MAKING MUSINGS PART 1: REFLECTIONS FROM A PAST EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Letter from the Editor | Jaime Clifton-Ross

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This is the first post of a five part series in celebration of the Master of Museum Studies program at the University of Toronto's 50th anniversary (MMSt50). To reflect on Musings' past, present, and future, we invited all previous Editors-in-Chief to return to Musings to write special Letter from the Editor posts. These articles will highlight the significance of Musings both within the MMSt program, and for writers' professional careers. Jaime Clifton-Ross was the first Editor-in-Chief of Musings from 2013-2015. 

I remember this one humid day quite well. It was late August in 2013 and I had just moved to Toronto a couple of weeks before. I nervously entered the iSchool to meet Dr. Mihalache to discuss my research assistant position. She greeted me warmly and I instantly felt at ease. I was incredibly surprised to find out that the sole project for my assistantship was to transform the existing MMSt blog into a thriving platform that served as the voice of the Master of Museum Studies students.

I began this somewhat daunting task by researching other blogs and obsessively tinkering with the back end of blogger (Musings’ Content Management System). I scoured the internet in hopes of learning as much as I could about web design and I also taught myself some basic coding. I spent the next few months developing content, writing the preliminary mission/vision/mandate, and researching blogging best practices. While I couldn’t put my finger on it, this project had ignited something in me.

By January 2014, I had convinced 4 other students to join me as contributing editors. Together we came up with a series of columns and created a rigorous content calendar that included a new post every weekday. Despite how challenging it was to maintain this busy content calendar, everyone managed to post one blog a week. I credit the team’s commitment and collaborative spirit as the reason why Musings took off so quickly.

“The Original Musings Team”. From left: Brittney Sproule, Meaghan Dalby, Alexandra Jeffrey, Jaime Clifton-Ross, Lauren Williams, and Katherine Hannemann. Photo courtesy of Jaime Clifton-Ross.

After two semesters of working on Musings, I secured an internship in the web department at the Royal Ontario Museum. My task was to conduct an environmental survey of museum blogs and identify best practices. I also wrote a series of blog posts and learned a lot about social media. This helped energize me for my second year as Editor-in-Chief, which had become an elected role with student council rather than an assistantship. Equipped with far more knowledge about blogs and web engagement, I set out to recruit the second year of contributing editors and guide them in best practices. Much to my surprise, we had several new students join the team, increasing our number from 6 to about 20. Musings was no longer a small operation, but rather an organized and vital part of the MMSt program.



My experience working on Musings first and foremost helped guide me towards a career in online communications and engagement. It helped me uncover my natural skillset and gave me the confidence to pursue my current professional pathway. The hands-on experience I gained in leadership, project management, writing, community engagement, web design, and social media marketing is what has shaped my career the most. It also broadened my knowledge and experience, which helped me to transition from the museum and non-profit sectors to the field of sustainable community development.

Upon reflecting on the blog posts I wrote during my time with Musings, one in particular stood out. The Curated Garden: A Museum? showcased Butchart Gardens, a historic site in Victoria, British Columbia. In this post, I recounted the history of the site and reflected on how museums come in different shapes and forms. While re-reading this post, I was reminded of how certain museum practices, namely interpretive planning and marketing, are adapted from other sectors. This also made me think about how other sectors can learn from museums, namely on how to communicate important subjects such as climate change, social justice, biodiversity loss, etc.

“Butchart Gardens” by Jenna Lee. Source.

I currently work as the research curator for a small research team in the School of Environment and Sustainability at Royal Roads University in Victoria, BC. Our research spans many subjects under the umbrella of sustainable community development—including climate change adaptation and mitigation, biodiversity conservation, community vitality, social capital and agency, as well as communications. I wear many hats in my role, however my main task is to develop effective methods to communicate our research findings beyond traditional academic channels (i.e. peer-reviewed journals and conferences). Academic research is not often circulated to the public widely nor is it often formatted into accessible mediums, which is why I think academia can learn a thing or two from the museum field. To tackle this gap and to develop best practices for academics, I draw on museum practices while experimenting with visual communications, social media content curation, web content development, and video production. I’ve even had the opportunity to curate two research exhibits, one of which just opened at the Royal Roads University Library Showcase space last week.

“Wind Turbine in Field of Sunflowers” by Gustavo Quepón. Source. 

While my experience with Musings certainly helped me secure my master’s internship and my first job in the field, the biggest reward were the lifelong friendships I formed. I am also so thankful to all the wonderful contributing editors who made, and continue to make Musings what it is today.

A LETTER FROM YOUR EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

BY: JAIME CLIFTON-ROSS

Dear Readers,

It is with a heavy heart that I share with you my final blog post for Musings. I became blog editor in the fall of 2013, and had little knowledge of web design and content development. However, I was determined to learn so I could transform Musings into what it is today. I spent the semester teaching myself CSS and developing a plan for the blog, with the help of Dr. Irina Mihalache. I convinced five of my friends in the program to join as contributing editors, because there was absolutely no way I could pull this off on my own. So just like that, the blog took off. I had no idea that so many people would later join and that the blog would become such a staple in the program. I also could not believe the level a readership that we reached.

The Original Musings Team!

First and foremost, I would like to thank Irina for seeing potential in me and for supporting this project every step of the way. She has always been our number one fan (along with Katya, of course!) and we could not have pulled this off without her love for Musings! I also want to thank Alexandra Jeffery, Brittney Sproule, Katherine Hannemann, Meaghan Dalby, and Lauren Williams for stepping up as the first contributing editors. Musings would not be what it is today without your fantastic writing and creative vision for each column! I would also like to thank all the wonderful writers who joined last summer and last fall. Your energy and enthusiasm helped grow our readership and solidify the blog as a vibrant and collaborative platform for museum research and practice. Thank-you to all the museums and heritage organizations that showed interest in our work and shared in our discussions. Finally, I would like to thank our loyal and supportive readers for your continued engagement. We appreciate you supporting us in our encounters with the world of museums!

As I conclude the Master of Museum Studies program, I feel optimistic and confident in the future of Musings. I would like to congratulate and also thank the new 2015/2016 Editor-in-Chief, Madeline Smolarz. I know that I am leaving Musings in capable hands and look forward to becoming a loyal reader.

I will leave you with this sweet and slightly cheesy song!

All the best in your future endeavours! I will miss you dearly!

Jaime <3

INNOVATION VS. ACCESSIBILITY IN MUSEUMS

MUSEUM INNOVATIONS

BY: JAIME CLIFTON-ROSS

Dear Readers,

Today I share with you my final article for Museum Innovations. Through this channel, I’ve explored many topics: digital technologies; foodways; exhibition crowdsourcing; pop-up museums; interactive storytelling; museums and education, and much more. Because I’ve examined several forms of museums and their innovative practice, what better topic to explore today than the concept of innovation itself. 

Royal Ontario Museums: Extreme Museum Makeover, ROM 100 Speaks Lecture

On Tuesday night, I attended the Royal Ontario Museum’s (ROM) Extreme Museum Makeover event, which marked the end of their centennial celebration. Five panelists spoke at the event, including the amazing Nancy Proctor from the Baltimore Museum of Art, David Evans from the ROM, Adam Reed Rozan from the Worcester Art Museum, Joseph Loh from the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and finally Peter J. Kim from the Museum of Food and Drink. Through a series of discussion questions, the panelists reflected on the role of museums in the future. 

Royal Ontario Museums: Extreme Museum Makeover, ROM 100 Speaks Lecture

While many ideas were tossed around, Nancy suggested that museums should focus their efforts on accessibility rather than innovation. This bold statement seemed to resonate with many audience members, as expressed on the event’s (trending!) Twitter feed. In doing so, she also stated that museums should not chase after innovative technology for technology’s sake. They need to meet their “community” where they convene and “speak with a local accent”. In other words, museums should understand the needs of their audiences and become a part of that community. They need to move away from the expert model and become a place where visitors feel a sense of belonging, acceptance, and ownership. Nancy also discussed how museums must play to their own strengths and not change the core of who they are. They must maintain authenticity.

After attending this lecture, I reflected on the concepts of innovation and accessibility and wondered whether it was necessary to choose one over the other? To make myself clear, I’m not trying to counter Nancy, in fact I’m doing the complete opposite as she inspired me to reconsider their functions within the museum framework. Of course these ideas are complex and have multiple meanings, and from what I understood, Nancy was referring to innovation through the lens of technology and new museum trends. However, I realized that many issues I discuss in my column actually amalgamate the two. 

Pop Up Museum with the Santa Cruz Public Library

For example, the innovative Pop-Up museum, which extends outside the boundaries of institutions and into communities (another concept with a multiplicity of meanings), is physically accessible and utilizes a participatory model. Or exhibition crowdsourcing, which encourages visitors to inject their own meaning and interpretation into museum exhibitions. Innovation therefore is not necessarily solely associated with digital technology. It can also signify innovation in community-building or the integration of new storytelling techniques that encourage visitors to express their personal connections with artefacts. While I’ve barely cracked the surface of this issue, I encourage you to reflect on these complex concepts.

#FoundBunny Tweet, Nova Scotia Museum

I’m now going to leave you with what I believe was a simple, innovative, and accessible method of engagement that clearly made an impact on its audience. Do you remember #FoundBunny which made waves on Twitter last week? The Museum of Natural History in Halifax, Nova Scotia, embarked on a social media campaign to locate the owner of an adorable plush bunny rabbit who was left behind at the museum. They photographed the stuffed animal as it embarked on an exciting adventure through the museum. The rabbit ran from dinosaurs, worked on exhibitions, learned about safety in museums, made friends with a seal, and even hung out with a living turtle. Concerned (and amused) Twitter users took it upon themselves to help spread the word. This is a primary example of how this museum met a community where they convene and encouraged the public to participate in this initiative. 

#FoundBunny on an adventure tweet, Canada

Thank-you for your continued support and readership! I will miss you terribly!

All the best,

Jaime <3

P.S. Stay tuned for my official goodbye post next week!

PRINTING, GAMING, TINKERING, OH MY : THE RISE OF MAKER CULTURE

MUSEUM INNOVATIONS

BY: JAIME CLIFTON-ROSS

In adopting a constructivist attitude, where the act of learning-through-doing is key, maker culture blends the experimental approach of DIY crafting with technology. Through digital fabrication, interactive design, physical computing, adaptive gaming, and more, this creative cultural movement is making waves in both the academic and museum worlds! Science centres and children museums, in particular, have embraced these hands-on activities through cutting-edge interactive displays. Gaming in history museums and academic hackathons are now a popular method for education and engagement. Some of the most innovative maker initiatives in Canada are coming out of our very own Semaphore Critical Making Lab, at the University of Toronto's iSchool, as well as the Maker Lab in the University of Victoria's Humanities Department. Today, I offer you a small selection of cool and cutting-edge maker projects (not in any particular order)

1. PRINTABILITY: Semaphore Critical Making Lab at the University of Toronto's iSchool

Professor Matt Ratto and PhD Candidate ginger coons are leading a team of researchers in the development of 3D-printed limbs for children in Uganda. They were even featured on the CBC!

3D-Printed Limbs at the iSchool's Semaphore Lab, Photo by Semaphore Lab

2. FEMBOX: By Nina Belojevic and Theresa Slater for Integrate Arts Festival in Victoria, BC

"Through console-like play the piece combines multiple elements: the clearly material — physical controllers, glimpses into the “black box” showing wires and component parts — with the seemingly ephemeral — lights, projections, invisible processes; the electronic with the biological; the technological with the bodily" (Fembox Webpage 2015).

FEMBOX from Theresa Slater on Vimeo.

Playing with Fembox, Photo by Nina Belojevic

3.  STRAWBERRY THIEF: By Sophia George, Games Designer in Residence at the V&A MUSEUM 

This iPad game was created using the intricate "Strawberry Thief" pattern designed by Arts and Crafts artist, William Morris. The point of the game is for the Strawberry Thief bird to collect strawberries in order to transform a blank piece of paper into the vibrant floral design. What a fun way to engage with museums and art history!

4.  ENVISION: Girls Learning Code Installation for Nuit Blanche Toronto

This static installation of mesmerizing 3D-printed objects, created by 40 girls between the ages of 8-13, considers how objects make a space. The non-linear narrative encouraged young makers to "interpret a space by means of reinventing objects, not destroying them" (Ladies Learning Code Webpage 2015). 

* Girls Learning Code, a vital part of the Ladies Learning Code National program, hosts a series of hands-on workshops that promote technological experimentation amongst young girls. 

Envision: 3D Printed Art, Photo by Jaime Clifton-Ross

5. KITS FOR CULTURAL HISTORY: UVic Maker Lab

This project aims to physically preserve old technologies that have gradually grown obsolete or inaccessible. Through replicas of interactive and hands-on technologies packaged in distinct "cultural kits", this project explores the history of media technology through digital fabrication and physical computing. Users are encouraged to reflect on the physicality of technology and consider how this is embedded in cultural history.  

Sketch of Kit for Cultural History, by Nina Belojevic

Boxed Anthologies: Kits for Culture by Shaun Macpherson and Nina Belojevic

Now that you've been inspired by these amazingly talented makers, go create something of your own and please share your results!

SOUTHERN FOODWAYS: "THE MIND OF A CHEF" WITH SEAN BROCK

MUSEUM INNOVATIONS

BY: JAIME CLIFTON-ROSS

Now more than ever, museum educators and interpreters are experimenting with new approaches to representing history. In offering engaging alternative entry points, many museums are integrating multisensorial experiences into exhibitions and public programming. Historic cooking and the study of food history has become a popular (and delicious!) method for visitor engagement, because who wouldn’t love learning about cultural history through tasty treats?!

The Mind of a Chef Logo, PBS

I recently discovered a wonderful PBS documentary (available on Netflix)  called "The Mind of Chef”, narrated and produced by the infamous Anthony Bourdain. What struck me most about this show are the ways in which it unveils the art of cooking through history, science, and travel. The first half of season two is hosted by award winning Chef Sean Brock, who works as the executive chef at the restaurant Husk, located in Charleston, South Carolina. His narratives are heartening and compelling as he demonstrates his incredible commitment to preserving Southern foodways, reviving traditional cooking and farming methods, and tracing their historic roots (no pun intended)! I know, I know, this documentary does not necessarily constitute as a “museum innovation”, but it certainly explores a topic that is represented through innovative interpretive methods in museums.

Chef Sean Brock (right) and the cover of his new cookbook, Heritage.

SOME HIGHLIGHTS

Chef Sean grew up on a rural Virginia farm, located in the Appalachia region, where his mother taught him to cook with heirloom ingredients growing in his own backyard. As a chef, his main culinary mission is to dispel the notions that Southern cooking lacks variety, is unhealthy, and is all deep fried. In fact, traditional Southern food is hearty, often vegetable driven, and adventurous in its use of unorthodox ingredients and cooking methods. Some of the most interesting ingredients used in his recipes were kohlrabi, sumac, homemade fermented farro and benne miso, banana miso, dried vinegar beet reduction, and eucalyptus preserved blueberries.

Sean Brock cooks up a Southern classic, Hoppin’ John 

While much of the show takes place in kitchens, Chef Sean spent an equal amount of time outside experimenting with traditional farming methods with friends. One of the most interesting yet “primitive” practices he demonstrates was fire threshing green farro (spelt). This ancient burning technique, used on harvested grain that are green and not yet mature, toasts and dries the farro, giving it a wonderful smoky flavour profile. He also reminisces about growing up on a farm, where he would witness the full lifespan of the plants in which he had grown. His experiences as a child enabled him to better appreciate where his food comes from and how important basic farming practices truly are, namely seed saving.

Chicken and Dumplings with Chef Sean Brock and his mum!

I was particularly excited about the episode, “Preserve”, where he shares his Cabinet of Curiosities in his food cellar. Filled with hanging fermented fish, dried vegetables, preserved fruit, homemade miso, and his grandmother’s “ancient” bread mother, his cellar felt more like a museum collection of scientific experiments and specimens, than a pantry.

Greasy beans (left) are strung up like popcorn for the Christmas tree and dried

He also visits Anson Mills, where farmer Glenn Roberts cultivates traditional Carolina Gold rice. Historically the primary crop grown in South Carolina, Farmer Glenn is slowly reviving this almost extinct heirloom grain. Another wonderful segment from this series occurs when Chef Sean learns to cook cornbread cakes—better known as hoecakes—over an open fire on the metal hoe used to tend the farm crops. His friend at Blackberry Farms reflected on how this was a traditional lunchtime practice amongst farmers.

The Bradford Watermelon Story. 

Why people used to poison their watermelon crops!

Now I know I mostly discussed farming practices, but Chef Sean and his friends also make many mouth watering seafood dishes. He traces the drying, salting, and fermentation process back to Senegal in Africa, where his friend takes him to a massive fish market on the sandy ocean shores. There he unveils how West African food heritage is still very much embedded within Southern cooking practices, despite the many years that have passed since the beginning of slavery in America.

West African Gumbo

From hunting frogs in crocodile infested marshes to mashing fresh ingredients in Senegal, Chef Sean takes his viewers on a sweet, savoury, and sentimental adventure into the heart of Southern cuisine.

THIRTEEN AWESOME HISTORIC PHOTOS OF MUSEUM VISITORS

THROWBACK THURSDAY

BY: JAIME CLIFTON-ROSS

Since we discuss the visitor experience so much in class, I thought I'd share some delightful black and white photographs of museum visitors from the 1930's to the 1990's. Be sure to check out our Pinterest page for more lovely photographs!

Pssst.....scroll to the bottom to see my favourite photo! Also, tweet us your favourite historic photos of museums @musingsmmst! ENJOY!


1. Francis Schlowsky, Les Jumelles et Degas, ca.1990

2. Alécio de Andrade, At the Louvre, 1968.

3. Alécio de Andrade, At the Louvre, 1990.

4. Friedrich Seidenstücker, Two Girls, Bismarck Memorial Berlin, 1930.

5. A Saturday Morning Class in the Laidlaw Gallery, Art Gallery of Toronto (AGO), 1930s. 

6. Alfred Eisenstaedt, Tourists at the Louvre, ca. 1950.

7. Alécio de Andrade, At the Louvre, 1969.

8. Alécio de Andrade, At the Louvre, 1993.

9. Eve Arnold, Silvana Mangano, 1956.

10. Alécio de Andrade, At the Louvre, 1993.

11. Elliott Erwitt, Looking at the Frick Collection, New York, 1969.

12. Herb Slodounik, Peeking through the vents at the San Francisco Museum of Art, prior to the 1970's.

13. Alécio de Andrade, At the Louvre, 1990.

THE CURATED GARDEN: A MUSEUM?

MUSEUM INNOVATIONS

BY: JAIME CLIFTON-ROSS

As I discussed in a previous post, many MMSt students consider a variety of organizations and institutions as museums. Our studies at the iSchool encourage us to think outside the box and explore venues beyond the realm of the traditional artefact-based institutions (be sure to check out our Mission page, which lists some sites that we consider as museums). As I learned last semester in Dr. Irina Mihalache’s class, Interpretation and Meaning Making, interpretive planning originated in parks before migrating to museums. Considering museums adopted practices developed to enhance education and engagement in parks, can we not consider public gardens as museums as well?

Butchart Gardens Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter Collage. All photos from Butchart Gardens Website

During my winter holidays, I travelled to Victoria, BC—the self-titled garden city of Canada, which also happens to be my hometown. I’ve visited the lovely Butchart Gardens numerous times over the years, often during Christmas, as it became a holiday tradition. The site is made up of a variety of “curated” and manicured floral displays, reminiscent of historical British, French, Italian, and Japanese gardening practices. Because it preserves 19th and 20th century gardening aesthetics (often uncommon in Canada as a result of our cold climate), the gardens are officially designated a National Historic Site. Vancouver Island’s incredibly mild climate, one that heavily contrasts the rest of Canada, makes it the perfect locale for such a site.

My experience at the gardens this year was quite different from my previous visits. For whatever reason, I had never noticed the series of plaques placed throughout the gardens that explore the story of its creation. Armed with museum insight, I couldn’t help but notice the garden’s approach to interpreting the history of the site. Short yet equally compelling descriptions, strategically placed in front of noteworthy spaces, helped convey the “provenance” of the sites of display.

Before and After: From Quarry to Garden. University of Waterloo.

Unbeknownst to me, the gardens were originally a limestone quarry owned and operated by American cement pioneer, Robert Pim Butchart (1856-1943). He also owned a cement plant at Tod Inlet that supplied cement across the west, from Victoria to San Francisco. After the quarry was exhausted of limestone deposits in 1909, his wife, Jennie Butchart (1866-1950), transformed the barren site into a breathtakingly lush “sunken garden”. She worked with the prominent Canadian architect, Samuel Maclure, who channelled the English Arts and Crafts aesthetic in his landscaping designs.

Robert and Jennie Butchart. 

Between 1906 and 1929, Jennie continued to build grandiose floral displays, which now include a seaside Japanese Garden, an Italian Baroque Garden, a Mediterranean Garden, a Rose Garden, as well as various sculptures and water displays. She even built a star-shaped pond for her husband’s family of ducks! But don’t worry about the the environmental impact of the gardens, as they are maintained by a self-sufficient irrigated water system that is supplied by wells and reservoirs filled with rain water. Be sure to check out their official website for more details.

Because the family gardens were passed down from generation to generation, they gradually transformed into what they are today. The family began hosting outdoor symphony concerts, theatrical stage shows, operatic performances, water and firework spectacles, and even puppet shows. These events helped establish the gardens as a world class tourist site. During Christmas the gardens are decorated in spectacular light displays guided by the traditional Christmas song, The Twelve Days of Christmas. Visitors can also enjoy an outdoor skating rink (a complete phenomenon on Southern Vancouver Island) as well as Christmas carollers. Visitors can also dine at The Dining Room Restaurant, explore their gift shop, and even ride a carousel.

This site truly embodies the spirit of museums (and theme parks to an extent) as it encourages visitors to engage with historical gardening practices and preserves natural and architectural landscapes all while celebrating the beautiful, lush nature of the West Coast of Canada.

A STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE ON HOW TO CREATE A POP UP MUSEUM

MUSEUM INNOVATIONS

BY: JAIME CLIFTON-ROSS

Museum studies courses at the iSchool often explore the many forms in which museums take shape. Whether they’re traditional history museums—filled with pristine displays of artefacts and labels—or hands-on science centres loaded with 3D printers or Raspberry Pi’s, museums come in many shapes and sizes. One phenomenon sweeping the cultural sector is the POP UP MUSEUM! Sounds fun, huh?! But they’re more than just temporary displays of objects stationed outside museum walls. They’re fully realized participatory museums!

Santa Cruz Museum of Art & Design Pop Up Museum Label from Organizer's Kit 

The Santa Cruz Museum of Art & History (MAH), home of our beloved Nina Simon, created a wonderful step-by-step guide on how to plan your very own pop-up museum! This delightfully innovative concept invites the public to share their treasures in thematic temporary exhibitions that pop-up in random locales—including libraries, medical centres, harbour fronts, restaurants, shops, community centres, and even in the streets.

What is a Pop Up Museum? from Santa Cruz MAH on Vimeo.

THE MAH’s HOW TO MAKE A POP MUSEUM: AN ORGANIZERS KIT, in a nutshell

* They've included detailed instructions as well as free labels and signs in this comprehensive document

1. CHOOSE A THEME:

Whose your audience?
Does the theme prompt a story?
Can you think of an object to bring?
Is it exciting? 

2. CHOOSE A TIME, DATE, AND LOCATION: 

Public or private space? Will be stumble upon it?
Whose in charge of the site?
Is it wheelchair accessible?
Will weather be a factor?
Can you set-up food, tables, and chairs?
Can you play music? 

Santa Cruz Museum of Art & History Pop Up Museum Label from Organizer's Kit

3. WORK WITH COLLABORATORS:

Invite an organization to collaborate!

4. INVITE THE PEOPLE:
Share on social media
Advertise through museum website and newsletter
Contact your local press
Distribute flyers and signs
Tell your friends!

5. SET-UP: (Include the following):
Folding Tables & Chairs
Pop Up Tent
Tablecloths
Blank Labels
Pens & Pencils
Welcome and Instruction Sign
Share Some Sample Objects
Frames or Pedestals 

Pop Up Museum; Chinatown is in the Heart; Santa Cruz Museum of Art & History 

6. FACILITATION:
Be ready to answer questions and explain the concept

7. TAKE PICTURES

8. TAKE NOTES

9. EVALUATE
How did it go?
Did it work well?
What could be improved?
Did participants enjoy themselves?

10. SHARE YOUR EXPERIENCE
Through Social Media

Spread the Word
On the Pop Up Museum Website

Check out this archive of delightful pop up museums collaboratively organized by the MAH.

Pop Up Museum with the Santa Cruz Public Library

In sharing, exploring, and interpreting personal treasures, Pop Up Museums encourage communities to collaboratively explore their histories. Its thematic framework not only fosters spontaneous encounters between strangers, but also stimulates meaningful conversations and shares the cultural agency of museums with participants. Is this not what most museums are striving to achieve?!

If you would like to participate in a Toronto Pop Up Museum, here’s your chance! Historica Canada, The City of Toronto, York University, and the Multicultural History Society of Ontario are hosting two Pop Up Museum's for the “Toronto’s Great War Attic” project this week.  For more information, visit the City of Toronto's program page.

TEN BEST HISTORICA MINUTES: HISTORY BY THE MINUTE!

THROWBACK THURSDAY

BY: JAIME CLIFTON-ROSS

Can you recall your first encounter with Canadian history? Like many Canadian children of the 90's, I vividly remember learning about compelling historical narratives during commercial breaks on the CBC and CTV. I first learned the stories behind maple syrup, Winnie the Pooh, Laura Secord, the Underground Railroad, Jacques Cartier, the Halifax Explosion, and Nellie McClung to name a few, through HISTORICA MINUTES: History by the Minute. 

Better know as Historica Canada's Heritage Minutes, this series of sixty-second films illustrate key events in Canadian history. Using affect and storytelling devices, Heritage Minutes developed compelling accounts of foundational events in Canada that continue to evoke memory and nostalgia amongst society. Because these stories were communicated through mass media, their narratives are now embedded within our collective psyche. Heritage Minutes taught me to value Canadian history and inspired me to explore my own familial heritage. Who said watching television couldn't be educational?!

Here's a roundup of my favourite Heritage Minutes (in random order). What are yours? How have they impacted your understanding of Canadian history and heritage?

1.  NELLIE McCLUNG:  The infamous feminist and political activist who demanded the right for women to vote in Manitoba.

2. JACQUES CARTIER: The french explorer who encountered the Iroquois people and mistakes their word, "kanata" meaning village, as the name of their land.

3. JOHN CABOT (Giovanni Caboto): A look at the Italian explorer who discovered an ocean full of cod fish off the coast of Newfoundland (single tear...Newfie pride).

4. MAPLE SYRUP: Ojibwa or Iroquois families teach Canadian settlers how to tap for maple water.

5. LAURA SECORD: With the help of Mohawk warriors, this Canadian heroine warned the British of an American Military advance during the War of 1812.

6. JOSEPH BURR TYRRELL: Explorer and geologist discovered dinosaur bones in present day Drumheller, Alberta.

7. THE INVENTION OF BASKETBALL: The story of how sports coach, James Naismith, invented basketball.

8. WINNIE THE POOH: The story of how a Winnipeg soldier's bear became the inspiration for the beloved series of children's books.

9.  THE HALIFAX EXPLOSION: Train dispatcher, Vince Coleman, sacrificed his life to send a message warning a train full of passengers of the impending explosion.

10. MARSHALL McLUHAN: The story of how the Communications theorist coined "the medium is the message" and the "global village".

100 YEARS OF LOSS: ABORIGINAL HISTORY WILL NOW BE TAUGHT IN CANADIAN CLASSROOMS

MUSEUM INNOVATIONS
BY: JAIME CLIFTON-ROSS

Often discussed in MMSt courses are the ways in which museums and other cultural organizations effectively and respectfully represent difficult knowledge or “dark” aspects of history. How can museums portray the history of cultural oppression while illustrating truth, instigating affect, and maintaining integrity? How do they consider audiences who were directly or indirectly impacted by traumatic events?

Old Sun Indian Residential School Classroom, 100 Years of Loss Website.

Do YOU remember learning about the history of First Nations, Métis, and Inuit Peoples in elementary school and/or high school? Was is it even part of your class curriculum? I personally received the bulk of my knowledge of Aboriginal cultures while growing up on Vancouver Island where First Nations art is prominently displayed throughout the city, in art galleries, and museums. It wasn’t until University though where I finally learned about the social significance of potlatches, animal symbology, and weaving traditions. I also learned about the devastating history of Indigenous colonialism which is largely omitted from grade school curriculums in Canada.

Aboriginal students and staff assembled outside the Kamloops Indian Residential School

In collaboration with the Aboriginal Healing Foundation (AHF), Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada (AANDC), and Canadian Heritage, the Legacy of Hope Foundation's (LHF) innovative development of 100 Years of Loss - The Residential School System in Canada is working to change this. In producing this invaluable education program, modelled on museum education practices, the LHF is on a quest to integrate Aboriginal history into Canadian grade school curriculums for ages 11-18.

Thomas Moore after entering residential school.

Thomas Moore before entering residential school.

Their primary mission is to “increase public awareness and knowledge of the Indian Residential School System” (100 Years of Loss Website), to move forward with the healing and reconciliation process, and to instigate more equality for Aboriginal people of Canada. The LHF collaborated with residential school survivors, numerous Indigenous community members—including museum curators, researchers, educators, and curriculum developers—over the course of ten years. By involving a range of stakeholders, they ensured that all educational materials produced would accurately reflect the testimonials of survivors and maintain cultural respect.

Offered in both French and English, this program includes the following components:

THE EDU-KIT:

The curriculum is comprised of a “small-scale wall-mounted timelines, videos including Survivor testimonies, and a Teacher’s Guide with six customizable Lesson Plans (12-24 hrs of activities), teacher resources and extension activities” (Legacy of Hope Website).

100 Years of Loss Education Program Booklet

MOBILE EXHIBITION (travelling exhibition):

This unique exhibition consists of “eight thematic pods (4 in each official language), and a wavy wall that presents interweaving timelines” (Legacy of Hope Website). Complete with photographs, documents, and text, this exhibition has travelled throughout the county and has even visited The Montreal Holocaust Memorial Centre, The Canadian Museum of History, as well as Parliament Hill, to name a few.

Mobile Exhibition on Display

WORKSHOP:

“The workshop process, whether using the activities-based Edu-Kit or the inquiry, research, and discussion-based mobile exhibition workshop, is designed to take youth through the spectrum of awareness, to sensitization, to understanding, and finally to action that has the potential, and indeed initiates the process of reconciliation” (Legacy of Hope Website).

DIGITAL EXHIBITION:

The corresponding digital exhibition depicts the history of Residential Schools through photographs, testimonials, texts, and a timeline. This user-controlled narrative —similar to those developed by Google Cultural Institute—utilizes contemporary storytelling techniques that enable users to intimately engage with the content. This web and mobile app can be accessed online or downloaded via Google Play and iTunes.

100 Years of Loss Digital Exhibition Screenshot.

By developing a range of materials, both physical and digital, the curriculum implementation process was successfully initiated in 2012. Future generations of Canadians will now learn the vital history of First Nations, Métis, and Inuit Peoples that were largely absent from our childhood educations.

CHECK OUT "WE ARE THE CHILDREN", ANOTHER DIGITAL EXHIBITION DEVELOPED BY THE LHF IN 2001.