April 9-10, 2018, North Platte, Nebraska

Museums on Track

Conference Schedule:

Monday, April 9th

8:30am-9:00 Registration at Quality Inn & Suites

9:00am-12:00pm Half-Day Workshop: Becoming a Champion for Museums with Bob Beatty of the Lyndhurst Group

Ultimately, an organization’s true value is measured in its importance to its community. Stakeholders often learn of our impact (and engage in our work) through efforts in sharing messages about our role and importance to community life. This is part of our job description as museum professionals and is a year-round activity that extends beyond policymakers and includes your stakeholders throughout the community including friends, neighbors, donors, and members. In this workshop, learn how to effectively make your case, from the basics of the process, to creating a plan to articulate message, and to engaging  stakeholders in the cause.

12:00pm-1:00pm Lunch (on your own)

1:00pm-5:00pm North Platte Museums Tours

North Platte offers an exciting blend of museums and cultural institutions. Tours will start at the Buffalo Bill Ranch State Historical Park, followed by Golden Spike Tower and the Prairie Arts Center.

or

1:00pm-5pm Helping Hands Volunteers

Museum professionals from around the state are invited to donate their time and expertise. The Helping Hands program provides the benefit of museum professionals to  an organization in need. This year we will be aiding the Lincoln County Historical Museum in a restoration project. For more information or to sign up, please contact Libby Krecek, NMA Helping Hands Coordinator at lkrecek1@gmail.com.

6:00pm-8:00pm Evening Reception and Welcome at the Lincoln County Historical Museum

Tuesday, April 10th

8:00am-9:00am Registration and Breakfast at Quality Inn & Suites

9:00am-10:15am Keynote Address: Getting on Track, Staying on Track, Building New Track with Bob Beatty on the Lyndhurst Group

Museums and history organizations grapple with the changing dynamics of community and relevance. What opportunities should we keep in mind as we chart a course forward? What are the challenges facing the museum field writ large? Where do you fit in this equation? Join museum leader Bob Beatty, author of An AASLH Guide to Making Public History, as he provides insight into these questions and more.

10:45am-12:00pm:

A – Supporting Historic Preservation and Economic Activity with Kelli Bacon (Nebraska State Historical Society)
B – Community Collaborations: Tying Together with Audrey Kauders (Museum of Nebraska Art), Matt Orand (Omaha Children’s Museum) and Dean Shissler (Nebraska City Museum Association)

12:00pm-1:15pm Lunch and Business Meeting (Lunch provided by the Nebraska State Historical Society Foundation)

1:30-3:00pm:

C – A Whistle-Stop Tour of Grant Opportunities with Mary Yager (Humanities Nebraska), Rachel Morgan (Nebraska Arts Council), Jennifer Dreibelbis (Nebraska Arts Council), and Heather Hogue (Nebraska Tourism Commission)
D – Conducting a Grant Project: Tips and Tricks from the Nebraska History Museum with Laura Mooney (Nebraska State Historical Society) and Christina Smith (Nebraska State Historical Society)

3:15-4:30pm:

E – Moving Mania: Quickly Packing and Moving Your Collections with Erin Hauser (Saunders County Historical Society & Museum)
F – Tracking Together: University-Community Partnerships in Nebraska with Dr. Jinny Turman (University of Nebraska at Kearney)

Schedule subject to change

Keynote Speaker (April 10th) and Half-Day Workshop (April 9th, 9am-12pm):

NMA is excited to welcome Bob Beatty as our 2018 Conference keynote speaker. Beatty is the president of the Lyndhurst Group, a history, museum and non-profit consulting firm providing community-focused engagement strategies for institutional planning, organizational assessments, and interpretive direction. In the past, he served as the Chief of Engagement for the American Association of State and Local History. Be sure to check out Beatty’s recent book, An American Association of State and Local History Guide to Making Public History.

Thank you to Nebraska State Historical Society Foundation

We would like to thank the Nebraska State Historical Society Foundation for their continued support. Once again, they are sponsoring the bag lunch on April 10th. Their generosity helps NMA to keep the conference costs low and affordable for Nebraska museums and cultural institutions across the state.