by editor Phillippa Pitts This year I kicked off a new project instead of pretending to have a New Year’s Resolution. Starting 2014 was like stepping onto a roller coaster anyway: finishing up at Tufts this spring and off to who knows where in a …
An incredibly generous travel grant to visit and work in London, England is now available through the Sir John Soan Museum Foundation. The deadline to apply is March 1, so you have plenty of time to apply! Purpose The purpose of the Sir John Soane’s …
by columnist Tegan Kehoe
Sometimes, you just need to get up on a soapbox for a moment to get something out of your system. I have some thoughts rolling around in my head that have been bothering me for … I don’t know how long now… and maybe if I blog about them, it will be a step towards being less antsy and more pragmatic about the issue. Maybe readers will be able to help me figure out where to go from here.
Why don’t more loud museums have quiet days? We’re all familiar with the growing trend that museums are becoming more active, interactive, and generally loud. There’s also a fair amount of buzz about the backlash, from people who go to museums for retreat and respite, or who like to observe museum objects in silent reverence. (Recently, this controversial article and the many responses, including this one.) On the whole, I agree with those who say that noisier museums are a good thing, and I’m frustrated by the overtones of elitism that sometimes creep into the arguments for more quiet. Still, we know that many people do like museums for their ability to provide retreat (think of John Falk’s category of “Refreshers”) and I wonder if there isn’t some way we can compromise. Continue reading The Wider World: Shh! It’s Tuesday
Happy start to the second semester, all! This week’s featured story is an amazing new online resource for curators (and educators, and lay-folk) interested in both art and history. The V&A Museum will publish its Nazi index of Degenerate Art as a free online resource. …
by columnist Tegan Kehoe You’ve met the rude tourists who come to Boston. Sure, there are good tourists, too, but every city has its own magnets for the bad. These tourists are the ones who think they’re clever by saying, “Pahk ya cah in Hahvahd …
In 2014, NEMA’s annual conference will be held here in Boston, Cambridge. Submit your proposal for a session by February 3 (one month from today!) The theme for this November is “Picture of Health: Museums, Wellness & Healthy Communities,” celebrating the role museums play in community wellness.