City: Trailside Center
Multiple consulting visits to improve visitor experiences at a multi-purpose community facility.
Lone Jack
Consult with the Lone Jack Historical Society to position it for more effective work connected with the Lone Jack Battlefield.
Mansfield: Laura Ingalls Wilder Home
Develop ideas to take a world heritage attraction into 21st century practices of visitor-centered thinking.
Poplar Bluff: Wheatley School Historic Preservation Association
Brainstorming and consulting on museum development and mission in the former African American school.
St. Louis: Chatillon-DeMenil Mansion
Assess overall operations and needs and recommend next steps.
St. Louis: Urban Museum Collaborative
Help the three best small museums in the city of St. Louis find common purposes and form an alliance to undertake mutually-beneficial upgrades in their practices, audience development, and relationships with local schools.

Tourism/Downtown Attractions

The Friends of Arrow Rock
Restudy their guided history tour, develop and implement a new plan.
Downtown Branson Main Street Association
Develop ideas for modernized, "i-pod friendly" content as part of a community history project and enhanced visitor attractions.
Friends of Historic Boonville
Find a new vision of how the Friends can involve the population in the interpretation of Boone, the man, and stories of humanity that are Boonville past and present
Downtown Lee's Summit Main Street Association
Consider what a downtown museum could become with more space.
North Kansas City Government
Consulting to create a conceptual vision for a centennial celebration.
Pulaski County Visitors Center, Waynesville
Visioning process for the interpretive style in a museum to be developed in the Visitors Center.
Salem Area Community Betterment Association
Assess the collections at the county museum and the potential for adaptive reuse of a specific property in town. Explore ways of developing better synergy among a number of cultural organizations in town, including a recently-created arts council.
Sedalia Area Chamber of Commerce
Identify attractive, appealing uses fo the historic Katy Depot enhancing visitor appreciation of the unique heritage of a "railroad town."
Sedalia Area Chamber of Commerce (Katy Depot Museum)
With Sedalia Heritage Foundation, umbrella sponsor for all heritage organizations in Sedalia, to work on a community-wide interpretive plan.
Springfield Urban Development Association
Organizing cultural tourism experiences focused on Route 66 heritage 1926-1966.
St. Joseph Museums
Consulting with the St. Joseph Convention and Visitors Bureau to common interests and purposes of multiple museums.
Ste. Genevieve Alliance of History Organizations
Multiple consulting visits and workshops to help an alliance take root and to provide a consistent interpretive approach in Ste. Genevieve.
Waverly Arts Council
Develop ideas for activities that will engage broad community interest in history and heritage for Cultural Tourism outcomes.

Workshops

Museum Conference on NAGPRA Law, UM-Columbia, Point Lookout, Branson
Workshop for museum volunteers and professionals on the Native American Grave Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA). Case studies of Andrew County Museum, St. Joseph Museum, UM Museum, Native American perspectives.
Tri County Historical Society, King City
Hands-on training for museum volunteers in methods of conservation, interpretation, and education