Gail Anderson discusses current issues in the field, in conjunction with the new edition of her book Reinventing the Museum: Historical and Contemporary Perspectives on the Paradigm Shift, as the first speaker in the JSMA/Museum Studies series on museum issues, funded, in part by an Academic Support Grant. Thanks to a grant from the Oregon Cultural Trust, Anderson will help the JSMA develop a strategic plan for Latina/o engagement this year. Gail Anderson founded Gail Anderson & Associates in 2002 to help position cultural and socially responsible organizations for greater relevancy and success in today's complex world. Working closely with trustees, directors, and staff, Gail facilitates institutional planning, governance and leadership development, community and civic engagement, institutional capacity building, and provides professional development and education services. With over 33 years of professional experience, Gail brings an extensive knowledge and understanding of museums, current issues, creative solutions, and diverse strategies for institutional success. Before beginning her own consulting business, she was deputy director of the Mexican Museum (San Francisco), vice president of Museum Management Consultants, chair of the graduate Department of Museum Studies at JFK University, assistant director of the Southwest Museum, and museum educator at the Museum of Northern Arizona. Anderson has been active professionally throughout her career as a past Board member of the American Association of Museums, a member of the committee that produced Excellence & Equity , past president of the Western Museums Association Board of Directors, and is a current member of The Museum Group. In 1997, she received the Director's Chair award for distinguished service and leadership from the Western Museums Association. Gail edited the best sellers, Museum Mission Statements: Building A Distinct Institutional Identity, and most recently edited, Reinventing the Museum: Historical and Contemporary Perspectives on the Paradigm Shift.

Comments

1. She was spot on. I have to admit opportunities to work at area museums for me are an issue about old, quiet, stuffy environments and exhibits that have gone outdated. Some of the existing exhibits somehow miss the mark and nobody past their youth years really makes a returning visit often. The main reason is they don't change enough and selected new exhibits are often again oldish or uninteresting slightly. In that sense it can be a matter of taste though. And also they are slow to celebration and formats are narrow socially across the board. From the outside the museums im near are actually enclosed away from the public with no connection to the outside. No way to muse from the outside. Sadly the architecture of the old museums is romanesque, vast and probably a long long wait for any remodeling and change in that respect. This is all 4-5 of my areas largest museums style of operating:-(