Encouraging Reminders
Cause We’re Gonna Need Them
So, how was your November? Yeah? Me too.
Where do we go from here? There’s no sugarcoating things, the next four years – if it is “just” four years – will, well, suck. It’s taken me a while to untuck myself from the fetal position. And yet – everything that I write about in the Planning Curious Museum Person is still true. And more important than ever.
The New England Museum Association has the unfortunate timing of its annual conference on the first Wednesday – Friday in November. So, there we were at 8:30 on the morning after the election in 2016 with tear-stained faces, in shock, but immediately filled with determination. At lunch, everyone seated at my table had already taken some concrete action. Registered to volunteer at Planned Parenthood, made a sizable donation to the ACLU or their favorite BIPOC-led justice nonprofit.
And there we were again this year. And it’s the same story. Everything we do that really matters – the work that combats injustice, that addresses planetary health, that brings joy to people – matters more than ever. Which means that I am still a huge proponent of casting our gaze around our surrounding communities to see where museum skills bring value to the table.
People still need to learn the full history of our nation as we commemorate the 250th. They need to know that they can still take meaningful climate action and support Science literacy, no matter what b@tsh!t direction federal agencies get taken in the next four years. They need to talk about important civic issues with family and friends – while remaining family and friends (within reason). They need art and beautiful parks and community gardens and fantastic skate parks.
And – the stakes for our local, regional, and state governments are higher than they have ever been. These folks still have to write and implement climate action plans. VacFix transit systems and make it safe for kids to bike to school. They need to protect women, LGBTQ, BIPOC, and people with disabilities – or be fought tooth and nail when they choose to do the opposite.
We know how to help people and agencies do this. We know how to help people learn. We have the skills to help people tap the best part of themselves. So, to remind us of the kinds of things that our museum superpowers can do, and because we are going to need constant reminders of the good still lurking around us, I thought I’d repost a few stories. If you missed these, give them a read. I hope they make you smile.
Hope, Empathy, and Optimism: Tapping People’s Better Nature to Think about the Future
The title says it all, but I really believe that museum work can help people find and exercise the best parts of themselves.
Trusted Messengers: Using museums’ superpowers to unlock visitors’ superpowers
We are also good at getting people to chat among themselves – including discussions that don’t come up in everyday discourse. And that matters because friends and family are people’s most trusted messengers about stuff that matters, more trusted than clergy, public officials, or museums. For another take on getting people to talk about what matters, this post talks about creatively using book clubs and a list of 100 book titles to get an entire community engaged in climate resilience planning.
Inspiring Stormwater Management: Finding the Learning, Beauty and Joy in Managing Runoff
Because having “joy” and “stormwater runoff” in the same title makes me happy. And so do gorgeous schoolyards and rain gardens that are designed for hands-on learning.
Tiny Historical Society Leads Local Climate Action: Pulling Together on Mount Desert Island in Maine
This is one of my longer posts because this museum, with only two full-time paid staff, does SO MUCH. They brilliantly show how to use history and historic collections to bring light to contemporary issues.
As always, I am interested in collecting stories that I can share. If you and your museum are doing something related to urban and regional planning, let me know.
In the meantime, I wish you the best – see you on the other side of the solstice!
~ Betsy Loring1
The Planning-Curious Museum Person
Sharing stories and ideas for other Planning-Curious Museum People and for Museum-Curious Planning People.
I am the founder of expLoring exhibits & engagement. I’ve got over 20 years’ experience in project management and exhibit development in multidisciplinary, indoor and outdoor museum settings. My services include exhibit master planning, content and interactive development, and writing, with a focus on hands-on STEM. I also offer staff training in exhibition planning, formative evaluation, and prototyping. My special interests include multi-institutional collaborations, peer-to-peer professional development, and of course – collaboration with municipal planning practitioners.