MCN 2021: Call for Program Co-Chairs + members
We’re calling on volunteers to join and/or co-chair the MCN 2021 annual conference Program Committee! If you’ve always wanted to contribute to the planning of the conference, here’s your chance, and we’d love to hear from you! We’re looking for about 25-30 digital museum professionals – from diverse backgrounds, perspectives and skill sets – to…
Reflecting on 2020, looking forward to 2021
2020 has been a trying year on so many fronts. As the year draws to an end, let’s take a moment to reflect on the profoundly disruptive impact that the pandemic has had on our lives, our communities and the museum sector. It’s equally important to acknowledge how each of us, in our own ways,…
2021 Mentorship Program
Since its inception in 2017, MCN’s Mentorship Program has offered well over 120 participants to date a structured and supportive environment for mentors and mentees to be uniquely paired with each other, develop a professional relationship over the course of about 10 months, guide mentees through career challenges, provide peer-to-peer support, while giving mentors the…
Let’s hang out! Social Experiences for MCN 2020 Virtual
Like you, we’re counting down the days to MCN 2020 VIRTUAL. Many have shared their excitement about the program. Now, next to our wonderful lineup of speakers, we’re thrilled to announce the social events for this year’s conference. As Conference Program Co-Chairs and members of the MCN community, we know that much of the value…
MCN 2020 VIRTUAL is LIVE!
MCN is here to connect you to ideas, opportunities, practices—and most importantly, to each other during this pivotal moment. Our sector is working through a series of immense crises. Members of our community are dealing with job loss and/or reduced wages. Some institutions continue to operate with a primarily remote workforce, while others are attempting…
MCN receives transformational capacity building grant from Knight Foundation
I am delighted to announce that MCN (Museum Computer Network) has just received a 2-year, $211,000 capacity building grant from the Knight Foundation to respond to the evolving technology and digital needs of museum professionals as the sector moves through an unprecedented crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Knight support will advance our mission to…
2020 Call for Board Members
We’re pleased to announce the 2020 call for candidates to be considered for MCN’s Board of Directors. MCN is looking to recruit four (4) board members to replace those whose 3-year term will be ending in November. WHY SERVE ON THE MCN BOARD OF DIRECTORS? Envisioning a world in which all museums are empowered digitally…
Black Lives Matter
Ahmaud Arbery was a 25-year-old Black man fatally shot while jogging. Breonna Taylor was a 26-year-old Black woman fatally shot by police during a late night, “no knock” search warrant. George Floyd was a 46-year-old Black man fatally asphyxiated by police. Rayshard Brooks was a 27-year-old black man fatally shot multiple times in the back by police. These tragic events are part of a long history of systemic racism and violence in the United States that disproportionately affects Black communities.
The MCN Virtual Town Hall
In mid April, we held a Virtual Town Hall that gathered about 88 members of the MCN community to discuss the decision to take the 2020 annual conference virtual this November. MCN Board President Matt Tarr and Executive Director Eric Longo shared introductory thoughts. Conference Co-Chairs Andrea Montiel de Shuman, Andrea Ledesma, Mimosa Shah, and…
Strategy SIG Webinar Roundup
By Tricia Robson, Chair, Strategy Special Interest Group The Strategy SIG is dedicated to big picture strategic topics that impact organizations and the museum sector at large—topics such as change leadership, strategic planning, leadership development, digital transformation, working methodologies, and more. As museums undergo great change and redefinition, the group seeks to focus on the…
The 8 Essential Things Museums are Providing Right Now
We’re all in unique little bubbles at the moment, learning how to navigate this continually shifting stay-at-home environment. It’s impacted different people in very different ways. But one thing has been consistent from day one—in spite of their doors closing, the museums of the world have stepped up to fill the void. It was stunning…
The Ultimate Guide to Virtual Museum Resources, E-Learning, and Online Collections
In the blink of an eye, once-crowded museums sit empty. We’re preparing ourselves for social distancing and potential quarantine. This is the time for museum technology to step up and fill the void. The potential of online collections, virtual tours, and social media campaigns have always been there, but now the opportunity for impact is…