May 26, 2010
Dear Friends,
In less than a week we open Sherlock Holmes & The Clocktower Mystery. This is a new type of exhibit for the museum and the community that came about in part as a result of visitor surveys conducted last year. Surveys revealed that people wanted a more hands-on, experienced-based visit and preferred person-to-person interaction in the galleries. And Sherlock Holmes provides exactly that kind of experience. So jump in and solve a murder mystery!
As the exhibit crates were being unloaded from the truck and assembly began, staff jumped right into the project, in the process showing their confidence as veteran museum professionals. The staff has incredible depth of experience and brings so many skills to a project that installation stays well ahead of schedule. Yet, with almost every traveling exhibit, there are typically small problems that have to be dealt with. It is especially gratifying to me when staff is able to quickly understand the problem, implement a solution and keep right on working with no time lost. This combination of abilities and expertise is a tremendous advantage, and I have a feeling of satisfaction that the staff can handle just about anything thrown their way.
Finally, the new traveling photographic exhibit, Back in the World: Portraits of Wisconsin Vietnam Veterans opens a few days prior to Sherlock Holmes. The individual stories associated with each veteran’s photograph and the clarity of the images is outstanding. The exhibit makes you pause and reflect on the war and how it impacted so many lives. The companion piece to the exhibit, the book Wisconsin Vietnam War Stories: Our Veterans Remember, is for sale in the museum store. The book is based on oral histories from Wisconsin veterans, providing a much deeper understanding of the generation and those turbulent times.
We’ve planned a full and exciting summer exhibit schedule. If you’re not a member, now is a fine time to join. If you can’t solve the murder on your first visit, take advantage of our free admission to members and work out the clues until you’ve put the criminal behind bars!
-Brad
February 1, 2010
Dear Friends,
I recently had the pleasure of accepting a donation to the museum’s Collection Fund from the Old Abe Camp #8, Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War. The gift was toward their pledge to help with the 2008 purchase of the John Hancock Civil War Collection. The donation represented a sizeable percent of Camp #8’s annual treasury, and I was honored to receive their act of generosity.
In presenting the gift, their Commander Kim Heltemes explained that the members of Camp #8 steadfastly believe they have an obligation to society, and to the nation, to keep the memory and spirit of the Civil War alive, for those men and women suffered greatly for some of the things that we take for granted today. They believe it is important to pass on that memory to each generation.
I found those words moving, in part because I see a modern trend of apathy toward history and toward museums. Nationally, history museums find it challenging to influence potential donors that the collections and stories they hold, preserve and share merit funding.
David McCullough is a prize winning historian whose words have often inspired me to carry on in the face of indifference. In an award acceptance speech, he once said, “At their core, the lessons of history are largely lessons in appreciation. Everything we have . . . is because somebody went before us and did the hard work, provided the creative energy, provided the money, provided the belief. Do we disregard that? Indifference to history isn’t just ignorant. It’s rude. It’s a form of ingratitude.”
What Kim Heltemes told me about Camp #8’s obligation to pass on the strength and courage of America’s Civil War generation brought to mind McCullough’s words. Clearly, the Sons of Union Veterans do not fall into the category of ingratitude. The challenge is, how can the museum inspire others to embrace the same spirit?
Supporters like the members of Camp #8 encourage us to be optimistic about our mission. I encourage you to help people understand the role museums play in creating an educated, informed citizenry that understands its roots. And some day, history museums will again command the same level of respect and funding as they did when I started my career.
-Brad
December 8, 2009
Dear Friends,
It is my pleasure to introduce Ingrid Law, the museum’s new graphic artist. She began work on November 16, and it was soon apparent that Ingrid was very comfortable in a museum environment. She quickly became a major part of the team working on Homemade Holidays.
In many ways, Ingrid embodies the American experience. She was born in South Africa, came to the United States in the 1990s as a student and as an immigrant in 2004. Ingrid is now a permanent legal resident awaiting her citizenship. Her previous work experience includes a wide range of history museums, including four years of design experience at the Northern Flagship Museum in Pretoria, South Africa, and four years as a designer at the Answers in Genesis Museum in Petersburg, Kentucky. As our designer, Ingrid brings much more than Macintosh design skills; her flair and aptitude significantly strengthens the staff. Among her many talents is her experience in developing traveling and history exhibits.
Over 200 people applied for the graphic artist position and narrowing the pool to those we invited to interview was a challenging task. At the end of a long day of interviewing, Ingrid was the unanimous choice of the selection committee. Ingrid has a keen sense of design, a strong work ethic, a ready smile and a wonderful sense of humor. I hope you’ll stop by and say hello to our newest staff member.
-Brad
November 9, 2009
Dear Friends,
After a museum career of 33 years, staff artist Don Oberweiser will retire effective December 9, 2009. Don has been part of the museum team for a long time, and whenever a productive team member leaves it brings a sense of sadness.
When I first arrived as director in 1989, the museum had no computers and Don did our printing work using a small press. Now, Don uses a state-of-the-art Macintosh computer and designs flash-animated Web graphics in addition to day-to-day print pieces.
Since the announcement of his retirement, I’ve thought of Don’s dedication to the museum and excellent design work. Thinking back, I recalled Don’s long hours after the 1994 fire when he worked side-by-side with everyone doing recovery, and there he was, covered in the grit and grime of fire debris, but still managing to have a sense of humor. When the book Voices of History, 1941-1945 was published in 2003 and won a national award, it was the design as well as the text that appealed to the judges. Of course there are many other accomplishments and memories, far too many to recall here. So while we say goodbye to a long-time staff member, we know we retain a valued friend and colleague, someone who contributed immensely to the museum in his 33-year career.
This fall the museum underwent a search for a new graphic artist. I am pleased to announce that Ingrid Law will start on November 16. Please join me in welcoming her to the staff, and check back in December to learn more about Ingrid and her unique skills.
-Brad
August 11, 2009
Dear Friends,
It seems that every month something new and exciting is happening at the museum. In a few short months, the Oshkosh Public Museum will offer its first traveling exhibit: The World of Jan Brett.
I was honored and flattered last year when Jan Brett and her husband, Joe Hearne, presented this opportunity to us. Their confidence in the museum and its staff speaks volumes about the quality products and services we provide.
Although the museum has never before done a traveling exhibit, the staff has the depth of experience and creative ideas to make this happen, and they are hard at work turning ideas from our 2008 Jan Brett exhibit into a format that can travel. By the end of the year we will be able to offer museums around the nation a high quality traveling exhibit that reflects well on Jan Brett as well as this museum. And the income from the rental fee will be a welcome addition to our annual operating budget, hit hard from years of levy restrictions.
The ancient Roman poet and historian, Virgil, is credited with the motto, "Audentes Fortunas Juvat," a maxim commonly translated as "Fortune Favors the Bold." I like the philosophy expressed in that statement, even though I realize boldness also carries risk. I know this museum is an incredible resource and that by working together, we can use Virgil’s maxim to create an awesome museum both on a local and national level. The Jan Brett traveling exhibit is another step in that direction.
- Brad
July 8, 2009
Dear Friends,
The opening of The Era of Public Enemies: A Wave of Crime in a Troubled Time, can definitely be termed a success. The opening weekend re-enactment of a 1930s bank robbery by Midwest Motorized Bandits was a solid hit, and afterwards, visitors excitedly posed for photos next to the characters and cars.
Overall, visitor satisfaction with the exhibit is over the top and there is a sense of fulfillment and accomplishment as visitors discover the stories found in the exhibit. However, that fulfillment and accomplishment is especially strong with this exhibit because the museum is helping visitors understand what their parents or grandparents went through during the Great Depression. The exhibit helps visitors empathize and realize that the nation has been through hard times before and will get through its current recession.
The Era of Public Enemies marks a turning point for this museum; it is the first time we have based a major exhibit almost exclusively around immersive settings, such as the recreated jail cell or Johnny D’s, the exhibit’s Art Deco nightclub. We have used immersive settings before, but never to the extent found in The Era of Public Enemies.
The vision for the Oshkosh Public Museum is to create a stimulating, innovative and fun learning environment for the 21st century visitor. One way we will accomplish this vision is through the use of exhibitions that actively involve and stimulate the visitor, such as The Era of Public Enemies. The museum plans to continue and refine this immersive method of storytelling in order to appeal to today’s generation of museum-goers.
On the opening day of the exhibit, I was speaking with a visiting family whose young boy told me that the museum was “forever way cool!”
That enthusiastic exclamation made me smile all the way home.
-Brad
June 1, 2009
Dear Friends,
One part of my job that I never tire of is giving behind-the-scenes tours. Museums are complex places and I enjoy showing people how we care for and document objects or how an idea for an exhibit goes from concept to reality. The latter was the case in late May when we filmed a segment for Oshkosh Community Media Service’s “Your City at Work”, showing a little of how The Era of Public Enemies exhibit was created. For host Dean Leisgang, the new face of Oshkosh’s award-winning media service division, it was his first trip to the museum. I think it’s fair to say he was amazed at our in-house capabilities.
It takes true teamwork to make a good exhibit. As you tour through The Era of Public Enemies in the coming months, understand that it is the work of many people: staff, volunteers and interns. We rely heavily on the creative craftsmanship of exhibit technician Bill Radig and building maintenance Terry Smith to construct the elements that are found within many of our exhibits. There is no big museum warehouse where props sit on a shelf and can be selected and purchased. Rather, a museum either hires an exhibit firm to make it according to detailed specifications, or it is made in-house. The Art Deco bar, jail cell, theater and other features in The Era of Public Enemies, were all fabricated right here on site. There are some exhibit-related tasks the Oshkosh Public Museum doesn’t have the capacity to fabricate, primarily because we lack the space and necessary tools and equipment, but for most medium-sized exhibits, such as The Era of Public Enemies, we rely on our talented, hard-working staff.
As director, I am very proud of the entire staff. They are part of the museum team that gets things done. Every person contributes a unique set of skills, knowledge and ideas, and each person has an important job to do to make a museum of this size and complexity operate effectively.
“Your City at Work” will be broadcast periodically throughout the month of July. For a programming schedule log onto www.OshkoshCommunityMedia.org. It may give you a better understanding and appreciation of the effort and skills that make this museum a success and a community resource.
-Brad
April 27, 2009
Dear Friends,
One of the best parts of being a museum director is seeing projects go from idea to planning to implementation and finally, to see visitor reaction to the end product. Our upcoming The Era of Public Enemies exhibit comes to mind right away. The project has gone from idea to installation in less than 8 months, and received Wisconsin Department of Tourism Joint Effort Marketing grant funds to help promote it.
Almost every week we can point to a new achievement that demonstrates that the Oshkosh Public Museum is a progressive and professionally run museum. But, many of these accomplishments happen behind-the-scenes. And, they are done by volunteers.
Whether college intern or retired educator, every week a variety of volunteers work at the museum. They are here week after week helping research exhibits or index objects and images. Some are working their way through various sub-collections, meticulously cataloging, photographing or scanning artifacts and upgrading storage of objects. In the process, they help our database grow, thereby improving our ability to help researchers, create exhibits and manage the collection. Their work is not always public and many people have absolutely no idea that we have a hard working crew of volunteers going to bat for us each week.
Recently, a group from the Museum Auxiliary spent time at the museum doing some much needed cleaning. They tackled hard to reach places such as light fixtures and the hardwood molding in the Sawyer home. They cleaned handrails and windows and all the places in-between. It is one of those jobs that isn’t glamorous or flashy, yet is critical to a positive visitor experience.
The museum’s nine member board is another group of volunteers. These folks are key museum advocates. In addition to governance, they are often out in the community promoting our good work and helping residents understand why the museum is at a turning point in its history. Board members also assist in collecting visitor surveys and staffing museum programs.
Whether a project is large or small, there is a feeling of accomplishment when people see progress. Unfortunately, our members and the public can only gauge our work on what they see or read about. So, this is my way of giving the volunteers and staff a well deserved pat on the back and a very big thank you.
-Brad
March 13, 2009
Dear Friends,
It’s not unusual to see university students at work in the museum. In the last few years we have significantly expanded our connections with university students, who typically arrange their internship through the history or anthropology departments at UW Oshkosh. While they’re here, we try to give them a good introduction to the world of museums. As part of that inauguration, I talk to each intern individually. The 30 minutes or so I spend with each one is very enjoyable, and I look forward to their questions and conversations.
I must confess that when I decided to start doing that, I was hesitant. My perception was that university students were a world apart from me. I just knew they had little interest in history or museums or preservation, and they certainly weren’t interested in cataloging artifacts or telling stories through exhibits. I carried that negative attitude into my first one-on-one meeting, and boy was I wrong. That first student is now the director/curator at the Tristate Museum in Belle Fourche, South Dakota.
These young adults are hungry for knowledge. They learn fast and are frequently amazed at some of the things they discover, such as how an artifact can be identified and dated, often with just a quick glance. When I offer to help them if they decide they’d like to learn more about museum work, I am rewarded by this: “That would be awesome!” Those four words make it all worthwhile.
So now I look forward to each conversation, and I like listening to their ideas and thoughts. Of course, I still don’t understand their fascination and addiction to texting, cell phones and socializing through Web sites, and probably never will, but it’s not really important that I do. Museums are changing to meet the needs and requirements of life in the 21st century. I am just happy that I can play some small part in encouraging these bright and enthusiastic students to consider museums as a career option.
Brad Larson
February 13, 2009
Dear Friends,
What is the future of museums in this economy? What role do they play? How does the Oshkosh Public Museum rank right now?
The importance of museums and what is represented by their collections has never been higher. Many institutions, including the Oshkosh Public Museum, are seeing growing attendance in the face of a struggling economy. Visitation at history museums commonly increases during times of uncertainty and stress as people look for reassurance and the sense of strength that comes from the past. The stories we hold are meaningful and important; something that should be saved, cherished and passed on. And right now, those stories and ideals are more important than ever.
We can all agree that money is tight, but perhaps the real question is, what value do we place on our own heritage? Our own culture? Our collective story as Americans? A trip to the museum is relatively low in cost and high in value. The message we convey to visitors is: America has been through hardship and tough times before and we will certainly get through the current situation.
Ensuring the future of the Oshkosh Public Museum means we engage people in new ways, we excite and inspire new generations and we diversify the museum’s finances so we can better weather times like these.
I hope you’ll make time this year to join us for one of our exhibits or special program weekends. We have a lot planned, so check the Web site often. I urge you to see for yourself why this museum remains that very special place at the corner of Congress and Algoma.
Brad Larson
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