On February 11, second-year Museology students had the opportunity to attend a career lab with Greg Stevens, the Assistant Director of Professional Development at the American Alliance of Museums–or, as Greg calls it, “the Mothership.” During this event, Greg worked with students students to build their “career toolkit” by learning best practices for cover letters, job applications, networking, résumés, and interviews. The event was a mix of lecture, discussion, and Q&A format, leading to a collaborative atmosphere that helped students…
Category: Blog
Dialogue – the antidote to Cacophony?
AUTHOR: Kris Morrissey, Museology Faculty. ‘Cacophony.’ An onomatopoeia for these times. Trying to pronounce it does sounds like what it defines- “a harsh, discordant mixture of sounds”, sort of like an attempt to dislodge something caught in my throat. Maybe that’s why the word keeps popping into my mind when I read newspaper headlines such as “up is down” or “calamity” or see the vitriolic signs amongst the peaceful ones in the marches. What does all that noise mean? Amidst…
Embracing Culturally Responsive Research & Evaluation Practice
AUTHOR: Angie Ong, Museology Faculty Diversity, equity, and cultural competency are hot topics within the museum field today. And without exception, these concepts need to be top-of-mind for those of us working within audience research and evaluation. Because we champion the voice of the visitor, researchers and evaluators must be open to the many voices, perspectives, and beliefs represented in our audiences. It was therefore important that our Introduction to Museum Evaluation class spent time early in the Quarter considering…
Things to do in Seattle this January
One of the things that makes Seattle such an appealing place to live and study is the variety of neighborhoods and community events. Although Seattle has grown significantly in the recent past, there are still many distinct neighborhoods with their own personality. From the student-filled University District to the culturally-rich International District and artsy Capitol Hill, Seattle has a neighborhood for everyone. Seattle also has a range of museums spread across the city. You can visit the Museum of Pop…
Making Heritage Valuable – Chieko Phillips (Alumni Spotlight)
“How do you take something as complicated and multifaceted as a history of a people, a history of African Americans, and try and condense that down into exhibit narratives or public programs?,” Chieko Phillips asks me, with a curiosity and intensity that tells me she’s just as excited about pursuing this question as she ever was. Her work in the museum field reflects her ability to share history in a way that you can relate to. Chieko graduated from the…
Course Highlight – An Exhibit Opportunity
By Amy Gorton, class of 2017 When I applied to the Museology Graduate Program at the University of Washington, I knew there would be many opportunities to gain experience. After all, I was moving from Montana to Seattle, the increase in museums alone had me excited. What I couldn’t fathom, however, was how many doors the program would actually open for me. This blog highlights just one of many of those doors… For six years, the program has partnered with…
Community Talk – The Practices of Essential Engagement
Do your exhibitions spark real, meaningful dialog? Are your visitors truly engaged? 4Culture and UW Museology invite you to join us in examining our practices as a museum community. Friday, January 13, 2017, 4:00-6:00 pm UW Intellectual House Sarah Pharaon, Senior Director of Methodology and Practice with the International Coalition of Sites of Conscience, will explore how to go beyond relevant and become essential. In her work with the Coalition—a worldwide network of over 200 places of memory dedicated to struggles…
Internship Spotlight – Holocaust Center for Humanity
–Sydney Dratel, Class of 2018. When I started the Museology program, I was not expecting to land an internship right away. In a student newsletter sent out over the summer, I saw a listing for an internship with Seattle’s Holocaust Center for Humanity. The description was fascinating (work with primary documents, having ownership over a large project), and so I decided to apply. I am so glad that I did, because my internship experience has reaffirmed my interest in working…
Welcome
Welcome to the UW Museology Graduate Program’s blog. As Program Director, I’m delighted to write the first in what will be an ongoing series of posts intended to provide prospective students with a window into our program – issues and ideas we’re thinking about, and highlights of the work we’re doing. Be inspired. Be inspiring. That’s our program tagline. It hints at our larger goal of exciting and empowering students to use museums to create strong communities. We believe that…