Oklahoma Museums Association Blog

OMA Has a Facebook Page

2010-01-29T12:02:00.002-06:00

Yea! Oklahoma Museums Association now has a FaceBook Page!!! Be our friend.

Planning for 2010 Conference

2009-11-12T20:42:00.001-06:00

We are excited to have a joint meeting in 2010 with the American Association for State and Local History from Sept 22-25 in OKC! Session proposals are due in a few days - November 16th! It is going to be a great national conference! Hope all our Oklahoma museums put it on their calendars!

Museum Photos

2009-03-25T16:34:00.002-05:00

Yea! OMA now has photos of our Oklahoma museums on the OMA website www.okmuseums.org Take a look!

Exhibit Design and Installation Questions

2008-09-17T08:11:00.002-05:00

Valued Colleagues:

I am currently engaged in a project to develop an exhibit on William H., “Alfalfa Bill” Murray to be erected in a soon-to-be-renovated building on the OSU campus that bears his name. The exhibit will also examine the history of the building itself. As you may know, Murray is one of the most influential--and controversial--figures in Oklahoma history. He was a leader in the 1905 Sequoyah Convention that sought to create a separate state from Indian Territory, presided over the constitutional convention that led to statehood, was the First Speaker of the House in the State Legislature, served two terms in the U.S. House of Representatives, and was Governor during some of the darkest days of the Great Depression. He also was an ardent racist and ant-Semite.

The challenges in interpreting Murray, I like to think I can handle. With the help of a graduate assistant, I will develop a script for the exhibit, locate images and artifacts, and quite possibly compose label text. The exact design and installation of the exhibit is where help will be needed. So, I would welcome any comments, advice, and even recommendations you may have on consultants or firms who might be employed to do this. The exact location of the exhibit has yet to be determined, but in order for it to serve its educational purpose it should, in my opinion, be accessible to ordinary visitors to the building, and students especially. In other words, it will be in a rather open and unsecured environment. That being the case, I suspect it will comprise mostly wall of panels with images and text, although the display of artifacts and perhaps an interactive kiosk is not out of the question. Frankly, I am open to any and all suggestions.

A realize this all sounds very vague, but I would welcome any general ideas, input, or suggestions you may. I can assure you they will be appreciated and no doubt of great value as the project proceeds. I may be contacted via e-mail at bill.bryans@okstate.edu and by phone at 405-744-8179. I will also be at the OMA conference next week, so feel free to corner me there as well. Many thanks.

Bill Bryans
History Department
Oklahoma State University

New OMA Advocacy Piece

2008-04-23T15:42:00.002-05:00

Yea! OMA has just printed a new advocacy piece for Oklahoma museums. It will be delivered to the Oklahoma legislature, just in time for Oklahoma Museums Week. Click here to see the piece

Let us know what you think!! OMA is proud of our Oklahoma museums.

Great 2008

2008-01-05T17:57:00.000-06:00

Get ready- OMA is planning for a great 2008! We are excited to offer so many wonderful programs and events during the upcoming year. Remember scholarships are available to programming for OMA members!!! We look forward to seeing you many times in 2008!

Brenda

OMA office will be closed Christmas through New Year's Day

2007-12-17T15:38:00.000-06:00

OMA wishes everyone a happy and safe holiday. The OMA office will be closed Christmas through New Year's Day. Remember the OMA website is available 24/7 and full of great resources! www.okmuseums.org

Hope to see you at OMA training in 2008!

Scholarships

2007-11-08T11:37:00.000-06:00

I wanted to remind OMA members that scholarships are offered to OMA programming. Visit the programs and services page of the website for more information: http://www.okmuseums.org/secondary.php?section=4

I hope to see you at the training we have planned for 2008! It is going to be a great year!
Brenda

OMA Activities

2007-10-11T22:44:00.001-05:00

The OMA annual fall conference is over and was a wonderful success. Thanks to Elk City and the many organizations and individuals for their support!!

The day after the conference, the OMA office moved within the Omniplex Science Museum. The OMA office is now located next to the Goldman Room. All the contact information remains the same.

Now the OMA staff is getting ready to assist with the national tribal conference for libraries, archives and museums to take place in OKC the week of October 21st..........

Museum Definition

2007-08-29T13:54:00.000-05:00

OK- Here is the latest definition which the committee will present to the board in late September for discussion and approval. We would love input from the Oklahoma museum community to make sure this definition is inclusive and not exclusive! Give us your thoughts.

Museum Definition

A museum as recognized by the Oklahoma Museums Association, may be defined as an organization which uses a professional staff or the equivalent, whether paid or unpaid, that is primarily engaged in the acquisition, care and/or exhibition to the public of objects or interactive displays/exhibits owned or used by the institution. Further, a museum is understood to possess a variety of the following characteristics: 1) is organized on a permanent or regular basis for essentially educational and/or aesthetic purposes; 2) owns or uses tangible objects, either animate or inanimate; 3) cares for these objects; and 4) exhibits these objects to the general public on a regular basis at or in a facility which it owns or operates; 5) provides educational and cultural programming via interactive play. The definition of a museum may include but need not necessarily be limited to both governmental and private museums of anthropology, art, historical societies, historic houses, sites and battlefields, nature centers, living history museums, planetariums, science and technology centers, tribal cultural centers, zoos and botanical gardens.

Volunteer for OMA Conference

2007-08-14T15:35:00.000-05:00

OMA needs volunteers for the upcoming conference in Elk City!

Conference Scholarships

2007-08-03T04:18:00.000-05:00

Today, August 3rd, is the last day to apply for a scholarship to the 2007 OMA conference! Also, we are currently planning the 2008 conference, so let us know if there is anything you would like to have covered in the 2008 conference.

OMA working on definition of a museum....

2007-07-19T14:59:00.000-05:00

The OMA Board of Directors is currently working on an accepted definition of a museum. Of course, we want it to be very broad as to encompass all types of museums. Below is a draft in which to start a discussion. Please let us know your thoughts on defining a museum........

Draft definition:
A museum as recognized by the Oklahoma Museums Association, may be defined as an organization which uses a professional staff or the equivalent, whether paid or unpaid, that is primarily engaged in the acquisition, care and/or exhibition to the public of objects owned or used by the institution. Further, a museum is understood to possess the following characteristics: 1) is organized on a permanent or regular basis for essentially educational and/or aesthetic purposes; 2) owns or uses tangible objects, either animate or inanimate; 3) cares for these objects; and 4) exhibits these objects to the general public on a regular basis at or in a facility which it owns or operates. The definition of a museum may include but need not necessarily be limited to both governmental and private museums of anthropology, art, historical societies, historic houses, sites and battlefields, nature centers, living history museums, planetariums, science and technology centers, tribal cultural centers, zoos and botanical gardens.

Lots of Great Training Coming Up for Native Museums and Cultural Centers!!!

2007-07-10T10:15:00.000-05:00

I would encourage the many Oklahoma tribal museums and cultural centers to take a look at the upcoming training opportunities!!! I believe they will be wonderful!

One-Day Free Workshops for Native Museum Practices
The following one-day workshops, co-sponsored by the Citizen Potawatomi Nation and the National Museum of the American Indian (NMAI), are free to participants from the states of Oklahoma, Texas, Kansas and Arkansas. These sessions are designed for staff of Native museums, but staff members of non-Native museums may attend. Advance registration is required and space is limited, with no more than three attendees per institution per day. Workshop sessions will be held at the Citizen Potawatomi Nation Cultural Heritage Center, 1899 S. Gordon Cooper Drive, Shawnee, OK. To register or for more information call Stacy Pero at 405.878.5830.
Topics:
Tuesday, August 21 - Museum Basics
Wednesday, August 22 - Museum Object Collections: Policies, Plans, Committees, and Community
Thursday, August 23 - Living with Contaminated Objects and Native American Museums and the Community
Friday, August 24 - Pest Control Practices for Small Museums

The Oklahoma Museums Association would like to know if there is any interest in forming a Tribal Museums and Cultural Centers Standing Professional Committee. There will be an informal meeting at the Annual Fall Conference networking luncheon on September 27. If you are interested in the SPC, please contact OMA at 405.424.7757.

Conference to Spotlight Native American Archives, Libraries and Museums
American Indian librarians, historians, tribal leaders and others interested in tribal cultural preservation will gather at the Sheraton Hotel and Conference Center in downtown Oklahoma City from October 23-25, 2007 for a national conference of tribal archives, libraries, and museums. The 2007 event builds on two previous conferences that were held in Arizona during 2003 and 2005.

This year’s conference, "Guardians of Language, Memory and Lifeways: Tribal Archives, Libraries, and Museums,” is hosted by the Oklahoma Department of Libraries with support from the Oklahoma Museums Association, Red Earth, Inc., and tribal representatives from throughout the state. An envisioning committee, made up of leaders from throughout the nation, is providing guidance on issues of critical importance to tribal cultural entities.

The two-and-a-half day conference will provide concurrent sessions, keynote presentations, hands-on workshops, and a variety of networking opportunities. A series of day-long pre-conference workshops are scheduled for Monday, October 22.

Major funding for the conference is provided by the Institute of Museum and Library Services, the Oklahoma Department of Libraries, and the Western Council of State Libraries.

For registration, exhibitor, sponsorship, or other information on the Tribal Archives, Libraries, and Museums Conference, visit http://www.tribalconference.org/ or phone the conference office at 405-522-3515.

OMA Awards Program

2007-06-28T15:47:00.000-05:00

I encourage all Oklahoma museums to take a look at the OMA Awards Program and submit an entry for any wonderful projects over the last 18 months. You can see the categories and guidelines on our Web site, http://www.okmuseums.org/secondary.php?section=4&catid=42

OMA takes pride in honoring Oklahoma museums for their outstanding projects!!! If you have any questions on the Awards program, just email us at info@okmuseums.org or call us at 405.424.7757.

Web Site Ready

2007-06-21T19:18:00.000-05:00

Great News! The new OMA Web site is finished!!! We are very excited to have such a wonderful resource for our Oklahoma museums! Speaking of resources, remember to register for the Annual Fall Conference which will be held in Elk City on September 26-28!! Scholarships are available!! Let us know what you think of our new Web site!

Still Working On Web Site

2007-06-04T14:46:00.000-05:00

Ok, we are still working on getting the new Web site up. We will continue to work on the Web site, and hopefully it will be ready to launch by June 25th. We will keep you posted!!

New Web site and blog

2007-05-25T10:39:00.000-05:00

The Oklahoma Musuems Association is working on a new Web site and blog. We should up by the first week in June.