Museum Interpretation
Tell the Stories of Your Collections & Communities!
Learn how to research, design, and create interpretive exhibits and educational activities. This series of five full-day linked workshops offers those working in Utah’s museums hands-on learning in curatorial practice and exhibit development. Participants attend the entire series and complete a small exhibit project at their own museum. The program includes reading and project-related assignments, as well as a small stipend to support exhibit development. Museum Interpretation Workshops are presented in partnership with the Utah Division of Arts & Museums.
I appreciate the congenial atmosphere and encouragement, the sharing of ideas, and helping each other on actual projects and not just hypotheticals.
These workshops have been the most valuable thing we have ever participated in. The information was clear, well presented, and easy to understand and get excited about.
– Workshop Participants
Workshop Series in 2023-2024
This series is held over consecutive months. Participation in all five full-day workshops and completion of a small on-site exhibit project is required:
- October 23, 2023: Telling Our Stories: Introduction to Museum Interpretation
- November 13, 2023: Finding Our Stories: Researching Collections & Communities
- January 8, 2024: Designing Our Stories: Well Structured Exhibits
- February 12, 2024: Writing Our Stories: Exhibit Labels
- March 11, 2024: Teaching Our Stories: Museum Education
Participants can access Sample Workshop Materials here.
Cost & Registration
Training and materials are free, but workshop space is limited and by competitive application. Applications for the 2023-2024 cohort are closed. For questions, contact Megan van Frank at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Presenters
Megan van Frank (Utah Humanities), Lisa Thompson (Natural History Museum of Utah), Virginia Catherall (Utah Museum of Fine Arts), Gordon Daines (BYU Library Special Collections), and Marie Desrochers (Utah Division of Arts & Museums)
Collections Stewardship
Utah Collections Preservation program!
Utah Humanities and the Utah Division of Arts & Museums established the Utah Collections Preservation (UCP) program, which provides preservation training to humanities collections stewards statewide. This program supports comprehensive preservation training for collections stewards through webinars, in-person workshops, preservation assessments, and the focused training of nine Collections Preservation Team members. This program is supported by the State of Utah and the National Endowment for the Humanities through a Preservation and Access Education and Training grant.
Questions? Contact Marie Desrochers, Preservation Outreach Coordinator, at the Utah Division of Arts & Museums (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.).
In-Person Workshop Series
The following series of workshops will be held in 2023. These in-person, full-day workshops complement the webinars and provide hands-on training. Each workshop occurs in two parts and registrants are expected to attend both Part A and Part B (which happen a month apart). Find links to register for in-person workshops here and information about cost and travel stipends below. Stay tuned for dates of 2024 workshops coming soon!
ACCESS AND ARTIFACT HANDLING
- Part A: January 5, 2023 at the Edge of the Cedars State Park Museum, Blanding
- Part B: February 2, 2023 at the Grand County Library, Moab
PRESERVATION IN STORAGE AND DISPLAY
- Part A: April 6, 2023 at the John Wesley Powell River History Museum, Green River
- Part B: May 4, 2023 at the Emery County Archives, Castle Dale **RESCHEDULED TO September 13, 2023**
ENVIRONMENT AND BUILDING SYSTEMS
- Part A: July 6, 2023 at the USU Prehistoric Museum, Price
- Part B: August 3, 2023 at the Helper Auditorium & Museum, Helper
RISK MANAGEMENT, EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS & DISASTER RESPONSE:
- Part A: October 5, 2023 at the Canyon Country Discovery Center, Monticello
- Part B: November 2, 2023 at the USU Eastern Library, Price
Webinar Series
Webinars will occur monthly in 2023 on the following dates, between 11 am and 1 pm. Find link to register for these online sessions here.
- January 19, 2023: Digitization and Collections Care
- February 16, 2023: Handling Procedures Manual
- March 16, 2023: Collections Move
- April 20, 2023: Preservation Site Assessments: Thinking in Systems:
- May 18, 2023: Preservation through Partnerships: Care of Culturally Sensitive Objects
- June 15, 2023: Preservation of Outdated Media
- July 20, 2023: Preservation and Collections Hazards
- August 17, 2023: Integrated Pest Management
- September 28, 2023: Collections Management Systems/Databases
- October 19, 2023: Emergency Planning: Pocket Response Plan
- November 16, 2023: Seismic Storage
- December 21, 2023: Security for Collections and Access
Cost & Registration
Monthly webinars are FREE. There will be a small $10 registration fee for the two-part in-person workshops to cover materials. Scholarships are available to offset costs associated with travel to each workshop. If you are interested in applying for a workshop scholarship, please fill out this google form.
Presenters
Workshops will be taught by conservators and preservation experts from Utah.
STEPS-Utah Project
Work together to build on your organization’s strengths!
Utah Humanities (UH), the Utah Division of Arts & Museums (UA&M), and the Utah Division of State History (UDSH) partnered on a pilot program based on the American Association for State & Local History’s (AASLH) Standards and Excellence Program for History Organizations (STEPS) that offered seven Utah history museums a two-year enrichment opportunity designed to help them achieve success in six areas of institutional practice. The program was recognized with a nationally-prestigious AASLH Award of Excellence. Learn more about the Utah project here and stay tuned for another cohort rolling out in a hybrid format.
If you have questions, please contact Megan van Frank (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.).
“StEPs has helped our organization to slow down a little, proceed at optimum speed for our circumstances, focus on things that are important and relevant to us, and lift our eyes to the ultimate goal which is to operate with best practices and serve our community. We now understand that strength comes not from frantic activity, but from being settled on a firm foundation of best practices and standards.”
- StEPs-UT participant
Upcoming Workshops
The StEPS-Utah pilot comprised hands-on workshops, onsite projects, and mentor support. The curriculum is currently being revamped for hybrid delivery. Watch for the opportunity to participate in the future.
Cost & Registration
Participation in the program is by competitive application. Program fees are nominal. See an example of the program schedule, benefits, and curriculum here.
Presenters
Workshops are taught by instructors who are experts in the designated area of focus. The program pairs participating organizations with an experienced mentor to help individualize content to the organization’s current needs.
