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 small 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 2022 | Dates TBD

This series is held over five consecutive months. Participation in all five full-day workshops and completion of a small on-site exhibit project is required:

• Month 1: Telling Our Stories: Introduction to Museum Interpretation
• Month 2: Finding Our Stories: Researching Collections & Communities
• Month 3: Designing Our Stories: Well Structured Exhibits
• Month 4: Writing Our Stories: Exhibit Labels 
• Month 5: 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. Stay tuned for dates and application details in 2022. 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), and Virginia Catherall (Utah Museum of Fine Arts).

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 recently-concluded 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. 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 project ran from 2018-2020. The program comprised hands-on workshops, onsite projects, and mentor support. Participating organizations complete all six modules (modules are not available separately). The curriculum is currently being revamped for hybrid delivery. Watch for the opportunity to participate in 2022.

Cost & Registration

Participation in the program is by competitive application. Program fees are nominal. See an example of the program schedule, benefits, and requirements 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.

Oral History

Interested in oral history? This workshop is a great place to begin!

Oral History is a powerful tool to understand your family stories and community history. This workshop will provide a focused introduction to the art and craft of oral history: from the philosophical underpinnings of the discipline — what it can, and cannot, tell us about the past — to the nuts and bolts of executing a successful oral history project. Participants will find out more about funding sources for oral history projects. Workshops are presented jointly by Utah Humanities and Utah Division of State History.

Well organized, informative, upbeat, inspiring... Lots of great ideas and resources... A broad range of information presented in a very digestible way.... I feel prepared to apply this information!

– Workshop Attendees, Salt Lake City

Upcoming Workshops

To schedule a workshop for your community, please contact Megan van Frank at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Cost & Registration

These half-day workshops are free but registration is requested. 

Presenters

Jedediah Rogers is a Senior State Historian at the Utah Division of State History and co-managing editor of the Utah Historical Quarterly. Megan van Frank directs community history and museum programming for Utah Humanities.