Opening Day

So, we did it.  We officially opened to the public as of Saturday January 25th.  The past weeks/months have been a blur.  The gallery has unfolded as I envisioned and although there is still a lot to be done, I have to admit I am pleased.  This was an adventure for me.  A chance to explore, try out new ideas, gain confidence as those ideas came to life and finally turned over to the public for their appraisal.  The real test will be in the next few months as visitors find their way to us and then hopefully come back.  I have settled into my new office space and although I do miss the feel of Mr. Merrill's library surrounding me, I gladly accept the challenge of making this our own little haven of Yarmouth history.

Friday before the opening was a day not to be repeated.  The plexiglass for the object boxes and cases didn't arrive until mid-morning.  Knowing that if objects were not covered, they would have to be taken off display, I was a bit unnerved.  Around 10:30, the plexiglass appeared and the task of peeling off the siding and wiping them down began.  Meanwhile, the drawer pulls had yet to be screwed in and object labels were soon put on the to-do later list.  Did I mention that we were expecting 60 people Friday night for a donor preview?  I put out a call to a Board member (and friend) who came to the rescue and handles were taken care of.  Stephen, I owe you one.

Mid afternoon, the vinyl lettering for the introduction panel went up and the last of the text was applied.  The slide show was tested.  Thinking I would be ahead of the game, I ordered the flat screen TV the week before only to discover that the less expensive model did not come with a mount.  Lesson learned.  Always read the fine print.  Actually, this whole experience has been a lesson learned. With the TV mounted, the photographs in place, the plexiglass boxes resting on their cases, I took a deep breath and looked around.  And looked again.  The only way I could describe the feeling was to say that I felt that I had been airdropped into Google sketch-up and I was that person that is inserted to show elevation.  The half hulls were on the walls just as in the plan.  The Tristram Gilman vignette with the tall clock was in the corner.  The gorgeous enlarged photograph of the harbor in 1876 was even better than I expected.  It felt surreal.  So here are some of the before and after photographs I promised.

Former entrance

Office space

Beginning the transformation

Introductory panel with weathervane

Might be my favorite

Half hulls

Ceiling fans

Settlement Patterns

Shipbuilding

The sign stayed

Former entrance

Stone Wall before

As promised

Stonewall Gallery exit

The last minute plexiglass unveiling

Royal River before

And after

Open to the Public

This will be the last blog post on Creating a New Yarmouth History Center.  It has been an adventure. Brewster Buttfield and Sara Lemieux of  Prospect Design were the exhibit designers.  Thanks to you both.  I will miss the many texts, phone calls, e-mails and most of all the laughs.  This was a blast.  I learned a lot...

For more information on Prospect Design--http://prospectdesign.me 

Final Stretch

We received the keys to the building on Friday. It has been almost a year to the date that I began chronicling what is involved in "Creating a New Yarmouth History Center." It was recently pointed out to me that I haven't updated this blog in a few months. I tried to justify the reason to myself but the truth is, what I have been doing is more internal than physical. Since this is a medium best driven by images, I wasn't sure I had anything to say. I began to think why I started this blog to begin with. The reason for it was to describe the process of creating a new gallery. Part of that process is in the details. While it may not look like much has been done (especially if you look at my desk) it is a continual process.

So...the last few months. One word. Hectic. I feel as if I am chasing my tail around. The problem is that I don't have anything to show for it except for my to-do list. Not having possession of the site was one reason but in reality, a minor one.  The text panels are ready to be sent with a few minor tweaks. I had to laugh when I looked at a proof the other day for Settlement Patterns and the wrong church was on it. We had a caption for the Meeting House on the Hill, but the picture was of the Central Parish Church. That is the stuff of nightmares. I can tell that I have been looking at these for too long when something like that happens. The same thing occured with a photograph of the Admiral in Shipbuilding. The Admiral was the largest vessel built in Yarmouth but I couldn't verify the photograph while in Brewster's office.  There is a nearly identical one of the Onaway that I saw  recently. I was beginning to lose confidence in my knowledge base which was a bit scary. A quick trip back to my office and I was relieved to be able to confirm. Until I actually see these enlarged and in place, I have a feeling I won't be able to relax, let alone breathe.

The cabinets are being built and are almost ready for delivery. Items have come out of the current displays and are waiting to be transported to their new home. Until then, I am enjoying looking at the beautiful and uncluttered shiny new building and seeing it come to life. It's getting closer to reality. Some inevitable changes have been made because of the placement of things such as a fire alarm box in the middle of my beautiful "Quixotic Plum" wall. The mounting of an EXIT sign requires adjusting one of the enlargements in Royal River and the Mills. Not a deal breaker, but annoying nonetheless.  One not so minor issue is the title.  I have yet to have that a-ha! moment. It will come. I have faith. Most likely while in the middle of doing something unrelated to the project.  

I read an interesting quote last night after researching the novelist and film maker Alain Robbe-Grillet. In an interview in Parish Match he remarks, "Memory belongs to the imagination. Human memory is not like a computer that records things; it is part of the imaginative process, on the same terms as invention." In many ways, what we are attempting to accomplish is to tap into that imaginative process.  When people enter the gallery, they should be able to interpret what we present objectively. We cannot recreate the past, but merely provide a window to allow the viewer to use their imagination. 

In addition, I have held one Docent training. Docents will be needed on site and we are developing a guide so they will feel comfortable knowing they will be able to answer any questions that arise. I have a feeling that the Docent Guide will be an ongoing process. You never know what people will ask. The book that compliments the gallery is due December 15th.  It is an updated version of Alan Hall's Yarmouth published by Arcadia Co.  Yarmouth Revisited will read more like a history of the town with the chapters correlating with the exhibits.  

Finally a few teaser images:  

Before

After

This is fun...

             

Hurry Up and Wait

It's hard to believe that I haven't posted an update since June.  There's a reason for that, I promise.  At least I tell myself that to make me feel better.  Much of what has been going on over the summer has been a combination of writing, collecting information, writing, deleting, writing some more and panicking.  What was a long way off is suddenly a few weeks away.  I have been over to the new building twice this week and it has come together as imagined.  Once the sheet rock went up, it was easier to see what the space was going to be like.  My worry that it would seem smaller was quickly diminished the minute I walked in.  What makes this building so special, and one that people will gravitate to, is the open natural light created by the clerestory. What looks minor on paper to the untrained eye makes for an amazing transformation.  The light and high ceilings change the entire space.  A small building with cramped office space suddenly looks modern and inviting.  The view of the river is highlighted and makes one feel as if you are immersed in the surrounding area.

Sometimes photographs can impart more information than mere words.  This is not a blog post as much as a way of sharing the progress of the building through photographs.

Stonewall Gallery

Stonewall Gallery entering the museum

View of clerestory and partial location of Shipbuilding exhibit

Similar view and location of 20th Century exhibit

Inside gallery and location of  Royal River/ Mill exhibit

Education and Programming room

Back of Education room overlooking the Royal River

Office space

Outside of front of building with display cases

So...back to what I have been doing.  The text panels for the graphics were due yesterday but I have given myself the weekend to reread an edit. I am creating a Docent Guide for training.  I am madly scanning and writing text for a book to be published to accompany the exhibit and I am trying to do this in a sane and timely manner.  If I look a little frayed around the edges, you'll know why...

Paper Trails

So...it is almost the end of June.  The groundbreaking has taken place, construction is under way and our time here at the library is coming to an end.  Up until now, the MOVE has seemed far off in the future.  As I write this, I am surrounded by shredding and recycling bins, empty file folders and paper.  Paper everywhere.  In this age of digitization, I am grateful that I have these papers.  They represent a permanence to me that I hate to part with.  Having said that, I am a big proponent of going paperless in the right circumstances.  We are gradually converting our quarterly newsletter to a PDF format for those who prefer to receive it by e-mail. The benefits of this are immense.  Less use of paper, staff time, money spent in postage and the waste of the inevitable ones that are returned for various reasons.  However, there will always be those that prefer the paper version.  That is not what I was intending to write about but it is a metaphor for what it is like around here.

Whenever I am asked what I do here, I have to laugh.  My stock answer is a little bit of everything, but it is the truth.  That is not unusual in a small non-profit organization.  That is where paper comes to mind.  As I look at my desk, my arms are resting on the object list for the new exhibit.  I am beginning to write the B panels which will appear throughout the gallery as sub-panels.  They are necessary and will require thought. Not because I'm not sure what to say, but brevity is key.  Less is more, as it were.  (Thank you Brewster)  I need to get a lot of information in these panels and any unnecessary wordage will detract from the visitor's experience.  I have to remind myself that there will be other places to expand on the history, such as the exhibit guide.

If I look to my left, I see a folder with a grant application in it.  I met yesterday to discuss my application for funding of digitization of the oral histories.  I had given up on getting this funded any time soon but have reason to hope that it is a possibility.  Under that folder is the folder for next year's lectures.  I have to book these in the next few weeks as schedules fill up quickly.  Throw planning a gala to celebrate the opening of the gallery/building into that mix. I have someone in mind and should probably be working on that right now. Calendar captions need to be written as well as fact checked.  We will try and have this done by August 1 to get the proofs to the design firm.  The fall newsletter also needs to be completed mid-August. Under that pile is an excerpt of a reenactment of the debates that split the town. This was organized by Alan Hall and is filled with fascinating information that gives clues as to the motivations for each side. There are also some notes I found scribbled by the former director about the witchcraft trials.  I have yet to determine a connection but if she was researching it, I need to figure out why.

I had a researcher call this morning.  She has been working on her family genealogy for awhile so I am familiar with her request and have promised I will scan a book and get back to her while she is in the state. That gives me a day.  To my right is an article on mill sawing in 17th c. Massachusetts.  It is from the Spring of 1970.  I am always trying to gain a better understanding of how the mills worked.  We just gave the 2nd graders a talk and walk about water-powered mills.  Never underestimate 2nd graders.  They will ask the one question you are not sure of and if you hesitate, you lose them.  That goes for anyone.

I could go on but I will conclude with this.  I love this job.  No day is the same and I wouldn't have it any other way. This is in no way a means of complaining.  I realize how lucky I am to feel overwhelmed with things that interest me.  I would also be remiss if I give any impression that I do this alone.  Jenn MacDowell and I work in sync.  I made a New Year's resolution to finish my sentences because I realized that before I can, she already knows what I am going to say.

As for paper, there are days in which we take great joy in tossing it.  Literally...

Busy Few Months

As I sit here and contemplate all that we have accomplished in the past few months, I am somewhat overwhelmed. I'll work backwards...Friday morning we moved the last of the furniture out of  the former water district building. When I first saw the building from the inside, I was having trouble envisioning a gallery in that space.  Suddenly this morning, it became a reality for me.  With the building empty and all the work that Brewster Buttfield and I have put into planning in my head, I could see it.  It's there and it will happen. Last Monday, the lease was signed.  A week ago last Tuesday, Brewster and I showed Michael, the Executive Director, the plans we had worked up on Google sketch.  Really, Brewster has worked up the plans and guided me through the process of building the exhibit. For the past few months, we have been using an object list on an excel sheet with each item that is to be on exhibit put in the proper category.  This meant going back to the original five exhibit themes and determining what objects, photographs, and ephemera will be used.  Each item then needed to be measured by height, width, and depth. Decisions as to which cases will be used were also made.  For those who have looked at the pictures of the current exhibit, you can imagine how I rated these in order of preference.  It ranged from YES! I LIKE THIS ONE to NOT MY FAVORITE. I think I made my preferences known.

Inside the gallery 

View from entrance

So, the five sections as they stand now.  Ancient North Yarmouth and the Abenakis.  This will be the introduction to the gallery.  We have an outstanding mortar and pestle that is hidden in the current exhibit. They will be placed in an object box and will be one of the first items seen.  Other artifacts such as pottery shards, an arrow head and the like will be in this area as well.  We have documents and an early Proprietors map to tell the story of the first, second and third (final) permanent settlement of the area.  We are fortunate that First Parish Records as well as early Town records exist that help us define where the settlements were.  The third settlement began in the Broad Cove area around Gilman Road.  If you are familiar with this area of Yarmouth, then you know of the two cemeteries that are on the right side of the road across from the house that once belonged to Ammi Cutter, the first pastor.

This leads us into the second section-Settlement Patterns and the Split of the Town. I would like to emphasize that I recognize that this title may sound misleading. Settlement patterns began to shift as early as the late 18th century with some townspeople moving into the area known as Falls village.  This is the area around the harbor.   In 1796, the Meeting House on the Hill was built and later became the Baptist church. This area was known as Corner village and later Yamouthville.  There was a great debate among members of the original church with the first split really referring to the building of the Old Sloop church.  A fascinating bit of information is that North Yarmouth was one of the first towns interested in establishing what would become Bowdoin College.  There was a petition both for and against but ultimately, as we know, Brunswick became the home of the college.  Around this time, North Yarmouth Academy was incorporated (1814) and the church was built in 1818. The decision of the towns to split into North Yarmouth and Yarmouth occurred in 1849.  Many problems led up to this vote including economic and social issues that were divisive.

We have two exhibits that are somewhat chronological but we had a bit of leeway as far as where to put them.  Shipbuilding is one that is of major importance to the town.  There have been shipbuilders since the late 18th c. but the major period for the town was between 1850 and 1875,  There were four major shipyards in Yarmouth during this period.  We have made two narratives concerning this theme. One is Seafaring and the other is Shipbuilding.  Many ships that were built here never came back to Yarmouth once they were launched.  Yarmouth was also the home of sea captains and crew members.  The distinction between these two became apparent as we began to develop the exhibit.  It seems obvious but working under the title of shipbuilding was limiting us.

Royal River and the Mills is another story that is crucial to the development of the town.  Mills have played a role from the first water-powered saw mill that was established in the 17th century to the current use of Sparhawk mill which was once the Royal River Manufacturing Company.  I've mentioned that this will include a ongoing slide show that will use photographs from the mills over time.  My favorites are of the workers.  I truly believe that this visual will be a highlight of the visitor's experience. We have a Partners desk that we weren't sure how to use as it is quite large.  It was in Ansel Loring;s flour mill.  The flat screen will be on that desk which is rather high as it was meant for standing at.  This was one of Brewster's inspirations and it works.  That has how it has been all along.  Ideas have been exchanged back and forth until you make the decision and you wonder why you ever thought otherwise.

The last section is entitled Coming into the Twentieth Centtury.  It was given this title for a specific reason.  Beginning in 1890, Yarmouth began a series of progressive moves that shaped the future of the town.  Sewer lines were laid, and the grammar school was built in this decade. At the turn of the century the high school and the library were built. Money was flowing into the town and being used for civic improvements.  This would come to an end after the Forest Paper Company closed in 1923.  After that period, tourism, the addition of roads and bridges, participation in wars are all factors in this exhibit.  This is not an easy narrative but through a combination of objects, manuscripts and photographs, it will come together.

Finally, we will have space for temporary exhibits.  The stone wall that is the back side of the original building will become the Stone Wall Gallery.  It is in amazing condition and will make an interesting back drop for a changing theme.  Once the permanent gallery is finalized, the Stone Wall gallery will become the draw as we can highlight major events such as the 200th anniversary of North Yarmouth Academy in 2014.

It's right around the corner so to speak...

Future Stone Wall gallery.

More Thoughts on Exhibit Design

In my last post, I went on a rant about technology and how I was not convinced that it was necessary for our purpose.  I have since discovered that I am not alone.  There is currently a thread on LinkedIn about this topic in Natural History museums.  In many ways, the two are not dissimilar.  Both are more education driven than an art museum. For this reason, I am beginning to concede that there is a need for additional information in order to tell a complete story.  I continue to be resistant to cell /smart phones and QR codes.This is both from personal experience and the innate feeling that there is a better way. Yes, QR codes have the capacity to impart a lot of information.  Probably more than the consumer would use.  I have no issue with them in the proper setting.  Just not in my museum...Okay, it's not MY museum, but that is my opinion.

I recently went to the Institute of Texan Culture in San Antonio. This is an amazing organization trying to do a lot with diminishing funding.  The building itself was built for the Hemisfair in 1968 with the understanding that it would continue to be a place of education.  The Institute does not own the Collections. Everything is on loan and can be removed at any time. For someone interested in exhibit design, there is a bit of everything. A critic might think it dated, but I was impressed with the creativity of the various exhibits.
For example-

I really like the innovative use of space to show tools.  These can be rather dull if placed behind glass in an ordinary case with labels.  

Another example that is not new to exhibit design but is effective-

I love this and immediately decided it had to be used with shipbuilding.  Fortunately, our exhibit designer had the same instinct.  Connecting the tools used directly with an image similar to the photograph above is a great way to make the concept of shipbuilding come alive.  Shipbuilding is an important part of our history and is included as one of the five permanent exhibits.  

I have visited the new Art of the Americas wing in the Museum of Fine Arts twice in the last month.  First, it is beautifully done and as a patron, I was taken by the impact that grouping these objects together has, compared to having them spread throughout the museum.  On that first trip, I noticed a touch table in the Contemporary wing on the 3rd floor.  As is my custom, I immediately engaged the security guard in a discussion.  He confirmed that the touch table was a popular part of the exhibit. Security guards can be your best friend if you are interested in what works and what doesn't.  It's their job to notice what the public is focused on.  My second trip, I had a chance to use the table and was disappointed. I did not learn anything from using it and in fact, was confused as to what purpose it served.  I came away with the suspicion that it may be popular because it is a place to sit down after covering a lot of ground. Museum fatigue is a very real phenomena.   Pessimistic yes, but I was not impressed.

So here is where I currently stand.  In my last post, there was a comment about the use of iPads as a means of gathering oral histories.  Perfect.  A great use of technology.  We have oral histories in the Collection that tell a social history in a way that no physical object can.  I love this and happily concede that these are a positive addition.  Throughout the exhibit there are other ways that we can enhance the visitor's experience.  A slide show of photographs has always been a part of the exhibit design.  I have concluded that some sort of audio/video product could be developed for those that want more information.  That way, it is available but not intrusive.  

Bits and Pieces

I read a lot of museum blogs.  A lot of them.  As I've said before, the idea of creating a new exhibit space is both challenging and exciting.  And scary.  I read blogs to get ideas but I find that what I'm reading is turning out be a validation of what my instinct has been telling me. People come to museums for an experience and that experience does not necessarily require technology.  I'm not saying no interactives, but my experience has been that one does not have to be plugged into a device in order to get the most out of an exhibit.  In fact, I am increasingly turned off by the thought of people staring into miniature screens or listening to someone interpret an object for them.  QR codes, touch tables, iPads, are all part of the vernacular that surrounds exhibit design and while each has a purpose, do they serve mine?  


Perhaps one of the best takes on QR codes was a video I watched entitled "Every time you use a QR code, a kitten dies" by Scott Stratten.  He makes the point that technology should not be used just because it exists. 

http://blogs.iwm.org.uk/social-interpretation/2012/01/every-time-you-use-a-qr-code-a-kitten-dies/#more

A second example of the use of a technology that didn't serve its purpose jumped out at me as I was running through the Atlanta airport.  I'm all for touch screens and have high hopes of one day having one in the exhibit.  I recently saw a touch screen table that had games such as chess and checkers being used in a hotel lobby.  This served a purpose, was fun, and did not look out of place.  

This did not impress me-

Touch wall at Atlanta airport

I watched as people attempted to use it but no one seemed interested enough to stay with it long enough for any real interaction.  Perhaps the very nature of being in an airport makes one feel rushed, but then you have to ask yourself "Why"?  What was the intent of the person who made the decision to install this expensive toy?  This may sound overly critical and it may have struck me because these issues are on my mind, but I do not understand this application.