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:

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

Local Museums and Libraries

Historic Houses and Properties

Tourism/Downtown Attractions

Workshops

updated November 18, 2009