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Preliminary Conference ProgramThe following schedule of events listed is subject to change as programming is confirmed.All programming is included in InterActivity 2014 registration unless otherwise indicated (*).

Tuesday, May 13 Pre-Conference Schedule8:30 a.m.–5:00 p.m. Emerging Museums Pre-Conference*5:15 p.m.–6:00 p.m. New Attendee Orientation7:00 p.m.–9:00 p.m. Evening Event: Arizona Science Center*

Wednesday, May 14 Day 1 Schedule7:30 a.m.–8:45 a.m. Professional Networking Breakfast 8:45 a.m.–9:00 a.m. Promenade to Orpheum Theater9:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m. SmallTalks1:15 p.m.–2:30 p.m. Professional Development Sessions2:45 p.m.–4:00 p.m. Professional Development Sessions2:45 p.m.–5:00 p.m. Museum Study Tours*4:15 p.m.–5:30 p.m. Investigation Sessions6:30 p.m.–9:30 p.m. Evening Event: i.d.e.a Museum (formerly Arizona Museum for Youth)*

Thursday, May 15 Day 2 Schedule7:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m. ACM MarketPlace7:30 a.m.–8:45 a.m. ACM MarketPlace Breakfast9:00 a.m.–10:15 a.m. Plenary Session & ACM Great Friend to Kids Award Ceremony

Keynote: Ralph Smith, Senior VP, Annie E. Casey Foundation; Managing Director, Campaign for Grade Level Reading

10:30 a.m.–12:45 p.m. Museum Study Tours*10:30 a.m.–11:45 a.m. Professional Development Sessions11:45 a.m.–1:45 p.m. ACM MarketPlace Lunch2:00 p.m.–3:15 p.m. Professional Development Sessions3:15 p.m.–5:30 p.m. Museum Study Tours*3:15 p.m.–3:45 p.m. ACM MarketPlace Coffee Break3:45 p.m.–5:00 p.m. Investigation Sessions6:00 p.m.–7:00 p.m. CEO & Trustee Reception: Desert Botanical Garden*6:30 p.m.–9:30 p.m. Evening Event: Children’s Museum of Phoenix*

Friday, May 16 Day 3 Schedule7:30 a.m.–8:45 a.m. 2014 Promising Practice Award Reimagined Recognition Breakfast9:00 a.m.–10:15 a.m. Plenary Session

Keynote: Tom Kelley, General Manager, IDEO; Author of Creative Confidence: Unleashing the Creative Potential Within Us All

10:15 a.m.–10:45 a.m. Keynote Book Signing 10:45 a.m.–12:00 p.m. Professional Development Sessions

Friday, May 16 Post-Conference Schedule12:30 p.m.–4:30p.m. In Dialogue with International Children’s Museums

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Tuesday, May 13Emerging Museums Pre-Conference8:30 a.m.–5:00 p.m.Hyatt Regency PhoenixPre-registration is required; Member registration, $225, Non-member, $275. This event is restricted to emerging museums and individuals starting an emerging museum. Registration fee includes breakfast, lunch, ticket to the Arizona Science Center Evening Event, and materials.

Starting a children’s museum brings together passion that inspired its founding with a vision for how the museummight serve the social, cultural or educational needs of a community. To build credibility and support acrossa broad range of stakeholders, it is beneficial to establish the learning potential of your museum from thestart. Articulating the focus for the museum’s learning experiences and environments, whether this includesexhibits, drop-in programs, community outreach, school field trips, or a giant climber, is an essential step inthe process. Often captured in a document called the Museum Master Plan, the process provides the museumwith an opportunity to wrestle with and work out some big issues. Once completed, the museum master plancan be used with architects, exhibit developers and designers, program planners, fundraisers, and marketers.

Preliminary Agenda

8:30 a.m.–9:00 a.m. Breakfast

9:00 a.m.–9:15 a.m. Welcome

9:15 a.m.–10:15 a.m. Speed IntroductionsAttendees will have the opportunity to meet one another using a speed-dating format.

10:15 a.m.–10:30 a.m. Break

10:30 a.m.–11:30 a.m. Learning in MuseumsSeveral theories are at the center of the growing understanding of how learningoccurs in museums and other informal learning environments. This session willprovide an overview as well as questions to help your museum determine its approach to learning.

11:30 a.m.–12:15 p.m. From Visitor Service to Visitor Experience Planning for visitors has evolved from deciding what amenities to offer to an understanding that the learning experience starts at the front door. This sessionwill discuss criteria that meet visitor expectations for an engaging and multi-generational experience.

12:15 p.m.–1:00 p.m. LunchEnjoy lunch and conversation with follow attendees.

All images Hyatt Regency Phoenix© Hyatt Hotels

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1:00 p.m.–1:30 p.m. ACM ResourcesACM staff will provide a virtual tour of online resources and technical assistanceavailable to those in the process of starting a children’s museum.

1:30 p.m.–2:30 p.m. Learning EnvironmentsWhat at a children’s museum promotes creativity and problem solving? Whatpromotes cognitive processes and social development? This session will discusslearning areas such as, arts, STEM, and health, as well as approaches such as interactivity, play, and inquiry for both exhibits and programs that will distinguish the museum.

2:30 p.m.–2:45 p.m. Break

2:45 p.m.–3:45 p.m. Exhibits and ProgramsOnce the learning areas and approaches are determined planning turns to decisions about thematic organization, numbers and types of exhibits. Likewise, program goals and formats, audience groups and topics are determined. This session will survey the most effective practices and theirspace/physical requirements.

3:45 p.m.–4:45 p.m. Timelines and BudgetsThe museum master plan would not be complete without timelines and cost estimates. This session will discuss steps in developing, designing and creatingexhibits and programs together with budget estimates.

4:45 p.m.–5:00 p.m. Taking It Home & Closing

All images Hyatt Regency Phoenix© Hyatt Hotels

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New Attendee Orientation 5:15 p.m.–6:00 p.m.Hyatt Regency PhoenixIf you are attending InterActivity for the first time, join ACM for an orientation where you will learn how to getthe most out of the conference, meet members of the ACM staff, board, and the InterActivity 2014 ProgramCommittee as well as network with other newcomers.

Evening Event: Arizona Science Center7:00 p.m.–9:00 p.m.Pre-registration required; tickets are $40. Arizona Science Center welcomes the Association of Children’s Museums to Phoenix! Located in Heritage andScience Park in the heart of downtown Phoenix this venue offers 300+ phenomenal galleries and exhibits of immersion and interactivity. Visit with the phenomenal in house Astronomer and explore the Arizona skiesand constellations. Experience the thrill of a high-wire physics experiment and ignite your curiosity with livescience demonstrations. Visit the gift shop, Awesome Atoms, for some take home trinkets! Rock your bestmoves on the dance floor, sip on cocktails and feast on cuisine positioned throughout the venue. Don’t missthis special night of investigation and entertainment! Spend the evening at the Arizona Science Center andlearn the science of fun! Welcome to Phoenix!

Wednesday, May 14Professional Networking Breakfast 7:30 a.m.–8:45 a.m.Hyatt Regency PhoenixNetwork with peers over breakfast. Tables are organized by professional categories: Leadership, Exhibits, Education, Development, Marketing, Visitor Services, Finance, Membership, and Administration.

SmallTalks 9:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m.Orpheum Theater SmallTalks will combine the best formats from creative conferences from around the world. The goal of eachSmallTalk is to celebrate ideas and their power to change lives.

A Preview of SmallTalks Presenters & Ideas:Alberto Ríos, Arizona’s first poet-laureate, has won acclaim as a writer who uses language in lyrical and unexpected ways in both his poems and short stories. His work is informed by his upbringing in the bordertown of Nogales, Arizona, “where one is neither in this country nor the other.” Ríos grew up in a Spanish-speaking family but was forced to speak English in school, leading him to develop a third language, “one that was all our own,” as he described it. Jose David Saldivar wrote of Ríos, “Many of his important earlypoems dramatize the essence of this uncanny third language.”

Chris and Lena Jácome, a powerful husband & wife flamenco duo provides exceptionally exciting and thrillingflamenco performances that only a perfectly matched pair can manifest. Chris and Lena’s strong partnershipand artistic communication keep audiences mesmerized as they share an unforgettable experience filledwith flamenco music, dance, song and the profound connection of two kindred spirits sharing their love foreach other through their art.

Kimber Lanning founded Local First Arizona in 2003, a grassroots, nonprofit organization dedicated to raisingpublic awareness of the economic and cultural benefits provided by locally owned businesses. Her efforts inform, educate, and motivate consumers to support local enterprises while encouraging public policy thatenables locally owned and operated businesses to thrive. She works to educate citizens, stakeholders, businessleaders, and legislators about the significant environmental, economic, and cultural benefits of strong localeconomies.

Lunch On Your Own 12:00 p.m.–1:15 p.m.

Arizona Science Center

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A Guide to Concurrent Session Formats & StreamsThis year’s program features eight session formats and six thematic session streams designed to showcase the creativity and innovation that define our field. These formats are designed to promote interactive, conversational learning. Each stream will take a holistic look at our evolving institutions. Chart your own programming course and explore several session formats and streams.

Format Tags> Firestarter: A thought-provoking topic is explored through short presentations that fuel a Q & A

period or breakout discussions. Sessions close with a wrap-up of learning.

> Fishbowl: A transparent discussion among a defined group. Seated in the round, audience members join in when a seat becomes available.

> Lightning Round: Presenters are given brief microphone opportunities for a lightning-quick procession of ideas.

> Media Club: Facilitator uses video to provide a vivid catalyst for group discussion.

> Spectogram: A moderator makes a controversial statement, participants take a stand on the issue and the broad range of views is discussed.

> Talk Show: Traditional panel enlivened by a host and a vocabulary of ideas to draw on from televisiongame shows or interview approaches.

> Workshop: In depth sessions that focus on transferable professional skills such as managing your digitalfootprint, HR practices, succession planning, etc.

> World Café: Round tables set café-style with one topic per table. Participants spend 15 minutes discussing, and then rotate to the next table/topic.

Streams> Learning: Our institutions need to be effective learning institutions. Sessions in this stream

will explore new ideas and techniques around learning and young children/families/museums/lifelong engagement.

> Change: We need to confront and embrace change as a part of our individual, societal, and institutionalculture. Looking at the promising change happening in our communities, we will examine howto lead and manage through change as well as how to overcome the barriers to big change.

> Sustainability: We will discuss new business and philanthropy models that can sustain museumsand the field. Earned income will be examined. The mission/margin matrix of the futurewill be debated.

> Community: We will examine current and future issues impacting our audience and communities:demographics, socio-economic pressures, education reform, energy and environmental concerns, and more.

> Design: We will explore innovative ideas and successful outcomes related to exhibit and environmental design in children’s museums. Sessions may address considerations for developing an exhibit, renovating an existing space, creating a new space or constructing a new building.

> Collaboration: We will study the examples of successful collaboration models from many disciplines of nonprofit institutions and discuss their implications for children’s museums. This stream will look critically at what it takes to build meaningful local, national, and global relationships, and assess their impact on our institutions and constituents.

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Concurrent Professional Development Sessions1:15 p.m.–2:30 p.m.Convention Center

Campaign Roadshow: When Does the Fundraising Stop?Talk Show: Meet fundraising gurus who will offer their thoughts on when is it time to stop fundraising. Talk show hosts Michael and Kathy will ask pointed questions on how and should the field be in constantfundraising mode, how to handle donor fatigue, and how to measure fundraising success beyond the dollar.The studio audience will have an open invitation to ask our guests burning questions. The session is designedfor those who are involved in fundraising, museum leadership, and institutional planning, and/or those whowant to be.

Michael Shanklin, Kidspace Children’s MuseumKathy Gustafson-Hilton, Hands On! Inc.Neil Gordon, The Discovery MuseumsChevy Humphrey, Arizona Science CenterMike Yankovich, Children’s Museum of Denver

Guerilla Prototyping: Reimagining the Exhibit Design ProcessLightning Round: Explore the methods and mindset for rapidly creating exhibits and quickly testing ideas that strengthen the visitor experience, develop staff, and result in a more nimble organization. Usingeveryday materials and creative ways of thinking, guerilla prototyping offers a thoughtful, inexpensive, andeffective process to reimagine your museum. In addition to hearing from exhibit designers, educators, andmuseum directors, session attendees will create a prototype of their own and leave the session feeling ener-gized about what can be imagined.

Steve Tornallyay, Gyroscope, Inc.Erik Schurink, Long Island Children’s MuseumKate Marciniec, Boston Children’s MuseumRay Vandiver, Tulsa Children’s MuseumJamie Boyer, PhD, New York Botanical GardenJennifer Spitzer, Minnesota Children’s Museum

Building Evaluation CapacityWorld Café: Responding to the growing interest in evaluation and how to better incorporate it into everydaypractices across the informal learning community, this session will present practical approaches to help professionals integrate evaluative thinking into new and ongoing projects. Participants will spend about fifteen minutes at each of four tables to learn about a variety of evaluation tools, guides, and tips. The session will conclude with a moderated whole group discussion and wrap-up.

Ali Jackson, SciencenterCheryl McCallum, Children’s Museum of HoustonKim Kuta Dring, Stepping Stones Museum for ChildrenCecilia Garibay, Garibay Group

Demystifying Early MathFirestarter: Attitudes towards math start at an early age. Come to this session to learn what the latest researchfindings say about helping young children learn core mathematical concepts and an early love of math. Thissession will discuss foundational mathematics, the building blocks for later math learning, and ways in whichchildren’s museums can create fun, early math experiences for young children. Participants will engage inhands-on activities to illustrate early math concepts and techniques to help teachers, parents, and childrensee that math is all around us.

Stephanie Bynum, Kohl Children’s Museum of Greater ChicagoJennifer McCray, PhD, Erikson Institute Early Math Collaborative

Wednesday May 14

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Reimagining Children’s Museums: Putting Ideas in ActionWorld Café: Reflect upon the innovative ideas shared over the past three years in response to the call to action: What does it mean to experience a children’s museum in the 21st century? Participants will explorethe newly launched Reimagining Children’s Museums website in which they can uniquely tailor resources to develop a future-forward framework unique to their museum and its vision.

Heather Johnson, Association of Children’s MuseumsJessica Hubbard, Association of Children’s Museums

The Many Dimensions of InclusionLightning Round: Understanding exactly who you serve in your community and how to serve them in a warm and welcoming way is important to today’s children’s museums. This session will explore thought-provoking questions to evaluate whether or not you are reaching your potential as an inclusive space for your community in terms of accessibility, universal design, language, membership, funding, and more. Participants will walk away with a checklist of topics and questions that they can use again andagain to consider where they are and where they want to be in serving their ever-changing communities.

Ingrid Kanics, Kanics Inclusive Design Services, LLC

Early Learning and Brain Development, Part 1Workshop: Are you aware of the direct impact early learning has on brain development during the first five years? Learn how to adapt your museum’s exhibits and programs to maximize the experience of earlylearners. Participants will learn how to utilize the ABC’s of early brain development—attention, bonding,communication—as well as the key elements of security, touch, eyes, play, and sound.

Kelley Fitzsimmons, Children’s Museum of PhoenixJill Stamm, PhD, New Directions Institute for Infant Brain DevelopmentMelanie Martin, Children’s Museum of PhoenixJamie Lopez, New Directions Institute for Infant Brain Development

Collaborations: How to Fulfill Dreams and Avoid NightmaresTalk Show: Join a candid discussion about collaborative and network experiences and learn how to successfullynavigate the intricacies of working with other organizations to achieve mutual goals. Topics will includedealing with changing personnel, challenging personalities, and differing expectations. This session is intended for museum professionals looking to form new collaborations and networks, or to make their existing partnerships more successful.

Catherine McCarthy, Science Museum of MinnesotaJennifer Rei Cameron, Arizona Science CenterBetsy Loring, EcoTariumKeith Ostfeld, Children’s Museum of HoustonSam Dean, AmazeumSari Custer, Arizona Science Center

Food for ThoughtFirestarter: Many kid-focused family destinations have recently joined the healthy-eating campaign by providing “play food” exhibits. But are there additional opportunities we’re missing? This session will exploresimple programming opportunities for museums of any size, including taste-testing new flavors and makingsimple, healthy recipes while generating positive PR. Learn how a community health/advisory committeecan increase awareness of your museum and actively involve children in healthy food choices thorough cooperative play.

Kelly Parthen, Bean Sprouts Café and Cooking SchoolJennifer Lopez, Bean Sprouts Café and Cooking SchoolAmy Eisenmann, Bay Area Discovery Museum

Wednesday May 14

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Concurrent Professional Development Sessions2:45 p.m.–4:00 p.m.Convention Center

Breathe New Life and Greater Results into Individual GivingWorkshop: The majority of philanthropic dollars given in the U.S. come from individuals, yet major gift fundraising is generally underdeveloped in the children’s museum field. This session will explore the compelling data around individual giving, discuss donor identification and stewardship, building a case for support, and engaging a board in this work. Participants will work with panelists and each other to create custom individual giving work plans and processes to take home and implement.

Tanya Andrews, Children’s Museum of TacomaGretchen Kerr, Children’s Museum of DenverAnita Durel, Durel Consulting Partners, Inc.

Let’s Make Something!Workshop: Have you been considering creating a maker space and are wondering if it is right for you? Or maybe you just opened one and are looking for vital information to help it flourish? In this “Making 101” session, meet a variety of different museums, learn how they have approached making maker spaces in their museum, and examine a sampling of activities they’ve created for their varied audiences and environments.

Keith Ostfeld, Children’s Museum of HoustonAdam Nye, The Thinkery (formerly Austin Children’s Museum)Dana Monroe, Children’s Museum of DenverRebecca Grabman, Children’s Museum of PittsburghKristi Riedel, Portland Children’s Museum

Museums for All: Engaging Diverse Audiences through Access ProgramsWorld Café: As museums strive to ensure that their audiences reflect the diversity within their communities,they must confront the various barriers that discourage more families from visiting, whether those barriersare real or perceived. Examples include admission costs, hours of operation, perceived value, and lack ofidentification with the audience. This session will seek to develop a working definition of access in children’smuseums, with the goal of making the museum experience an equitable learning opportunity.

Leslie Walker, Please Touch MuseumTrapeta Mayson, Please Touch MuseumRachel Raizola, Children’s Museum of PhoenixDena Milliron, i.d.e.a. Museum (formerly Arizona Museum for Youth)

Corporate Volunteers: The Untapped ResourceTalk Show: We know that the commitment of volunteers aids in the successful operation of a museum and inthe strengthening of relationships between museums and their communities. We also know that companiesare becoming more civically minded. Come to this session to learn how to tap into the world of corporate volunteers, explore your museum’s needs, and embrace the opportunity to bring in skilled talent for meaningful and purposeful activities.

Sabrina Meyers, Children’s Museum of PhoenixTJ Dyer, Musical Instrument MuseumMaria Maskell, Arizona Public Service CompanyRick Harris, Bank of America

Wednesday May 14

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Building a Healthy Relationship with Your BoardWorkshop: Explore the characteristics of healthy CEO/board relationships and why they are critical to a museum’s bottom line. Participants will discuss implementation of a board mentoring program which leverages board member experience and relationships to develop individual understanding and participation.This session is designed for executive staff and those who interact with boards of directors around governance,development, or organizational effectiveness.

Jan Halpin, The Phoenix Philanthropy GroupJulie Iacobelli, The Phoenix Philanthropy GroupDeborah Whitehurst, The Phoenix Philanthropy Group

Early Learning and Brain Development, Part 2Workshop: In the second half of this two part session, learn about a research-based, parent-education program from New Directions Institute for Infant Brain Development that features innovative early learning tools. Participants will observe how this program can be implemented in the museum setting, interact with materials, learn about potential funding opportunities, and take away crucial messages about brain development to share with parents of young children.

Kelley Fitzsimmons, Children’s Museum of PhoenixJill Stamm, PhD, New Directions Institute for Infant Brain DevelopmentMelanie Martin, Children’s Museum of Phoenix Jamie Lopez, New Directions Institute for Infant Brain Development

Back from the BrinkTalk Show: Everyone loves a good turnaround story, especially when it outlines a path for organizationaltransformation that can be replicated. Join a museum trustee, a community funder, a new collaborative partner, and the new executive director of the Mid-Hudson Children’s Museum, as they discuss its re-emergence as a leading area non-profit. Attendees will learn how to work collaboratively with major funders to create a community vision, engage board members in high-level organizational change, incorporate pressing community needs into an organizational strategy, and then use this strategy to create a collaborative network and realize the collective impact of community partnership.

Lara Litchfield-Kimber, Mid-Hudson Children’s MuseumSam Dean, AmazeumKimberlee Kiehl, PhD, Smithsonian Early Enrichment CenterMichell Speight, Dyson FoundationWilliam Francis, Mid-Hudson Children’s Museum

How Are We Getting Kids School Ready?Talk Show/World Café: What is the role of children’s museums in the school readiness landscape, and how can children’s museums and school districts work together to jointly benefit children? Discover whatchildren’s museums are doing to promote school readiness initiatives, what lessons have been learned, and what else can be done to position children’s museums as catalysts to help kids succeed in school andin lifelong learning.

Pam Hartley, Marbles Kids Museum (moderator)Alyssa Tongue, Children’s Museum of TacomaHardin Engelhardt, Marbles Kids MuseumJeri Robinson, Boston Children’s MuseumIrene Jimenez, Long Island Children’s MuseumDawn Dawson, Wake County Public School System

Wednesday May 14

Making Digital Marketing, Mobile Technology & Social Media Work for YouWorkshop: Which digital vehicles work best for your organization? How many platforms are too many to manage?What are the legal ramifications of social media? Learn how to leverage email marketing, mobile text blasts,and relevant social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Pinterest, and Instagram to engage andcultivate audiences, community and media relations, business development, and event promotions.

Latonya S. Jordan-Smith, i.d.e.a. Museum (formerly Arizona Museum for Youth)Marion Weiner, Children’s Museum of PhoenixJulia Kennard, EdVenture Children’s Museum

IMLS Grant Programs, National Initiatives, and Commitment to ChildrenTalk Show: Do you know all the ways the Institute for Museum and Library Services (IMLS) supports children andyouth? Receive a brief introduction to IMLS grant programs available to children’s museums while learning moreabout national initiatives that focus on children and youth—Early Learning, Campaign for Grade Level Reading, STEM,Let’s Move, and Learning Labs. IMLS staff will be joined by grantees from the children’s museum community doingexemplary work in these areas.

Reagan Moore, Institute for Museum and Library ServicesClaudia French, Institute for Museum and Library Services

Museum Study Tours2:45 p.m.–5:00 p.m.Tours depart from Hyatt Regency PhoenixPre-registration required; tickets are $25.

Tour A:Children’s Museum of PhoenixGet an in-depth and informative tour through the Children’s Museum of Phoenix that will share innovativeideas on incorporating exercise and movement throughout your own museum. The Children’s Museum ofPhoenix may have been voted one of the top 10 children’s museums in the country, but the learning and fundoesn’t stop with the whimsical approach and attention to detail throughout the exhibits. Partnerships withlocal organizations such as St. Vincent de Paul and the Special Olympic Young Athletes Program have fosteredinteractive fitness programs that trained floor staff integrate into the exhibit areas on any given day. Staff willshare the importance of physical fitness with caregivers and provide suggestions for continuing the physicalexercise with similar activities at home. The programs open new channels for leaning and movement forevery child, but especially for children with special needs and children at risk for diabetes and obesity.

Tour B: Arizona Science Center Explore some of the Science Center’s seven themed galleries that contain more than 300 hands-on exhibits. Experience the newest gallery The W.O.N.D.E.R. Center, which examines the anatomy of the brain, neuroscience, development, and thought.

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Wednesday May 14

Arizona Science Center

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Investigation Sessions4:15 p.m.–5:30 p.m.Convention Center

1) Advocating for Our Youngest LearnersThere is a long road ahead in the fight to advocate the benefits of quality early childhood education. Over the past year, the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) and the Association of Children’s Museums (ACM) have teamed up to develop effective messaging to get powerbrokers to stop,listen, and act. Learn about the progress made thus far and join the team to further the campaign.

Jane Werner, Children’s Museum of PittsburghWalter F. Drew, EdD, Institute for Self Active Education, Inc.; NAEYC Play, Policy & Practice Interest ForumMarcia L. Nell, PhD, Millersville University; NAEYC Play, Policy & Practice Interest Forum

2) Creative Problem Solving Using Design ThinkingThe concept of Design Thinking has gained significant recognition in several disciplines including businessand engineering. Design thinking can be described as a creative, multidisciplinary, human-centered approachto solving complex problems. Indeed, children’s museums are trying to solve complex problems such as obesity, kindergarten readiness, and grade level reading. Further, ACM’s Reimagining Children’s Museumsproject asked, “How might children’s museums create a 21st century learning experience?” In this session, attendees will be introduced to design thinking and its structured approach to generating and developingnew solutions. Learn how design thinking can help you reimagine your museum.

Evening Event: i.d.e.a. Museum’s Night of Delight6:30 p.m.–9:30 p.m.Pre-registration required; tickets are $45. Bring your imagination to the i.d.e.a. Museum for this night of creativity as we welcome you to Mesa and celebrate the child within all of us! Explore the exhibition Art of the Robot and make your own robotic masterpiece. Design your own glasses in Face Frames, create a short film with Snap Flix developed by Arizona State University’s College of Innovation & Technology, or have a few laughs in the Camp Out! glow-in-the-dark room. Opportunities to create are abound throughout the museum. Sip on a signaturedrink at the bar under the stars in our Atrium or enjoy the delicious dinner buffet. Be entertained and boogieto the beat of a live band. When the night is over you’ll easily drift off to sleep from a night of sheer delight!

Wednesday May 14

i.d.e.a. Museum

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Thursday, May 15ACM MarketPlace 7:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m.The ACM MarketPlace is a central part of the InterActivity experience. For one day only, West of the Phoenix Convention Center will be is reimagined as marketplace of inspiring program ideas, creative product and service solutions, exhibit models that are ready to rent and design prototypes ready to be customized for your children’s museum. More than 92 percent of conference attendees report that the ACM MarketPlace is an essential resource for finding and learning about vendors and partners. For more information on exhibiting in the MarketPlace, please visit www.ChildrensMuseums.org.

ACM MarketPlace Breakfast 7:30 a.m.–8:45 a.m.All InterActivity registrants are invited to explore the exhibit hall throughout the day; complimentary breakfast will be hosted in the ACM MarketPlace.

Plenary Session & ACM Great Friend to Kids Award Ceremony9:00 a.m.–10:15 a.m.ACM will present its 2014 Great Friend to Kids Award to Ralph Smith. The award is presented annually at InterActivity and honors those who have made significant contributions to strengthening education and advancing the interests of children. ACM selected Mr. Smith for his outstanding leadership in the national effort to increase rates of third-grade reading proficiency through the Campaign for Grade Level Reading.

Keynote Address: Ralph Smith, Senior Vice President of the Annie E. Casey Foundation and Managing Director for the Campaign for Grade Level Reading, will talk about the national effort to increase rates reading proficiency by third grade—a predictor of school success and high school graduation.

Speaker Biography: As Managing Director for the Campaign for Grade-Level Reading, a national effort to increase rates of third-grade reading proficiency, especially for children from low-income families, Ralph Smith pursues a mission that has been a personal passion throughout his career: improving academic outcomes, and with them the life chances, of children from low-income homes.

As Senior Vice President of the Annie E. Casey Foundation, which fosters public policies, human-service reforms,and community supports that more effectively meet the needs of today's vulnerable children and families,Smith has served on the senior leadership team of the Foundation since 1994. He led the design, development,and management of the Foundation's Making Connections initiative, a comprehensive effort to help communitiesimprove outcomes for children by strengthening families and neighborhoods.

A member of the Law Faculty at the University of Pennsylvania for two decades, Smith is a nationally recognizedlegal scholar and attorney with expertise in corporate and securities law as well as education law and policy.He also served as Chief of Staff and Chief Operating Officer for the School District of Philadelphia, and as asenior advisor to former Philadelphia Mayor Wilson Goode on children and family policy. As the founding director of both the National Center on Fathers and Families and the Philadelphia Children's Network, Smithhelped launch and lead what is now known as the Responsible Fatherhood movement.

Mr. Smith is a nationally recognized leader in U.S. philanthropy. He served on the Board of Directors of theCouncil on Foundations from 2000 to 2010. He also has served on the boards of the Foundation Center, WellsFargo Regional Foundation, Venture Philanthropy Partners, the Clinton Center on Community Philanthropy,and the Annenberg Institute for School Reform.

Ralph SmithManaging Director forthe Campaign for GradeLevel Reading

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Museum Study Tours10:30 a.m.–12:45 p.m.Pre-registration required; tickets are $25. Participants should meet in the lobby of the Hyatt Regency Phoenixat 10:30 a.m. Buses will depart promptly at 10:40 a.m. and return by 12:45 p.m.

Tour C:i.d.e.a. Museum, Mesa Do you ever wonder what it takes to create an exhibition with real art work and inspiring interactives next toone another in the same gallery? Visit the i.d.e.a. Museum and see the large workshop space, hear from theteam how they create exhibits onsite, and how staff worked with Gyroscope, Inc. to bring the Hub to life.Enjoy a tour of Art of the Robot. Museum Curator Jeffory Morris, Curator of Education Dena Milliron, and Exhibit Designer Rex Witte will share how an exhibition is developed from start to finish. Dress comfortably as this is a hands-on session.

Tour D:Arizona Museum of Natural History, Mesa Join Education staff for an interactive tour of the galleries and explore 4.5 billion years of history! After thetour we will spend time in the Exploration Station, a space which encourages inquiry through creativity anddiscovery. The mission of the Exploration Station is to foster a child’s ability to make cognitive connectionsbetween our exciting exhibitions and their perception of the world. You will have fun participating in low tech low cost interactives. Adult and teen volunteers will tour with us to demonstrate how they make it all possible.

Thursday May 15

Arizona Museum of Natural History

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Concurrent Professional Development Sessions10:30 a.m.–11:45 a.m.

Cultivate Donors, Not ShoppersFirestarter: For organizations dependent on contributed revenue, nothing is more important than relationshipswith constituents. But did you know that focusing on the tangible benefits of donating or becoming a membercould be negatively impacting your ability to solicit donations in the future? Join our panel discussion toidentify the type of relationship your organization has with its constituents, the impacts of your strategies,and what you can do to build future donor relationships.

Julia Kennard, EdVenture Putter Bert, KidsQuest Children’s MuseumStephanie Lim Capello, Please Touch MuseumLaura Beussman, BlackbaudJay Odell, Blackbaud

Neighborhoods of Change and the New Paradigm: Reimagining Children’s Museums Case StudiesWorkshop: Ch-ch-ch-changes! Examine the significant roles that children’s museums are playing and canplay in community transformation and revitalization. First, revisit the concept of children’s museums as thenew public squares, hubs of intergenerational activities, and engagement. Next, learn how your museum can be a catalyst for revitalization of its neighborhood and finally, how collective impact initiatives are shaping visions for the future.

Doug Suisman, Suisman Urban DesignAnthony Bridgeman, The Children’s Museum of IndianapolisRhonda Kiest, Stepping Stones Museum for Children

Growing Excellence: Applying Standards at Your MuseumWorkshop: Children’s museums are in an exciting period of growth and success, and a critical element to sustainthis trajectory is a commitment to standards—field-wide core standards and children’s museum-specificstandards. Find out how applying standards to your museum’s operations is achievable and can help it showcase its achievements, increase its professionalism, and enhance its reputation and service to its community. Leave inspired to strive to meet the standards, with tips on how your museum can start applying the standards regardless of its resources or organizational lifecycle, and with an understanding of how the standards can help galvanize your staff and trustees.

Sheridan Turner, Kohl Children’s Museum of Greater ChicagoJulie Hart, American Alliance of MuseumsVictoria Garvin, Association of Children’s Museums

The Floor Staff-Education ConnectionWorld Café: As your largest team, the floor staff has amazing opportunities to connect visitors to the educationalvalue of exhibits, programs, and play. This session will explore multiple approaches to enhancing visitors’ educational experiences and understanding of the educational value of children’s museums. We will look at the role of floor staff at an organizational level in both large and small museums, individual museums’strategies for making this connection, training approaches, and evaluation opportunities.

Alison Luk, KidsQuest Children’s MuseumSarah Bigley, KidsQuest Children’s MuseumSara Sherman, Omaha Children’s MuseumShira Abraham, Omaha Children’s Museum

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Beyond Making—Creating Museum ExperiencesLightning Round: This session will have you examining your own thinking and assumptions about educationalprogramming, imaginative play, and children’s theater. Each presenter will provide examples of museum programming that moves beyond craft and maker-based activities to programming designed to engage thelearner in experiences. Find ways to incorporate song and dance, movement in response to art work, shortplays and larger scale children’s theater productions at your museum.

Sally Otis, National Building Museum Alice Gonglewski, Please Touch MuseumDavid Hutchman, Please Touch MuseumAnna Rooney, Children’s Museum of Winston-Salem

Engaging Bilingual AudiencesLightning Round: Whether you want to reach Spanish speaking or other bilingual audiences and don’t knowwhere to start, or you already have bilingual programs and want to enhance your offerings, this session is foryou. Learn about available resources and ways to promote and increase participation. Hear what a variety ofmuseums are doing to reach new audiences and take away simple strategies to present bilingual programs ina meaningful, relevant way.

Aaron Guerrero, Children’s Museum of HoustonHardin Engelhardt, Marbles Kids MuseumRenee Guerrero, WOW! Children’s MuseumKarlisa Callwood, Miami Science MuseumAli Jackson, Sciencenter

Membership: Financial Boost or Institutional Drain?Spectrogram: Are children’s museum members a source of long-term support or contributing to resource fatigue? Members boost revenue and act as our greatest advocates; but as consumers, they may drain resourceswith frequent free visits, building wear-and-tear, and low donor conversion rates. Museums large and smallcan be affected. Examine the pros and cons of museum memberships and gain an understanding of howmemberships can better sustain/support your museum as well as the possible drawbacks of a rapidly ex-panding member base.

Christy O’Shea Novak, Minnesota Children’s MuseumCallie Siegel, Children’s Museum of ManhattanMarion Wiener, Children’s Museum of Phoenix

Bringing Reggio HomeTalk Show: In November 2013, a group of 50 children’s museums participated in a week-long study tour toReggio Emilia, Italy. Join this session for a dialogue with some of the tour participants who will share theirevolving insights into principles and practices reflecting the perspective of different cities, museums, androles. Panelists will discuss how museums and their allies can incorporate and adapt Reggio practices, including parent engagement, community engagement, and documentation to support children and families in their communities.

Jeanne Vergeront, Vergeront Museum PlanningJulia Bland, Louisiana Children’s MuseumStuart Young, BCRA Design

How to Rock YOUR Museum!Talk Show: What’s that you hear? It’s music to your ears! In this session, participants will learn how to bringchildren’s musicians to their museum. Explore the logistics of booking musicians, feedback from staff and patrons, and the educational benefits of musical performances. Join us as we discuss how to create successfulmusic experiences at YOUR museum.

Kelley Fitzsimmons, Children’s Museum of PhoenixStefan Shepherd, ZooglobbleLucky Diaz/Alisha Gaddis, Lucky Diaz and the Family Jam BandJim Packard, Long Island Children’s MuseumKathy Rowe, Music Together in Phoenix, LLC

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Enhance Your Evaluation Efforts: Tools and Techniques to Refresh, Restart, and Refine Your WorkWorld Café: Children’s museums are working steadily to measure the impact of visitor experiences on children,adults, and the community. This session will include an overview, three roundtable discussions, 1) using others’research to inform your practice, 2) logic models and evaluation purposes, 3) writing effective questions, plusa group wrap up. Attendees will receive handouts to continue their exploration after the conference. The sessionis designed for those who have some experience developing and conducting evaluations, but want to restart,redefine, or renew their practice.

Caren S. Oberg, Oberg Research, LLCLorrie Beaumont, Evergreene Research and Evaluation, LLCCheryl Kessler, Blue Scarf Consulting, LLC

Play It Forward: Elements of a Successful Request for ProposalWorkshop: Using Explore & More Children’s Museum’s expansion proposal, selected by the Erie Canal HarborDevelopment Corporation as part of Buffalo’s waterfront revitalization project, this workshop will delve intothe complex, comprehensive, and integrated master planning process necessary to achieve maximum impact. Learn how each element in master planning creates a road map for getting to “there.”

Maeryta Medrano, AIA, Gyroscope, Inc.Barbara Park Leggett, Explore & More Children’s MuseumBob Brais, ConsultEcon

Journeys of Emergence and ReinventionMedia Club: This session begins with a short documentary film that follows a year in the life of a developinginstitution in Detroit. Afterwards, there will be conversation and questions with the panel—all of whom con-tributed to the film—on the lessons learned while developing a new children’s museum or re-inventing one.

Elizabeth Cannella, Imaginosity Discovery CenterPatricia Miller-Hurley, Imaginosity Discovery CenterSusan Garrard, Mississippi Children’s MuseumAlicen Blanchard, Mississippi Children’s MuseumCathlin Bradley, Cloudberry StudioSharon Klotz, Alchemy Studio

ACM MarketPlace Lunch 11:45 a.m.–1:45 p.m.All InterActivity registrants are invited to explore the exhibit hall throughout the day; complimentary lunchwill be hosted in the ACM MarketPlace.

Concurrent Professional Development Sessions2:00 p.m.–3:15 p.m.Convention Center

Not Just for CEOs: The Case for Developing Mid-Level LeadershipTalk Show: Join a discussion focusing on how the children’s museum field can more actively develop adaptive leadership skills for leaders at all levels of the organization, and why leadership development matters especially for mid-career professionals. Participants will explore how skill building, reflective practice, and peer networks can strengthen both individuals and organizations. The session will also examine the importance of risk taking, active learning, deep listening, making mistakes, and finding new ways to unbundle leadership challenges.

Marsha Semmel, Noyce Leadership Institute (moderator)Blake Wiegdahl, Thanksgiving PointBrenda Baker, Madison Children’s MuseumChris Seifert, Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh Gail Ringel, Association of Children’s Museums

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Innovative Early Literacy CollaborationTalk Show: Community partnerships with non-museum institutions are important to today’s children’s museums. Learn about San Antonio Children’s Museum’s collaboration with the San Antonio Public Library,and the way in which the two are working together to positively impact early literacy. Examine the efficacy of partnerships between diverse organizations that have different audience bases but share common goals,and gain inspiration to create your own collaborative partnerships.

Robin Voight, San Antonio Children’s MuseumViki Ash, San Antonio Public LibraryCheryl Bartholow, Argyle Design, Inc.Lorrie Beaumont, Evergreene Research and Evaluation, LLC

Engaging an Early Childhood Audience in Maker SpacesWorkshop: Maker and tinkering spaces are established in many museums, but it can be a challenge to findmaterials and strategies for effectively engaging young children. This immersive workshop will explore theways in which design experiences and environments in museum settings can be appropriately scaffolded for young children while supporting productive family participation in making. Through hands-on activitystations, participants will discover what elements of activity design, materials, tools, and facilitation contribute to successful experiences for children age four to seven.

Monika Mayer, Lawrence Hall of ScienceEllen Blinderman, Lawrence Hall of ScienceAdam Nye, The Thinkery (formerly Austin Children’s Museum)Janella Watson, New York Hall of ScienceRebecca Gragman, Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh

City Landlord: Blessing or Curse?Firestarter: Finding an appropriate yet cost-effective building for a new or expanding museum requires skillfulnegotiation and a clear vision of future needs. While some children’s museums have crafted win-win contractswith their cities as landlords, there are many challenges and unintended consequences to this model. Participantswill explore diverse perspectives of the city landlord relationship and develop negotiating toolboxes to helpthem move forward in the search for a new museum home.

Nancy Stice, Children’s Museum of PhoenixStephanie Lim Capello, Please Touch MuseumSue Broad, DuPage Children’s Museum

Improving Experiences for Children with DisabilitiesWorkshop: This interactive session will inspire participants with ways to offer unique play opportunities forchildren with disabilities. By equipping children of all abilities with inclusive environments and the skills toplay together independently, all children will feel nurtured, encouraged, respected, and active during play, therebycreating a sense of community among all children. Attendees will explore how to foster friendships, breakdown barriers, and promote disability awareness through unique exhibits, programs, and intentional design.

Jennie Sumrell, PlayCoreMarcos Stafne, PhD, Brooklyn Children’s MuseumJayne Griffin, EdD, Creative Discovery Museum

Boosting Morale with a Minimal BudgetFishbowl: What do dress down days, reserved parking spaces, and staff potlucks have in common? They all helpwith teambuilding among your staff and increase morale. These cost-effective activities can lead to an overallincrease in positive attitude, which will translate to your museum floor and increase positive visitor experiences.Bring ideas, both successful and unsuccessful, to contribute to the discussion in this interactive session.

Melanie Martin, Children’s Museum of PhoenixKendra Decker, Children’s Museum TucsonJeremiah Sazdanoff, Children’s Museum of PhoenixAlicen Blanchard, Mississippi Children’s MuseumSydney Pinnen, Mississippi Children’s Museum

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The Pros and Cons of Satellite LocationsFishbowl: Is your museum considering a satellite location? Hear from CEO’s who are currently operating orcontemplating a satellite location as they share their insights and efforts. This session is designed for CEOswho want to better understand the pros and cons of satellite locations, identify ways to better serve membersof the community who may not have access to the main museum location, and gain a deeper appreciation ofhow a satellite location can impact a museum’s bottom line, brand, and profile in the community. Attendeeswill be invited into the fishbowl to ask questions and to share ideas or experiences.

Kathy Gustafson-Hilton, Hands On! Inc. (moderator)Dianne Krizan, Minnesota Children’s MuseumLindy J. Hoyer, Omaha Children’s MuseumKaren S. Coltrane, Children’s Museum of RichmondMichael Luria, Children’s Museum TucsonChevy Humphrey, Arizona Science Center

Onsite School in Sight?Firestarter: Many children’s museums have successfully incorporated a school into their operation, but thechallenges can be as significant as the rewards. Four museums present their experiences establishing a pri-vate preschool, leasing to a Head Start program, or running a public charter school within their facilities.These presentations will be followed by a group discussion of experiences from other museums, as well as aQ&A for those museums contemplating an on-site school.

Ruth Shelly, Portland Children’s MuseumJane Werner, Children’s Museum of PittsburghDeborah Spiegelman, Miami Children’s MuseumTanya Andrews, Children’s Museum of Tacoma

ACM Going Wild! Great Outdoor ExhibitsMedia Club: Learn about developing great outdoor natural play exhibits from ACM’s three Going Wild at Children’s Museums pilot sites. Panelists will share their experiences with site development, fabrication, installation, visitor experiences, and evaluation. Relive their journeys through design plans, photographs, and time-lapse video.

Greg Belew, Hands On! Inc. (moderator)Patty Belmonte, Hands On Children’s MuseumJoanne Morrell, Kansas Children’s Discovery CenterBrenda Baker, Madison Children’s Museum

Multimedia Global ConnectionsWorkshop: Stepping Stone Museum for Children received the 2013 MetLife Foundation and ACM PromisingPractice Replication Award for its Multimedia Global Connections initiative. The museum will present itsnewly launched online toolkit with replication resources. Museum representatives share lessons and insightsabout how to connect children in the U.S. with children in countries around the globe and vice versa.

Hyla Crane, Stepping Stones Museum for ChildrenMichael Prescott, Stepping Stones Museum for Children

Learning Value of Children’s Museums Research AgendaFirestarter: In September 2013, ACM convened over 100 children’s museum leaders, researchers, evaluators,and educators, together with independent and academic researchers with the purpose of building a field-wide research agenda. Join this session for a discussion of key research agenda questions about impact, fam-ily learning, community ecosystems, and growing a culture of research in museums. To start the session,panelists will share how they have used the research agenda at their institutions.

Victoria Garvin, Association of Children’s Museums (moderator)

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Developmentally Appropriate Practice and Children’s MuseumsWorld Café: This session will focus on Developmentally Appropriate Practice (DAP), the foundation of work for the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). Learn about the three core considerations of the DAP framework: knowing about child development and learning, knowing what is individually appropriate, and knowing what is culturally important. The session will explore issues including serving different age groups, using open-ended approaches, and involving families in their children’s learning.

Kathleen Charner, NAEYCPeter Pizzolongo, NAEYCMartha Munoz, Northern Arizona University

Museum Study Tours3:15 p.m.–5:30 p.m.Pre-registration required; tickets are $25.

Tour E:Pueblo Grande Museum and Archaeological ParkExplore the ancient heart of Phoenix! During this visit you will be led on a guided tour along a 2/3 mile trail that takes you through a 1,500 year old prehistoric Hohokam archaeological village site with a partiallyexcavated platform mound, ballcourt, and replicated prehistoric houses. Then visit the museum’s three galleries—the main gallery displays artifacts of the Hohokam and discusses the site of Pueblo Grande; the children’s hands-on gallery has activities to help kids learn about the science of archaeology; and the changing gallery features exhibits on various topics from archaeology, southwest cultures, and Arizona history. Wear your walking shoes!

Tour F:Halle Heart Children’s Museum, Tempe Take an amazing journey at Halle Heart Children’s Museum and learn the science behind the heart throughsensory and interactive experiences led by the museum’s Heart Guides. As a program of the American HeartAssociation, the museum is one of kind. Heart Guides will share the museum’s three main principles: eat a balanceddiet, exercise daily, and say no to tobacco. You’ll take home ideas about how to promote heart-healthy living at your museum.

ACM MarketPlace Coffee Break3:15 p.m.–3:45 p.m.Enjoy a complimentary coffee break hosted in the ACM MarketPlace.

Investigation Sessions 3:45 p.m.–5:00 p.m.

1) i.d.e.a. Museum: The Future has ArrivedFor the Arizona Museum for Youth (AMY), the journey to become the i.d.e.a. Museum—which stands forImagination, Design, Experience, Art—began in 2011 with a project named Image for the Future supportedby the Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust. The initial phase included a deep-dive audience research study.Analysis of audience data provided clear and strategic direction for the museum. To guide brand developmentefforts, the museum collaborated with a local marketing firm that used CrowdSpring, an online logo, graphicdesign and naming website to engage the community and designers, writers, and artists from around theworld. To reimagine the learning environment, the museum visited hybrid museums and sought internationalcollaborations with artists and innovators. AMY’s transformation to the i.d.e.a. Museum will be complete inearly 2014. Gain insights about the process and take home ideas about how to create the future of your museum.

Sunnee O’Rork, i.d.e.a. MuseumJames Chung, Reach AdvisorsJohn Willie, Creative EngineJudy Jolley Mohraz PhD, The Virginia G. Piper Charitable TrustLatonya Jordan-Smith, i.d.e.a. Museum

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Pubelo Grande MuseumMound Tour © Bob Rink

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2) Peer to Peer Roundtable Discussions New to InterActivity 2014: Join your fellow children’s museum professionals in an informal setting to investigateideas, issues, challenges, and possibilities—both practical and philosophical through conversation. Tablemoderators will introduce a topic and facilitate the discussion. Stay at one roundtable discussion, or movebetween roundtables to touch on multiple topics. The choice is yours. Topics include:

Bringing Play into the CommunityModerator: Bob Dean, Grand Rapids Children’s Museum

Why Teens Matter to Children’s MuseumsModerator: Marcos Stafne, PhD, Brooklyn Children’s Museum

Starting a Children’s Museum Idea ExchangeModerator: Peter Chang, Child Creativity Lab

Museum and Library CollaborationsModerator: Rachel Stein, Eastern Shore Regional Library

Using Technology in Your MuseumModerator: Kevin Dilley, Sciencenter

Small Exhibit Idea ExchangeModerator: John Ito, KidsQuest Children’s Museum

Creating a Successful Community Advisory CommitteeModerator: Patrice Keet, Santa Cruz Children’s Museum of Discovery

CEO & Trustee Reception: Desert Botanical Garden 6:00 p.m.–7:00 p.m.Leave from the Hyatt Regency PhoenixPre-registration required; tickets are $35. The Children's Museum of Phoenix invites museum CEOs and trustees to experience the true beauty of theSonoran Desert at a reception held on the Ullman Terrace in the renowned Desert Botanical Garden. Thisspacious outdoor tiered patio is surrounded by soft petal reflective lights and up-lit saguaros. If you are lucky,you may be able to catch a glimpse of one of the twenty one stunning works of art by Dale Chihuly, which arecurrently on exhibition throughout the Garden.

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Dale Chihuly; Red Reeds; 2013 Desert Botanical Garden; Phoenix Photo by: Scott M. Leen

Dale Chihuly; Scarlet Asymmetrical Tower and Yellow Asymmetrical Tower; 2013 Desert Botanical Garden; Phoenix Photo by: Scott M. Leen

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Evening Event: It’s a PLAY DATE at the Children’s Museum of Phoenix6:30 p.m.–9:30 p.m.Pre-registration required; tickets are $45.

It’s a Play Date like no other. A night for grown-ups to come out and play. This retro-inspired evening is theMuseum’s signature adult event and you get to experience it all! Bring your inner child and build a blanketfort, ride a trike, get lost in the Noodle Forest, make a meal in Texture Café, and create a masterpiece in theArt Studio. Thrill to classic retro games and toys—think Rock ’Em, Sock ’Em Robots, Toss Across, Twister,Chutes and Ladders, plus take aim in the Nerf gun shooting gallery or on the HUGE Atari 2600 Video GameWall. Just be sure to watch your toes when our GIANT Jenga blocks come tumbling down! Then, pick outsome props and take a photo in our free photo booth. Grab some crayons to color some retro coloring pages.Make your own “Play Date” button. Or sit in on a couple rounds of Candy Bar Bingo for a chance to win fullsize candy bars and a King Size Hershey Bar at the top of the hour! See first-hand why our iconic, one-of-a-kind,three-story Climber is referred to as the most awesome tree house ever—it’s like…Tree-House-Zilla! Toquench your thirst and feed your hunger, enjoy delicious southwest inspired food and bars on each floor of the Museum. But don’t worry, there will also be a live DJ to help you dance away those extra calories!

Play Date Dance FloorChildren’s Musuem of Phoenix© CMP

Play Date Video WallChildren’s Musuem of Phoenix© CMP

Play Date Pedle PowerChildren’s Musuem of Phoenix© CMP

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Friday, May 162014 Promising Practice Award Reimagined Recognition Breakfast7:30 a.m.–8:45 a.m.Network with peers over breakfast. Celebrate the recipients of the 2014 MetLife Foundation and ACM PromisingPractice Award Reimagined. Since 1999, the Promising Practice Awards have recognized excellence and innovationin children’s museums practices. Over the program’s 15 year history, the award has built a body of knowledgeand replicable practices that have advanced the field. This year, the award focus will shift from recognition toincubation of innovative and creative ideas. In conjunction with ACM’s three-year project, ReimaginingChildren’s Museums, the award itself is reimagined!

Plenary Session9:00 a.m.–10:15 a.m.

Keynote Address: Tom Kelley, general manager of IDEO, seasoned innovation practitioner, and author, willdiscuss his recent book, Creative Confidence: Unleashing the Creative Potential Within Us All (2013), whichspeaks to children’s museums through its acknowledgement of the power that playful, interactive, and collaborative learning experiences have in sparking curiosity and nurturing the creative spirit.

Speaker Biography: Tom Kelley practices innovation every day. His ability to foster a culture of creativity in thecompanies he works with has made him one of the most beloved figures in innovation. Tom’s newest book,Creative Confidence, is an out-of-the-box success; in its first week, it was already among the best-selling businessbooks in the country, leading the field in motivational leadership and problem-solving. Creative Confidenceis a guide to recognizing and unleashing the creative potential in every employee. Too often, companies andindividuals assume that creativity and innovation are the domain of the “creative types”—artists, writers, thedesign team. But every one of us has the potential to be creative; creativity is a mindset that anyone can cultivate, not a personality trait you either have or you don’t. And in a marketplace where competitiveness is defined by innovation, the more creativity you unlock across the board, the more likely you are to succeed.Creative Confidence was co-written with Tom’s brother David Kelley, the founder of IDEO and creator of theStanford d.school, and the book draws on both brothers’ extensive work through these institutions with manyof the world’s top companies.

This is just the latest step in Tom’s highly respected career as a leader in innovation management and design.Under his management, IDEO has won more admiration and awards than any other design firm in the lastdecade. At the heart of IDEO’s success is the Creative Confidence philosophy: everyone can contribute creatively to a project if innovation is part of an organization’s way of life. Tom’s earlier books include The Art of Innovation,which describes IDEO’s “deep dive” approach to successful product creation, focusing on brainstormingand teamwork as invaluable tools. The Ten Faces of Innovation shares ten unique strategies for making surethat good ideas make it to market.

Tom was named the first-ever Executive Fellow by the Dean of the Haas Business School, University of CaliforniaBerkeley, and received the 2009 Kellogg Award for Distinguished Leadership from the Kellogg School of Man-agement, Northwestern University.

Keynote Book Signing10:15 a.m.–10:45 a.m.

Tom KelleyGeneral Manager, IDEO

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Concurrent Professional Development Sessions10:45 a.m.–12:00 p.m.

Nature Maker SpacesFirestarter: Children today are less connected with nature than ever before, which has significant consequencesto their understanding of the world as well as their intellectual and developmental well-being. Learn aboutthe powerful, first-hand experiences of Nature Maker Spaces and the potential they create to increase visitation,multi-generational engagement, educational opportunities, development, and generate revenue.

Tobey Eugenio, Heritage Museums & GardensJustine Roberts, Consultant Joseph P. Cox, EcoTariumPaula Peterson, The Children’s Museum in EastonCybil Guess, The Thinkery (formerly Austin Children’s Museum)

Art and Technology in Creative LearningMedia Club: Learn the ways in which new media and creative programming centered on art making, storytelling,and collaboration can enhance classroom learning, reach audiences with special needs and older age groups,and promote 21st century skills. Presenter Joe Vena will set up an animation station and lead a hands-ondemonstration of stop-motion animation, explaining the basic equipment and software requirements tostart an animation project at your museum. Gain insights on storytelling as a pedagogical strategy, communitymobilizer, and tool for change.

Barbara McLanahan, Children’s Museum of the ArtsJoe Vena, Children’s Museum of the ArtsAllison Myers, Center for Digital Storytelling

Promising Practice Award ShowcaseWorkshop: Learn how four children’s museums are innovating and redefining their practices and programmingto create places where all kids can learn what it takes to become a 21st century global citizen. The 2013 MetLifeFoundation and ACM Promising Practice Award recipients share their practices. Attendees will walk awaywith new ideas and tools to implement at their own institutions.

Natalie Bortoli, Chicago Children’s MuseumBrenda Morrison, Children’s Museum of TacomaTony Lawson, Duke Energy Children’s Museum

Making Learning through Play VisibleLightning Round/World Café: Research has demonstrated the positive impact of open-ended play on children’s learning, but the learning that happens through play in general, and specifically in children’s museums, is often invisible to visiting families. In this session, designed for education and exhibit professionals, we will consider research and practice at several different museums, each exploring distinct methods of effectively revealing children’s learning processes to adult visitors, museum educators, and children themselves.

Robin Meisner, Providence Children’s MuseumSuzy Letourneau, Providence Children’s MuseumMarta Biarnes, Museum of Science, BostonKimberley McKenney, Children’s Museum of TacomaNichole Polifka, Minnesota Children’s MuseumJeanne Vergeront, Vergeront Museum Planning

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Friday May 16

Balanced Diet: A Fundraising ModelWorkshop: Creating a balanced and integrated approach across your museum’s key operational areas leads tosustainable strategies for funding needs. Join this interactive session to learn how marketing, communications,membership, community outreach, and development fit together to create a comprehensive fundraising program.Designed for museum development and marketing professionals, this session will focus on strategies, tactics,organizational culture, and tools—also included, open dialogue, discussion, and tactical application.

Richard Tollefson, The Phoenix Philanthropy GroupMarc Kellenberger, The Phoenix Philanthropy GroupScott Nelson, The Phoenix Philanthropy Group

Mobilizing Museums and Libraries: Lessons from Race to the TopWorkshop: Learn how to replicate the successful initiative in Massachusetts that has expanded the state’s network of resources for families and communities that support early learning. Serving as a core partner in the state’s Race to the Top award, Boston Children’s Museum has mobilized 68 museums and 55 libraries across the state withprogramming, curricula, and other tools to impact the youngest learner’s and their families. Gain hands-on experience with current materials focused on STEM, kindergarten readiness, literacy, and brain building.

Jeri Robinson, Boston Children’s MuseumBeth Fredericks, Boston Children’s Museum

Remarkable Customer Service in the Children’s Museum WorldWorkshop: In this interactive session, we will remind, inspire, and motivate attendees to improve the guest experiencethey provide to each museum guest every day. Not only are guests paying the salaries of museum staff, but they are enriching the lives and imaginations of our next generation. You’ll be asked to imagine if admission was $200 instead of $10 and what would you do differently? You’ll leave with dozens of ideas to implement when you returnhome. Best news: these don’t need special funding, but an attitude of being the best you can be every day.

Sara Sherman, Omaha Children’s MuseumBob Shaff, Customers for Life Consulting

The Science of Surviving a Software ConversionTalk Show: Assessing your organization’s needs and business processes, as well as gaining staff/team buy-in before embarking on a software conversion are critically important. Session presenters will share results of their assessments, decision points, and how they identified potential new systems. Attendees will be invited to review software pitches and join in a game of “Worst (and Best) Case Scenario” during a software conversion.

Shelley Saunders, KidsQuest Children’s MuseumKatie Boehm, KidsQuest Children’s MuseumLindy Hoyer, Omaha Children’s Museum

Gaming the Way to LearningMedia Club: Games provide great learning experiences for all audiences—from very young children to tweensand teens to adults! Museums of all sizes can incorporate game play and game design into programmingwhether it be low tech or high tech. The session will begin with two brief videos and a live theater segment. The majority of the session will be dedicated to open discussion of topics including learning outcomes, community partnerships to support game-related programs, and how to think like a game developer.

Rae Ostman, Royal Ontario MuseumBep Shippers, Royal Ontario MuseumKeith Ostfeld, Children’s Museum of HoustonNora Moynihan, Port Discovery Children’s Museum

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Friday, May 16Post-Conference

In Dialogue with International Children’s Museums 12:30 p.m.-4:30 p.m. Pre-registration is required for this free event (lunch included). There is limited seating, available on a first-come, first-serve basis: 50 percent of seats are allotted for International Children’s Museums (open and emerging), 25 percent of seats are allotted for U.S. children’s museums, and 25 percent of seats are allotted for non-museum professionals. Call ACM at 703.224.3100, x105 to register.

Worldwide connectivity increases daily, ideas and telecommunications unite the children’s museum field asnever before. Globally and locally children’s museums are building community across cultures. In Dialoguewith International Children’s Museums provides an opportunity for a rich multi-country conversation aboutthe impact of the field worldwide. Facilitators will guide attendees through a series of questions designed tobuild connections and unite the field in common goals, for example:

> What are the most critical issues facing children and families in your country/community?

> How can/should your museum help to address these issues?

> Whom do you serve? Characterize the kinds of children and families that participate in your programs. If you are not yet open, whom do you intend to serve?

> What about staffing? What do they need to know to advance the museum’s work?

> Who are your major partners/collaborators in serving children and families?

> In your country, how do children learn in your museum compared to the way they learn in school?

> What are you doing now to ensure that your museum will be financially sustainable in the future?

Discover together the similarities and differences among practices and vision for the work of children’s museums. Come to share ideas; leave inspired by colleagues and prepared to continue the global dialoguewhen you return to your museum.

In Dialogue with International Children’s Museums is sponsored by Cambridge Seven Associates, Inc.