Museums and sustainability

Doing, being and becoming more active through playing part in community-based museum scenarios

by Sandra Kirkwood

The concept of occupational performance can be applied to museums in regard to how we synthesise relationships between... more The concept of occupational performance can be applied to museums in regard to how we synthesise relationships between person-environment –occupation. The transactions between these three dynamic elements are at the core of creative participation which can facilitate planned social transformation.  Mary Law and colleagues devised the Person-Environment-Occupation Model (1996) initially to reveal how occupational therapists could work with people with a disability to empower them to analyse and manipulate their social roles, environmental context, and capacity for action to achieve better adaptation to life circumstances. This approach was founded on the belief stated by Mary Reilly that, “Man through the use of his hands, as they are energized by mind and will, can influence the state of his own heath.” Hands are the tools that are most used by people who wish to understand and change the state of their world. Museums that offer people a safe ‘locus of control’ for relating to one another and manipulating social roles through play can be a research wonder world that is not necessarily grounded in physical facilities. The capacity for occupational performance can be played out through doing, being and becoming involved as a player in game scenarios, or through being an actor in real life community-based rehabilitation projects. This article describes the application of the P-E-O model to museum participation and provides examples of how communities can achieve higher levels of self-determination through supporting people to play chosen roles in identified scenarios which allow them to explore and creatively plan the effect of their actions on the world around them during a designated time period.

Managing Multiple Expectations: Evaluating the Renaissance Programme (For final version: Evaluator Magazine, Winter 2008)

by Javier Stanziola

Article for professional magazine.

Is rigorous and useful evaluation possible when diverse and, at times, conflicting objectives drive a programme of... more Is rigorous and useful evaluation possible when diverse and, at times, conflicting objectives drive a programme of activities? When satisfying multiple expectations held by diverse and numerous stakeholders, how far can evaluators compromise and still ensure the process and findings from evaluation activities support accountability and learning? How does one manage the tensions thrown up by short term funding and long term aims?

Renaissance is England’s development programme for regional museums.  By its very nature, it serves as a good case study of the challenges of evaluating a programme in the context of complex, multi-actor policy, programme and evaluation processes.  After six years of managing Renaissance, we have learned that for programmes driven by multiple expectations evaluation can play an essential role in building consensus and support amongst key stakeholders, and promoting the development of the culture of the programme.  Evaluation has been equally effective at enabling accountability but has had a more limited impact on driving improvement and influencing policy making.   

Historical Museums and Knowledge Management: Colonial Williamsburg as Model

by Beth Emmerling

This paper examines the needs of history museums as regards managing the wealth of information stored. A variety of... more This paper examines the needs of history museums as regards managing the wealth of information stored. A variety of knowledge management choices are discussed. Colonial Williamsburg is the model through which they choices are examined and discussed.