overview of wiu-qc museum studies for muscatine rotary
DESCRIPTION
I had the wonderful opportunity to speak at the Muscatine, Iowa Rotary yesterday, Monday, November 18, 2013. Here's what I shared.TRANSCRIPT
Beyond Service Learning: Applied Professional Museum StudiesWestern Illinois University-Quad CitiesMuscatine RotaryNovember 18, 2013
Program Base: Applied Experiences with Museum Partners
Courses taught at the Figge Art Museum incorporate applied projects in the museum setting.
This is a unique program that offers coursework through the departments of Art, and Recreation, Parks, and Tourism Administration, at Western Illinois University, working in conjunction with museum professionals at the Figge Art Museum in Davenport, Iowa. The Figge (originally the Davenport Municipal Art Gallery) opened in 1925. Today, the collections have grown over ten-fold and include more than 3,500 paintings, sculpture, and works on paper from the 16th century to the present. In 2005, the museum launched its next phase of growth: relocation to the heart of downtown Davenport in an 100,000 sq. ft. facility overlooking the Mississippi designed by London architect David Chipperfield. The museum serves as a dynamic laboratory for Museum Studies students.
Partnerships with the Putnam Museum, The Family Museum, the Rock Island Arsenal Museum and others in the region for practicum and internship experiences.
What Do Museum Partnerships Look Like? Course Instruction
Taught by museum professionals
Practicum/Internship Experiences Students are paired with
museum staff members Recent Field Trips
Kansas City Minneapolis Chicago Des Moines Milwaukee Detroit
Workshops
Modeling and Mentoring Practice
Students enrolled in practicum, internship, and independent study projects work one-on-one with museum professionals on a variety of museum initiatives.
Example projects include: Curating, design, and installation of the Cell
Animation exhibition at the Putnam Museum with Christina Kastell
Writing interpretive materials and developing activities for Studio1, drop-in art making studio at Figge Art Museum
Developing a Family Gallery Installation at the Figge in the Museum Education class
Designing and leading interactive gallery activities at the Family Museum
Conducting visitor studies for the Figge Art Museum with staff collaboration
Digitizing the Grant Wood Archive at the Figge with Andrew Wallace, registrar
Presenting at national and international conferences
Sample: Waxing Poetic – Exploring Art and Poetry
Sample: International Conference of the Inclusive Museum
National Gallery, Copenhagen, Denmark
Sample: Field Trip to Crystal Bridges
Sample: GEMS Installation Workshop
Academic Partners The program is based in the College of
Fine Arts and Communication and the Art Department Graduate level art history courses Study Abroad programs in collaboration
with museum studies New York City Berlin
Collaboration across Colleges Zoos and Aquaria Certificate/Biology Developing concentration area in MBA
WIU-QC Recreation, Parks and Tourism Administration teach core and elective courses Community development and tourism Fundraising and volunteerism Cultural interpretation
Workshop/Portfolio Requirements
Campbell Center Partnership Another opportunity for professional mentoring WIU scholarships available for 10 students per
year ($500 each) Opportunity to study a topic of interest in-depth
20 hours of museum-based workshops are required for students to complete the Master’s program 1 workshop credit for every 4 hours of hands-on
learning experience with a museum expert Or completion of one workshop at The Campbell
Center
Arts Portfolio Assessment: All program museum experiences – courses, practicum/internship, and workshops – lead to the development of a professional portfolio required for graduation
RPTA/Museum Studies Integrated BA/MA
Apply (90 hours; 30 at WIU; 3.25 GPA) Bridge courses (9 hours) Required Courses (6 hours):
RPTA 500/MST 500 Introduction to Museum
RPTA 424G Fundraising and Volunteerism
Elective options (3 hours): RPTA 448G /B Interpretation of Cultural &
Environmental Resources RPTA 460G/B Community Tourism and
Development RPTA 467G/B Special Event
What Kinds of Jobs Do Our Grads Do?
Administrator– Bishop Hill Heritage AssociationExecutive Director – Pella Historical SocietyAssistant Director/Curator – The German American HistoryCenterPrparator/Exhibit Designer – Historic New Orleans CollectionRegistrar – Toy and Miniature Museum of Kansas CityAssociate Curator – Herbert Hoover Presidential MuseumCurator – Amana Colonies Historical SocietyDirector – American Gothic House and MuseumMuseum Educator – Putnam MuseumPreparator – University of Northern Iowa MuseumsResearch Associate – Grout Museum DistrictAssociate Registrar – National Mississppi River Museum Owner – Hawkeye Studios (custom art crating/shipping)Special Events Planner – Field MuseumDevelopment Officer – Shedd AquariumDevelopment/Intern Coordinar – Albright-Knox Art Gallery