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.
Social Media SIG shares a number of ways to collaborate
By Jonathan Munar and Emily Haight, Social Media SIG Co-Chairs Like many of our colleagues from all corners of our institutions, the power of community has helped social media professionals remain motivated and inspired—always, and especially during these times. Despite the increased dependence on our professions (and the extra hours to match), we remain strong…
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…
A Refreshed Scholarship Program for #MCN2020
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, MCN has decided to cancel the in-person conference in Baltimore this November. We will proceed with the 2020 annual conference in the fall in an extended virtual format. This caused us to rethink how we could best adapt MCN’s well-established Scholarship Program to align with a virtual conference model. I’m…
A Befitting #MCN2020 Theme | Sustainability: Preserve/Progress
Written by Andrea Montiel de Shuman and Andrea Ledesma, MCN 2020 Conference Program Chairs, and Meredith Steinfels and Mimosa Shah, Co-Chairs. “Sustainability.” The word evokes an array of thoughts and emotions, which vary greatly by your profession, location, or worldview. It can bring to mind the idea of maintaining the status quo, while in 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…
Announcing the 2020 DEAI Advisory Board
Please join me in congratulating the latest cohorts of the MCN Diversity, Equity, Accessibility and Inclusion advisory board members! This year marks the third iteration of the advisory board since its inception (see Charter). New members this year will serve a two-year term (ending December 2021) working on various initiatives and projects that further diversity…
Let’s kick off 2020! A Message from your Conference Program Co-Chairs
Written by Andrea Montiel de Shuman and Andrea Ledesma, MCN 2020 Conference Program Chairs After a lovely break, we’re kicking off the year by getting started with MCN 2020. Last year, we introduced a number of changes meant to enhance the conference experience. To all those who attended, presented, and sponsored: thank you! Your feedback…