Working in a Small Museum

The great (and sometimes aggravating) thing about working in a small museum is this: you never *really* know what you're going to be doing. Oh sure, I've got my list of things to do, but something *always* comes up that I hadn't planned. I thought I'd give you a little peek into my week-- my list of things to do and those things that have just popped up along the way.

To-Do List (actually only about half of my list):
1. Recuerdos exhibit: print photographs, write labels, buy mounting supplies, contact donor about which images we're using

2. Secure a speaker for June's Salon at Wildfire

3. NEH grant: finish narrative, contact consultant to discuss project further

4. Prepare outline for upcoming presentation (which will be at 6:30am!)

5. Look into grant for marketing materials for our Up the Chisholm Trail event

6. Continue research/write for cotton exhibit

7. Find a museum that might want items that a potential donor had acquired (they're not related to Williamson County, so we cannot take them)

8. Update blog


Here's some of what's come up in the mean time this week:
1. Try to find appraiser/auction house for murals

2. Try to find a person or organization that deals with steam trains/engines

3. Review report for historical commission

4. Review and make edits/comments on a grant for another organization

5. Scan and make copies of items from the collection for donor

6. Work the front desk and try to fix the computer (or at least figure out what's wrong, which I did yesterday)

Tomorrow, I have a meeting about a tour of the courthouse for the NTHP Preservation Conference in Austin (this fall) and a conference call about a digitization project with my partner organizations. Saturday is one of those 12 hour days. We've got a members' only parade watching party in the morning, and we're staying open until 8pm for the Red Poppy Festival. Monday, my day off, I will be attending the Austin Museum Partnership executive committee meeting, where I serve as treasurer/membership person.

While it can all be exhausting at times, I can't even imagine working in a larger institution. I'd miss the variety of everything we do.

Civil War Cemetery Tales- April 17

Join us on Saturday, April 17, from 4 pm to 6 pm at the I.O.O.F. Cemetery in Georgetown.

$10 per person

This self-guided tour allows visitors to learn stories from the Civil War era told by the people who were there, played by costumed interpreters. Come and meet some of the fine citizens of Georgetown who fought in the War, as well as their families who kept the home fires burning.

Tickets on sale now at the Museum and on sale at the Cemetery on April 17 (day of the event). Tickets are $10 per person. (No refunds. In case of inclement weather, Museum will reschedule the event.)

I.O.O.F. Cemetery
(Behind Southwestern University)
701 Smith Creek Road

Please note that the Museum will CLOSE early (at 3:30pm) on Saturday and staff will be at the I.O.O.F. Cemetery.

Salon- Wednesday, April 14

Hope to see you there!