KMA's 2022 Conference Starts ONE WEEK from today!! |
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Conference attendees relax and laugh while seated at tables during KMA's Live Auction. |
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We are excited to see you in Topeka ONE WEEK from today for KMA’s 2022 Conference!
Things to know:
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There are a few spots left in the Podcasting 101 Workshop and the pre-conference tours: the Ad Astra – Kansas Capitol tour OR the Brown v. Board National Historic Site tour, but they are filling up FAST!!! Register here so you don’t miss out!
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If you require any ADA accommodations, please reach out to us as soon as possible at kma@wichita.edu so that we can make the proper arrangements. Thank you!
Dates to know:
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TODAY, October 31: Hotel block ends at our overflow hotel, the Ramada Inn. We cannot guarantee the conference rate of $89/night including breakfast after today!
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November 1: Watch for attendee emails with all of the information you need for the conference – they will be sent tomorrow! If you are signed up for a workshop and/or tour, you will get a separate email for each event. They will be resent on Friday to bring the information to the top of your inbox.
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November 3: On the same note, conference registration ENDS this Thursday, November 3! Make sure to register before the deadline so we have a spot for you.
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We’ve highlighted the workshop, speakers, and sessions, but it wouldn’t be the KMA Conference without a lot of laughs and fun alongside the learning. Here’s what will help you take a break from the stress of the everyday grind and refresh your spirit for the year ahead!
Tours: There is no better way to gain inspiration and insight than to tour another museum or historic site! Whether it is your first time or your tenth, you are bound to see something that you have never seen before that you can adapt for your own exhibits, or hear a story that helps you rethink your tours or education programs. If you register now, you can join us at one of two pre-conference tours. The Ad Astra – Kansas Capitol tour takes you through the beautifully restored building that serves as the seat of our state government and its incredible history. The Brown v. Board National Historic Site tour takes you to a National Park Service location in the former Monroe Elementary school, the school that Linda Brown (daughter of Oliver Brown, the named plaintiff in the case) was bussed to in the segregated landscape of schools in Topeka in the 1950s. After the conference concludes, join us at a post-conference tour of Constitution Hall, the site of the anti-slavery Topeka Constitutional Convention in 1855, Underground Railroad activities in the 1850s, and the State Capitol of Kansas from 1864 through 1869.
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Traveling Reception: Keep the fun going by joining us at the official opening of conference festivities, the traveling reception! Monday evening we will depart from Hotel Topeka at City Center via bus to tour three amazing locations and nibble delicious treats. We will start at the Mulvane Art Museum at Washburn University, continue on to the Museum of the Kansas National Guard and conclude our evening at the Combat Air Museum. The traveling reception is FREE and open to all conference attendees, presenters, and exhibitors.
Annual Dinner and Silent and Live Auctions: Tuesday night we go all out – welcome to KMA’s Annual Dinner and Auction! Starting with a reception where you can mingle, buy raffle or seat tickets, and browse silent auction items, the night just gets better – and occasionally rowdier – from there. After dinner where you may be lucky enough to snag a seat at a beautifully decorated table, we begin the live auction of wacky and wonderful items, which is always good for a few laughs. In between live auction items the beautiful centerpieces will be raffled, and the money raised helps support KMA’s conference scholarships and grants for the upcoming year. It’s one of many ways you can support KMA, and we appreciate your generosity!
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Make Plans Now to Visit the KMA Conference Exhibit Hall |
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A long hallway of exhibitor tables frames two people having a discussion. |
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Make plans now to visit our exhibit hall, where you can make connections with vendors from across the state who can help you innovate and plan for your upcoming projects. We appreciate their sponsorship as it helps make the conference possible!
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November 15: IMLS applications for six grants due:
Looking ahead:
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2021 Grant Report:
Jackson County Historical and Genealogical Society, Holton
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Each year, KMA awards grants to museums to help fund small projects that improve their museum operations. The museums, in turn, share a summary of their projects with the greater KMA membership as a way to give back and spur ideas for others. Today we are featuring one of the projects funded in 2021. |
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Image of archival boxes in the kitchen of the museum's Victorian house. |
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If a picture is worth a thousand words, please see the progression of our preservation project in the attached photos. We are using Gaylord Archival Deep Lid Textile Boxes to preserve some of our textile collection. We ordered boxes that shipped flat in order to save postage costs; it was a bit of a challenge putting the boxes together, but once we learned the process, it was easy to assemble the remaining boxes. It did take two people to assemble each large box. One person could handle assembling the smaller boxes, but two made the process easier. Shipping was expensive, even with flat boxes. We also ordered a roll of 30" unbuffered acid free tissue. That roll coupled with the 36" roll that we already had enabled us to have a variety of tissue sizes for our inventory.
One photo shows our assembled boxes stacked in the kitchen of our Victorian house. The two large tables in the kitchen gave us needed work space. The closeup of a dress with tissue shows that we were generous (which we felt was needed) in using the tissue to protect our textiles. We packed seven different groupings of items in this one box, including three beaded flapper dresses; cotton slips and camisoles; a white lawn and lace dress with slip and belt; and a brown pleated silk dress (pictured).
Some of our treasures yet to be packed include the weaving collection (see attached photo) of KU Professor of Design Evelyn DeGraw who resided in Holton, our county seat where our museum and Victorian house are located. This grant arrived at just the right time because we will be undergoing a renovation of this property with new windows, doors and siding to give us better energy savings. Since we need to pack up all of the clothing displayed in the house to protect it from dust during construction, this grant enabled us to purchase much needed acid free boxes and tissue to protect our items the right way.
We are grateful to the KMA for granting us these funds for this project as well as other grants we have received in the past. With each grant, we have been able to properly protect even more of our items. We spent well past the $500 to purchase these few items, with about a quarter of the funds being for freight. We also encountered back-ordered items so the supply chain problems also impact museums.
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Silk dress packed in new tissue and archival box. |
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Weaving collection on display and waiting to be rehoused. |
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Good News! Museum Happenings Across Kansas |
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We could all use some good news, right? Here are a few examples of our Kansas museums developing new programming, new ways of reaching their audiences, and new ways of helping their communities in this month's edition of Good News! Do you have good news to share? Email Jamin and you might see your museum featured in next month's newsletter!
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Attendees at Riley County Historical Museum's cemetery walking tour look on as a costumed interpreter talks about the life of a former Riley County resident. |
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Riley County Historical Museum, Manhattan: Docile spirits roamed the Historic Sunset Cemetery recently, as the Riley County Historical Museum hosted their cemetery walking tour. Costumed interpreters shared stories of some Riley County residents who are now enjoying their eternal rest. Thank you for keeping these people and their stories alive!
Lindsborg Old Mill & Swedish Heritage Museum, Lindsborg: Well done to the Lindsborg Old Mill & Swedish Heritage Museum! They hosted Music by the Mill recently, which featured a band and food and served as a fundraiser and membership drive. Sounds like a great way to engage with your community and we are glad that over sixty people came out to show their support!
Strataca, The Kansas Underground Salt Museum, Hutchinson: More frightful, or delightful? You be the judge! Strataca hosted the Zombie Run 5K earlier this month, and participants got to walk or run a 5K 650 feet underground. There were zombies around many corners, but as far as we know everyone left with their braaaaains! What a fun event!
Mahaffie Stagecoach Stop & Farm Historic Site, Olathe: All treats and no tricks for the Mahaffie Stagecoach Stop & Farm Historic Site this week! Their Trick-or-Treat OFF the Street event is popular with kids and parents alike, and over twenty local organizations and businesses get in on the action to help hand out candy in a safe environment. Talk about a win-win!
Ulrich Museum of Art at Wichita State University, Wichita: The Ulrich Museum of Art hosted a Contemporary Indigenous Arts Festival in October, with performances, artist talks, hands-on workshops and short films held in conjunction with their Myths of the West exhibit. Thank you for recognizing and showcasing the incredible work of Indigenous artists and performers!
Congratulations to the following museums who were awarded Tourism Attraction Sub-Grants for Kansas (TASK) Grants by Kansas Tourism, in partnership with the Patterson Family Foundation.
- Flint Hills Discovery Center, Manhattan – “Stepping into the Prairie” exhibit
- Miners Hall Museum Foundation, Franklin – Relocation, restoration and preservation of a Page 618 Walking Dragline, a piece of coal mining machinery – one of only two still in existence!
- Strataca: Kansas Underground Salt Museum, Hutchinson – Addition of four exhibits: Mini Miner Interactive Zone, BlastZone, Permian Perions, and Science of Salt
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Webinars and Continuing Education |
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National Association for Interpretation's Upcoming Webinars:
Clearing Distorted Reflections: Sensitively Addressing Tough Topics Through Living History
November 15
12:00 – 1:30 pm Central
Northeast Document Conservation Center's Upcoming Webinars:
Strategies for Born-Digital Collections
November 3
1:00 – 3:00 pm Central
Creating and Integrated Pest Management System
November 8
11:30 am – 12:30 pm Central
Writing a Preservation Plan
November 17
11:30 am – 12:30 pm Central
Metadata for Digital Preservation
November 29
1:00 – 3:00 pm Central
Connecting to Collections Care's Upcoming Webinars:
Old Wives Tales and Urban Legends: Ask A Conservator Day
November 4
12:00 – 1:00 pm Central
Texas Historical Commission's Upcoming Webinars:
Can Organizations Center Community in Their Volunteer Strategies?
November 15
10:00 am Central
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Upcoming webinars from a variety of sources compiled by the Texas Historical Commission can be found here.
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Archived webinars presented by the Texas Historical Commission can be found here.
Museum Learning Hub:
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Explore archived webinars you can access on demand here.
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September 6-9, 2023
Boise, ID
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November 7-9, 2022
**Note: This year's conference will be held Monday-Wednesday.**
Topeka
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May 19-22, 2023
Denver, CO
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September 27-30, 2023
Corpus Christi, TX
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Stuhr Museum, Grand Island, Nebraska
To submit employment listings, contact
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Newsletter submissions are due the 15th of the month. The newsletter is published on the last business day of the month. Send information to asstdirector@ksmuseums.org
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Kansas Museums Association
Paula Downs, Interim Executive Director
Jamin Landavazo, Assistant Director
Ph: 316.978.6535
Copyright 2022
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Contact KMA's Regional Representative for your area:
Western Region Representative:
Central Region Representative:
Eastern Region Representative:
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