Voice 3126 W. Cary St., #447 | Richmond, Virginia 23221-3504 | 804. 358.3170 | www.vamuseums.org | Summer 2015

Virginia Museums Embrace Technology to Extend Reach

Have You Checked Your Museum’s TripAdvisor Listing Lately?

Member Profile: Hanover Tavern

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Peter Hedlund of Virginia Foundation for the Humanities’ Encyclopedia Virginia prepares a tripod at Menokin, in Richmond County, to create a virtual tour of the site on Google Street View. Photo by Matthew Gibson.

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by Heather Widener

On a recent vacation, my family and I were visiting a museum (of course). A four-year-old was exploring nearby with his family – using Google Glass, the augmented reality gadget that allows users to “wear” a computer, viewing its display within their peripheral vision. As my own children ogled the cutting edge technology, I sim-ply felt, well, old. Like myself and the rest of the world, museums must keep up with technological advances if they want to survive in the 21st century. Here in Virginia, we have a plethora of large and small museums embracing cutting-edge tech-nology and forging new paths in areas as diverse as conservation and marketing.

Distance LearningMuseums’ interest in getting the most out of today’s technologies was apparent during the most recent VAM workshop. Technology Trends was a sell-out. The morning segment of the workshop focused on various ways to harness video conferencing technology for distance learning and outreach. The array of available technology was outlined – from free Skype tools to more comprehensive (and costly), large-scale distance learning systems. The workshop was held in the new digital learning technology center, part of The Carole and Marcus Weinstein Learning Center at the Virginia Historical Society (VHS). Evan Liddiard, senior edu-cation specialist for the VHS, spoke about distance learning at the workshop.

In 2013, the VHS became one of the first major content providers to deliver its full catalog anywhere in the world using Skype; allowing schools and organiza-tions without traditional videoconfer-encing equipment to experience live, interactive learning, using basic internet connectivity. They are now an interna-tional partner with Skype in the Class-room (SITC), an initiative designed to bring a collaborative educational effort to students around the globe. Additional-ly, the VHS outreach education initiative, HistoryConnects, uses cutting-edge technology, including interactive videoconferencing, web conferencing, Skype, podcasts, and online courses to reach learners of all ages around the

world. Attendees at the workshop had a chance to experience the new distance learning “green room” and see firsthand how the technology works. Mr. Liddiard, along with staff of the U.S. Army Women’s Museum, Tracy Bradford and Amanda Vtipilson, also demonstrated how their two sites can connect and interact using video conferencing technology.

Google Street ViewIn addition, Matthew Gibson and Peter Hedlund, both of Virginia Foundation for the Humanities’ (VFH) Encyclopedia Virginia (EV), spoke at the workshop about Google’s mapping tools. The pair discussed how Virginia museums have been using Google Street View technology. So what exactly is Google Street View? Here’s how Brendan Wolfe, managing editor for VFH’s EV described it in a recent article:

You may have used it already to look at your own neighborhood. If not, try it now. Find yourself on Google Maps, then drag the little yellow man—there he is, in the lower right-hand corner of the screen—to the street in front of your house. Voilà! You are now immersed in a high-resolu-tion, 360-degree view of your neighbor-hood with the ability, by clicking on the arrows, to move up and down the streets. You can cruise your hometown this way, scout out a road trip ahead of time, or even visit a foreign country.

And now you can virtually step inside. Using the same fisheye cameras, but mounted on tripods instead of moving cars, Google has given its users access

to selected buildings and historic sites around the world. Virginia Foundation for the Humanities’ Encyclopedia Virgin-ia participates in the Street View project. [A Google employee visited Charlottes-ville] and trained Hedlund and Gibson to use the camera and the software necessary to stitch together the digital images online. (Source: Taking it to the Streets, by Brendan Wolfe. VFH Views, Spring 2015.)

Virginia Museums and Street ViewSoon after they were trained on the technology, Matthew Gibson contacted VAM looking for a diverse selection of small, out-of-the-way historic sites with which to pilot their project. That was in 2013. Fast-forward to 2015, and Gibson and Hedlund are still on the road, travel-ing across Virginia documenting historic sites. Creating a virtual tour using Google technology expands modes of access to history, facilitates discovery of Virginia’s historical places, assists with documen-tation and “preservation” of vulnerable sites, spreads knowledge to partners, and promotes innovation. If your museum is interested in creating a tour, there are plenty of options, from partnering directly with Google to partnering with EV, going it on your own or hiring a Google Trusted Photographer. To learn more, contact Matthew Gibson or Peter Hedlund.

“People are excited about this,” Gibson says. “It’s a teaching tool, sure, but it’s also a tour-ism tool and even a preservation tool. Not all of these structures will be around forev-er, but we hope that our virtual tours will be.” The following sites have been docu-mented by the VFH team, with virtual tours on Google Maps and on the EV website:

• Ash-Lawn Highland• Bacon’s Castle• Historic Christ Church• James Madison’s Montpelier• Menokin Foundation• Patrick Henry National Memorial• Patrick Henry’s Scotchtown• Smith’s Fort Plantation• Ann Spencer House & Garden Museum• The Edgar Allen Poe Museum• The John Marshall House• Thomas Jefferson’s Poplar Forest• Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library & Museum

VHS’s own Evan Liddiard demonstrates how the “green wall” works during VAM’s June 2015 Technology Trends workshop.

Virginia Museums Embrace Technology to Extend ReachIn addition to the sites VFH has worked directly with on the Google Street View project, Google worked directly with Monticello and George Washington’s Mount Vernon on their virtual tours, and a private photographer collected the im-agery necessary for Stratford Hall’s virtual tour. These can also be found on EV.

There are a number of additional sites (Mary Washington House, a Stafford County Slave Dwelling, Weston Slave Dwelling (at Weston Wildlife Management Area), Glen Burnie House & Garden, and Clermont Farm (Slave Dwelling)) where the EV team has captured Google Street View imagery. Those, however, do not currently have “official” business listings in the Goo-gle Maps database, so EV has posted those on their Google Views page instead.

Currently, Google is working on a rollout of an update to Maps infrastructure, which includes how they manage their business listings. These updates will occur in mid-August. According to Google, “…we’re also preparing a set of changes to our sister platform, Google Maps Business View. In mid–August, this certified pho-tographer program will be rebranded as “Street View | Trusted.” …. the program will shed many of its stringent require-ments in favor of far more accommodat-ing policies. In short, enrollment will be easier, publishing requirements will be simpler, and we’ll improve publishing and editing reliability. High quality imagery will remain a key requirement and distinc-tion for those in the program.”

Menokin FoundationBack in 2014, at the VAM conference in Alexandria, Leslie Rennolds, assistant director for the Menokin Foundation, attended a session led by none other than Gibson and Hedlund. When Rennolds learned what EV was doing, she wanted to be involved. Rennolds remembers, “After bull-dozing my way through the crowd that gathered around them after their ses-sion, I managed to wave a business card within eye shot and said ‘You might be interested in Menokin for a Google Street View venue.’ Bazinga. It was as if the fates had planned the whole thing.”

“’Menokin!’ [Peter (Hedlund) shouted to Matthew (Gibson).] ‘She’s from Menokin!’” Rennolds felt confident they were interest-ed. So in the late spring of 2014, the pair journeyed to the Northern Neck to capture the footage, including that of the ruin, the trails, the Visitors’ Center, and the Conser-vation Barn. The result is a comprehensive 360 degree look at each floor of the house, as well as a view of the landing at Cat Point Creek, a tour of the Historic Woodwork Collection at the Visitors Center, and a trip inside the Conservation Barn to view the structural timbers and building stones that were excavated from the site.

For museums, the ability to document their site in a 360 degree virtual tour has extended their reach. The Google virtual tour of Menokin takes the visitor into areas of the ruins that are usually only accessible on a ‘hard hat tour.’ “It’s a way for everyone to get inside,” says Rennolds. Whether you are really interested and just far away, or planning a trip and want a preview, Google Street View allows virtual visitors a unique peek into the ruins at Menokin. Also, Menokin can be hard to find using GPS technology. According to Rennolds, GPS tells people they are at Menokin about a half mile before they ac-tually are. “Having one more tool to help people find us is good,” says Rennolds. “I love the fact that when you Google ‘Menokin,’ it just all comes up.”

The Edgar Allan Poe Museum“The advantages of partnering with VFH and Google Street View are numerous. Google’s global reach potentially brings a tour of the Poe Museum to every comput-

er in the world. I would imagine that most historic sites and homes in Virginia are fairly small and are operating with limited resources, but Google can help share their resources with the world,” explains Chris Semtner, curator at the Edgar Allan Poe Museum in Richmond. “We have had teachers from across the state and around the world tell us they have taken the Poe Museum’s virtual tour. Some have been inspired to bring their classes to the Poe Museum. Others have contacted us to provide their classes guided tours or educational programs through Skype. An author in Norway recently wrote a novel about the Poe Museum and admitted he’d learned about Richmond and the Muse-um using Google Street View.”

As with every new technology, the phrase “don’t blink” applies. Distance learning, Skype, and Google mapping technologies are constantly growing and evolving, and becoming more easily accessible. As the 21st century has already taught us, if there is a technological goal that seems out of reach, just wait six months. This definitely applies to museums that in the past might have considered endeavors such as virtual tours or videoconferencing as being out of the question or “pie in the sky.”

Many thanks to the following people for their contributions to this article:Matthew Gibson, Director of Digital Initiatives and Editor, Encyclopedia Virginia, Virgin-ia Foundation for the Humanities; Peter Hedlund, Programmer, Encyclopedia Virginia, Virginia Foundation for the Humanities; Leslie Rennolds, Assistant Director, Menokin Foundation; Chris Semtner, Curator, The Edgar Allan Poe Museum; Brendan Wolfe, Managing Editor, Encyclopedia Virginia, Virginia Founda-tion for the Humanities.

Links of InterestEncyclopedia Virginia Google Earth Outreach Google, Google, What Do You See? I See Menokin in 360, from the Menokin Blog: Rubble with a Cause Google Map: Published Encyclopedia Virginia Google Street View SitesHistory Pin Skype in the Classroom Virginia Historical Society’s Distance Learning Technology

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Guests explore a virtual reality tool, Google Cardboard, while at the January 2015 VAM / VFH Virginia Museum Advocacy Day breakfast reception.

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i Have You Checked Your Museum’s TripAdvisor Listing Lately?

by Annie Maddox

TripAdvisor is the world’s largest travel website, with over 315 mil-lion hits monthly. There are over 60 million members and over 200 million reviews in 28 languages.1 Is your museum taking full advan-tage of this marketing resource? When you create an account as an “attraction,” you can update details about your museum, add photos, respond to guest reviews, and - most impor-tantly - promote your museum. This is a great way to attract potential guests and reach out to the traveling community.

Cornell Hospitality Research Center published a study2 that links the success of businesses to how frequently and widespread their use of social media is. The research shows that as a prop-erty’s social reputation improves, its overall performance also improves. A stronger online reputation increases a destination’s popularity and can result in higher revenue. The reverse is true as well, since properties with weaker social reputations report worse performance. Increasing your presence on social media and encouraging visitors to write reviews and engage with your TripAdvisor profile will help increase your online TripAdvisor rating “score” and online reputation.

Taking control of your brand on TripAdvi-sor will help promote your museum to an audience you might not have had access to before. Did you know that reviews can be posted about your museum without your knowledge, even if you don’t have a page set up? Be proactive and use this marketing resource to your advantage by creating a page to build your reputation and a TripAdvisor following. When you make a profile for your museum on Tri-

pAdvisor, you have the opportunity to be in control of your online reputation. The first thing you want to do is register with the Management Center on TripAdvisor. It is full of free tools to help build your online profile. From the home Manage-ment Center page you can manage your page, access free marketing tools, learn about TripAdvisor insights, and respond to your reviews.

Sharing informa-tion about your property is the next step. Adding descriptive information helps show off your museum’s unique features. Include what makes your museum special, but keep it brief since you want travelers to read it. Statistics show that supplementing your profile with 30 or more photos and videos will get you over 45% more traveler engagements. The more photos you have, the longer visitors are encouraged to stay on your page. You can upload an unlimited num-ber of photos to be displayed alongside traveler pictures that can be added to reviews.

You want to highlight the best features or exhibits to give viewers an idea of what to expect. You want to keep your content fresh and update regularly when there are any changes, such as to travel-ing exhibitions. Maintaining your profile will give travelers something current to look at and provide them with another reason to choose you on their next trip. Plus, the TripAdvisor user interface is up-to-the-minute in terms of function and design. Leveraging that free platform for the promotion of your museum - espe-

cially if your own museum’s website is not as spohisticated - is simply smart marketing.

The one key aspect to get the most out of your TripAdvisor page is encouraging guests to write reviews. Some guests won’t even consider going to your museum if it doesn’t have any reviews.

TripAdvisor’s popularity index factors in the quality and quantity of reviews, along with how recent those reviews are. There are tools that TripAdvisor offers to help you collect reviews from guests. For example, you can use the Review Express to send emails to past visitors. There are other options to explore in the Management Center, such as flyers, widgets, and custom cards. Also, you can sign up to receive e-mail notifications of new reviews.

Reviews of your museum will not be posted instantly on TripAdvisor. They are subject to a verification process that looks at the users IP address and email address to detect any suspicious patterns or obscene or abusive language. While there have been instances in the past where false claims have been made, they happen infrequently and are most often caught before being published on the site. Whenever a review makes it onto your page you will know about it. This helps you keep track of what parts of their visit to your museum your guests are enjoying the most, along with what aspects of your museum you might consider improving.

Responding to reviews will increase visitor engagement and show that you appreciate customer feedback and value customer service. For positive reviews, showing gratitude can go a long way. The ability to respond to negative reviews gives you a chance to explain how you fixed any problems and that you take customer service seriously. Most impor-tantly, it shows both potential customers and the reviewer you care about your guests. Over 60% of respondents in a TripAdvisor survey done December of 2013 said that seeing a Management Re-

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TripAdvisor Features

• More than 32 million candid

traveler photos.

• Over 139 new contributions posted

every minute.

• 4.9 million businesses and

properties in 150,000 destinations.1

Have You Checked Your Museum’s TripAdvisor Listing Lately?

sponse generally makes them more likely to visit. Seventy percent of businesses and attractions on TripAdvisor say that they have taken steps to improve their quality of service as a result of a review. Each organization should determine a strategy for responding to TripAdvisor reviews. It’s a good idea to respond to a negative review and express regret about the negative experience, and talk about actions you have taken to fix the problem. Respond to positive reviews as well, and always include a statement of thanks to the reviewer. A good practice is to have at least one response in the ten most recent reviews so that travelers don’t have to dig too far to see one. Choose a strategy that enables your organization to engage without overwhelming your staff.

Another option you have through Tri-pAdvisor is bringing the reviews to your website. There are free widgets you can apply to a page to display content from their site onto yours. It’s just a small snip-pet of code that can be installed in any html-based website. The widget provides a live stream, so once it’s embedded you don’t have to worry about updating it. You can customize your widget to show reviews, ratings, awards your museum has won, “What’s Nearby?” with a map to top restaurants and shops in your area, as well as the link to your TripAdvisor profile. More than 105,000 domains worldwide are using TripAdvisor widgets to enhance their customer’s experience.

The Management Center and TripAdvisor Insights offer many resources to help you with this process and provide even more information on how to market your museum. Tip sheets, guides, webinars, and videos from TripAdvisor insiders are available. Also, TripAdvisor offers online marketing guidance from hospitality marketing experts and survey results from millions of members. Their goal is to help you stay on top of everything and take advantage of all their website has to offer. They are constantly putting out articles to assist you with marketing strat-egies and insights on what people expect when looking at your profile. With all of these free and valuable resources at your fingertips, it is easy to see why so many

organizations have leveraged TripAdvisor for their marketing benefit. When you create a TripAdvisor page for your museum, you’ll be able to use Goo-gle Analytics to track traffic to your page. TripAdvisor offers a video and a written guide3 on how to do this. Also, the Proper-ty Dashboard and Snapshot, available in the TripAdvisor Management Center, offer key metrics on your site’s performance on TripAdvisor. For example, the Your Visitors report gives you insights on the travelers who view your property, such as the coun-tries they come from, why they travel, and how long they plan to stay. The Traveler Engagement report includes how many desktop and mobile searches featured your site, how many traveler reviews you collected, and how many travelers are actively viewing your site photos. You’ll be able to gather the data you need to make informed marketing decisions for both your online and onsite visitors. If your museum has not already, consider using the free and easy-to-use tools on TripAd-visor to leverage the platform for positive online outreach and marketing.

Sources: 1 TripAdvisor Press Center: Fact Sheet

2 TripAdvisor for Business: Cornell Study Demonstrates ROI of Social Media & Reviews

3 TripAdvisor for Business: TripAdvisor Insights, Part 1: Setting up Google Analytics

More Resources from TripAdvisor:TripAdvisor Insights

Registering your museum with TripAdvisor

TripAdvisor On-Demand Webinars

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What TripAdvisor Reviewers Have to Say About Some VAM

Member MuseumsO. Winston Link MuseumThe museum is very interesting- showing the importance of documenting technology. ...[T]hrough Mr. Links the spirit of the steam engine lives on. The museum is a testament to ... a visionary.... The staff is very friendly and knowledgeable. – May 2015

Virginia AquariumNo trip to Virginia Beach would be complete without a visit to the Aquarium. ...We enjoyed the interactive displays, and learned much about the undersea life both in the Atlantic and Chesapeake Bay. – June 2015

Museum of the Shenandoah ValleyYou could spend a whole day here roaming the beautiful grounds and Glen Burnie Mansion. Mort Kunstler ‘s “The Art of Adventure” tour ... is a wonderful art adventure and exhibit through his six decades of art. - May 2015

Virginia Museum of Natural HistoryWe were very impressed with the quality of the museum.... Our favorite was the ant farm. Watching the ants moving through the farm carrying cut pieces of leaves through the tun-nels was amazing. We got to talk to the keeper who was replacing their leaves and learned a lot about the little critters. One can actually view some of the workers in the labs through thoughtfully placed windows. - February 2015

The Muscarelle Museum of ArtThe Muscarelle has two outstanding exhibitions on view now - Leonardo da Vinci and the Idea of Beauty, and Matilda of Canossa - Origins of the Renaissance. ....Everyone at the museum was so helpful, friendly and knowledgeable – most especially the guards and gallery attendants! - March 2015

Birthplace of Country MusicReally unexpected pleasure... Enjoyed all the features. Learned something about the start of country music that I had no idea of. Interactive fun ... If you like music, check it out! Employees were super friendly and helpful. - May 2015

National Museum of the Marine CorpsIt goes without saying that anyone ever associ-ated with the Marine Corps, and most Veterans regardless of service, will like this place. Brand new, very modern, still in progress in terms of adding more things and displays. This is right outside the gate of MCB Quantico. - June, 2015

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by Christina Newton

VAM’s 2015 Annual Conference found the perfect location in Richmond, Virginia to discuss and discover the theme, Have You Seen Us Lately?. From sessions on best practices in visitor engagement and technology, to workshops on risk manage-ment and collections care, the educational program offered something for everyone. Plus, VAM conferences always offer ample opportunities to connect with colleagues, from the lively evening receptions in the Exhibit Hall to experiencing some of the area’s top museums. 2015 also featured a fascinating luncheon highlighting an initiative of partner organizations Preser-vation Virginia and John Tyler Community College, a sold out Historic House Forum at Maymont and Ales at Agecroft Hall, our best-selling Scholarship Reception to date.

The four-day program attracted 412 registrants, featured nearly 100 speakers, and welcomed over 35 volunteers to help make the event a success. The 2015 con-ference saw an increase of approximately 100 participants over our 2014 confer-ence. We welcomed 48 newbies to the VAM conference experience, an increase of 13 over last year. Similar to last year, the breadth of the museum field is well represented in the survey results, with the category of Director/Site Manager/Administrator remaining the primary po-sitions represented while those classified as working in the areas of Collections and Education/Interpretation follow.

VAM continues its successful track record of expert communications and online accessibility that is engaging and edu-cational. Survey respondents noted that email (40%) is the most common way they heard about the conference, with word of mouth (34%) and the website (21%) not far behind. Moving to the new membership management software with YourMembership required extensive training and testing to build this year’s conference registration platform. This change appears to have been smooth for the end-user as over 85% of respondents registered online, which is a 10% increase over last year. Additionally, 95% indicated positive engagement with the online conference program or mobile app, mak-ing it easier to navigate the conference while on-site.

The array of events at the 2015 confer-ence received very positive marks from our survey respondants. Standouts include the Historic House Forum at May-mont, Scholarship Reception at Agecroft Hall, Segway Tour of Downtown, and both the Sunday and Monday evening events. Some sessions were so popular that some of our rooms were overcrowd-ed. As much as our staff strive to match popular topics with appropriate rooms, it is difficult to know what sessions/work-shops will be most attended. We’ll keep our attention on trying to make sure plenty of room is available in 2016 when you join us for our next conference!

Charging for evening events has become an increasingly necessary aspect to VAM conferences so the host venues can cov-er the cost of refreshments. We hope to keep those ticket prices low and contin-ue to offer one-of-a-kind events exclusive to the VAM conference experience. VAM conferences are continually rec-ognized for outstanding educational sessions and workshops, and 2015 did not disappoint. In fact, respondents not-ed that the diversity of speakers, subject matter, and usefulness of sessions were very good or excellent.

What Respondants Had to SayTuesday’s Keynote with Dr. Edward Ayers was one of VAM’s most popu-lar programs:

“One of the best ever, and I have heard most of them over the last 20 years. Great messages from Dr, Ayers. Well done getting him to join us!”

“I really enjoyed Dr. Ayers because he spoke on the practical idea of

focusing on history and its relevance. Something I think museums lose sight of among the business of being a museum.”

“It was Ed. That’s as good as it gets.”

More top rated sessions included:

• What Employers Seek in Students, Recent Graduates, and Public History Professionals

• Build Your Toolkit for Comprehensive Campaigns

•Carpe Diem: Adapting Collaborative Approaches to Breathe New Life into

Special Events

•Printing the Past: Fostering an Interdisci-plinary Approach to Museum Education Through 3D Scanning & Printing

•Controversy & Community Engagement

•Inaugural Student Poster Session

The Exhibit Hall remains a popular main-stay of our conference, with 98% of re-spondent attending, which is an increase over last year. 67% spoke with a vendor about a product or service. The top five areas of interest were Archival Products, Conservation Services, Exhibition Design and Fabrication, Graphic Design and Printing, Mobile Tours and Apps.

Survey comments indicate that visitors to the Exhibit Hall enjoyed seeing the addition of higher education and career opportunities, and vendors that would be welcomed include fundraising soft-ware, disaster recovery, publishers, and museum store items. The Silent Auction was once again a popular part of the Exhibit Hall, but with a notable decrease in bidding by respondents with only 40% participating. Income was lower by

VAM’s 40th Conference: A Wrap-Up of Richmond 2015

Evening event attendees, including Bill Backus, Ford Bell, and Mike Henry, visit The Valentine.

Our Scholarship Fundraiser, Ales at Agecroft Hall, featured six Richmond microbrews for the tasting!

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VAM’s 40th Conference: A Wrap-Up of Richmond 2015

approximately $2,000 when compared with last year’s numbers.

More Great Conference Feedback

“Really appreciate the opportunity student membership has provided me. I have recommended VAM based on the conference to several of my classmates and for my school to formally participate.”

“The visit to the State Capitol and tour was fantastic. I wish more of the attendees had taken advantage of this given the proximity of the conference to the state legislature. I learned quite a bit. The absolute best thing about these conferences is the opportunity to tour and learn about local historical sites and museums.”

“Thanks to VAM staff, board, local arrangements committee, and the con-ference planning committee for all their expertise and time given to help others in the profession.”

VAM’s 2016 Annual ConferenceWe’ll be heading to Williamsburg from March 12 - 15, 2016 for our next annual conference. We are excited to be visiting the Williamsburg Lodge once again (we last visited in 2007, during Virginia’s quadricentennial). We’ve held the first meeting for those interested in being involved in either the local arrangements or programming committees and we’ve even got our conference theme:

A Revolution in Traditions. It’s not too late to get involved. If you would like to be part of either the local arrangements committee or the conference program-ming committee, contact Christina Newton at 804.358.3173.

Additionally, we’ll be seeking proposals for next year’s conference over the sum-mer. Have an area of expertise you’d like to share? Know of a topic that you’d like to see us cover at conference time? Get involved by submitting a proposal. Forms will be online this summer, so be sure to stay tuned as we’ll be announcing our call for proposals soon.

*Do you ever wonder what decision-making goes into the VAM Annual Conference? Read a Q & A about our selection process on page 11.

Inaugural Poster Session for Students in

Museums

Left to right: Zachary Hottel, Appalachian State University; Jessica Ferey, American University; Kaitlin Shiflett, Lynchburg College; Rebecca Guest, Virginia Commonwealth Univeristy; Allison Ramsey, Johns Hopkins University; Richard DiCicco, Virginia Commonwealth University; and Sarah Overman, Lynchburg College.

Undergraduate and graduate students in colleges and universities are our future employees and colleagues. They are currently engaged in challenging and important work in museums throughout Virginia and the District of Columbia. In the classroom and as interns, they are doing research, producing exhibits, conducting oral history interviews, creating website content, and developing public programs.

New in 2015, VAM’s Annual Conference fea-tured a poster session for students in muse-ums. These students had the opportunity to present their research to fellow students and to those already in the museum profession. This inaugural poster session, inspired by the SEMC Spotlight on Student Research in Muse-ums, showcased selected student projects and offered a way for students to connect with experienced museum professionals and other students.

Here’s what one of our attendees had to say:

“Loved this! Talking to the students about their work made it much more interesting. The work that each put into their poster was impressive.”

Dr. Edward Ayers delivers Tuesday’s Keynote Address.

Mem

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rofil

eby Austin Howlett

The History of Hanover TavernA license for a tavern at Hanover Courthouse was issued in 1733. When William Parks, editor of the Virginia Gazette, purchased Hanover Tavern in 1743, it was part of a 550 acre plantation at the courthouse. Today, Hanover Tavern occupies a site consisting of 3.5 acres.

The Tavern was built in five stages and includes more than 12,000 square feet on three levels, 27 rooms, 97 windows, and 16 exterior doors. The earliest surviving section of the present Tavern was built in 1791.

The Tavern is one of only a few surviving colonial era taverns in the United States. It has hosted such his-toric figures as George Washington, Lord Cornwallis, and the Marquis de Lafayette. The tavern is mentioned in several travel accounts, including those of the Marquis de Chastellux, George Washington, Dr. Robert Ho-nyman, and Benson Lossing.

John and Eleanor Parks Shelton, parents of Patrick Henry’s wife Sarah,

owned the Tavern from 1750-1764. In December 1763, Patrick Henry was called to the Courthouse adjacent to Hanover Tavern to argue the Parson’s Cause case, the famous challenge to royal authority that helped to spark the American Revolution. Although Patrick Henry is best known for his “give me liberty or give me death” speech delivered at Richmond’s St. John’s Church in 1775, his great or-atory skills and patriotic fervor were first recognized when he argued damages for the defense in the famous Parson’s Cause.

The Hanover Tavern FoundationHanover Tavern Foundation was formed in 1990 with the goal of sav-ing the 18th century historic Hanover Tavern for the use and enjoyment of generations to come. After years of fundraising and hard work, a restored and enhanced Hanover Tav-ern was returned to Central Virginia in 2005. Once the Tavern was fully restored, the Foundation was able to shift its focus to utilizing Hanover Tavern as a historic, educational, community and cultural resource center for the enjoyment of all.

The Education and Events Center at Hanover TavernDue to the success of our com-munity outreach and educational programming, as well as our rap-idly growing reputation as a prime destination for weddings, receptions, and company functions, we discov-ered a need for additional space to meet the growing needs and reduce the daily wear and tear on the historic Tavern. With this in mind, the Foundation decided to create a permanent space that could hold educational programs, weddings and community events.

Using an early 19th century stable at Hickory Hill Plantation in Hanover County as inspiration, the architec-tural firm Carlton Abbott & Partners designed a 3,200 square foot build-ing that, while remaining respectful of the historic site, incorporates the modern amenities needed by the Foundation to help conserve the original Tavern.

The education and events center will provide much needed space for our current schedule of events, exhibits and educational programing, while

Hanover Tavern: Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrrow

The education and events center is set to open Summer of 2015.

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The interior of the Center will feature exposed beams and an open floor plan.

Hanover Tavern: Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrrowallowing us to offer more learn-ing-based field trips, educational programming, fundraising events, and summer day camps.

By presenting both buildings and the grounds as cohesive historic artifact, the new education and events center will help visitors better understand the size and magnitude of the Tavern operation in the 18th and early 19th centuries and convey the rich and varied experiences of Tavern life to visitors today.

Alliance for Response ForumHanover Tavern will be the host site for the upcoming Alliance for Response Forum, scheduled for July 28, 2015. This is the first Alliance for Response Forum to be held in Vir-ginia. This special daylong event will

offer museum staff, board members, and volunteers the unique oppor-tunity to meet with first responders from throughout Central Virginia to learn from and develop partnerships to improve local planning efforts and enhance the protection of heritage resources. The forum will also feature informative breakout sessions on emergency planning, panel discus-sion on working with the media and managing crisis, a special keynote from the Federal Emergency Man-agement Agency (FEMA) and the Foundation of the American Institute for Conservation (FAIC), plus the chance to see Historic Hanover Tav-ern’s new education and events cen-ter. The Forum is presented by the Central Virginia Museum Emergency Support Team (MEST), and is spon-sored by Historic Hanover Tavern, the

Virginia Conservation Association, the Virginia Association of Museums, and Hollinger Metal Edge.To learn more about Hanover Tavern, visit them online at www.hanovertavern.org or in person at:

13181 Hanover Courthouse Rd.(Route 301)Hanover, VA 23069

Hanover Tavern is open:Tues-Thurs11am – 9pmFri-Sat11am – 10pmSunday11am – 8pm

To learn more about the Alliance for Response Forum, or to register, visit the VAM website.

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Book ReviewQuiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talkingby Susan Cain

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by Annie Maddox

Our Culture made a virtue of living only as extrovert. We discouraged the inner journey, the quest for a center. So we lost our center and have to find it again.1

-Anaïs Nin

Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking could have very easily turned into a rant about introverts being superior. It is very normal for introverts to become frustrated because they are often overlooked since our society overvalues gregarious behavior. Susan Cain did a good job of explaining that we need both in this world to be balanced. It’s not about superiority, it’s about appreciating both types and what they can bring to the table both in relationships and in the work force.

But it’s not just employers who benefit from taking a closer look at their employees. We also need to take a closer look at ourselves. Understanding where we fall on the reward-sensitivity spectrum gives us the power to live our lives well.2

Susan gives a great example of how each type makes the other better. Too many extroverts in charge can lead to decisions that are not well thought out. A lot of talking can happen without it actually being substantial. Often it’s the person with great presentation skills that is fo-cused on; the person who lacks public speaking skills but has worthwhile ideas is overlooked. Many of the research, discoveries, and other inventive ideas that introverts have might not be shared outside a small circle they are comfortable in. This book helps put into perspective the way the introvert’s mind works and how as an employer or co-worker you can encourage them and let them shine in their own way.

Conviction is conviction, the kids from Cupertino taught me, at whatever decibel level it’s expressed.3

There is a lot of interesting research explained in the book. For instance, there is a striking contrast between the cultures of China and America. Being quiet is seen as a sign of respect and wisdom in China while the opposite is true in the United States. The different studies with test subjects of all ages shed light on many of the false stereo-types that go along with each personality type. About a third to a half of the population in America is introverted,

which means that a half to a third of the work force is introverted as well. That may seem surprising, however, since many introverts feel the need to become pseudo extroverts to fit the mold of corporate America.

This book is a great way to understand yourself - wheth-er you are introverted or extroverted – as well as the introverts in your life. Whether it’s a spouse, child, friend, or co-worker, this book will help you appreciate the gift of Quiet.

1 Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking, page 264.2 Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking, page 170.3 Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking, page 202.

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What Does VAM Consider When Selecting a Conference Hotel?

Several considerations are made when choosing a hotel to accomodate our conference. Here are a few:

• What other conferences are happening in the area? • What is happening at museums in the area (i.e., construction, closures, major exhibits)?• How recently did we hold a conference in that area of the state?• Contract logistics:

- What amenities are offered at the hotel? - What is the cost of food & beverage? - What is the room rate for our attendees? - What are the rooms like?

What Does My Conference Registration Cover?On average, 75% of your registration rate goes to cover the cost of food and bever-age at the hotel.

Why Can’t the VAM Conference Be Held Anywhere in the State? (or, The Downside to Being Big)

To accomodate our fantastic group of conference go-ers, VAM’s Annual Conference ideally needs to be located at a hotel with over 18,000 square feet of meeting space, including at least one ballroom that is over 10,000 square feet. With these specifications, there are un-fortunately areas of the state that we are unable to go to because there is no hotel or meeting space large enough or with the right layout. We are always exploring new venues looking for the right match for our members!

When Does VAM Start Planning a Conference?

The conference planning committees meet a year in advance of each confer-ence to start planning events and the educational slate of sessions. Even before that, VAM staff has already been hard at work with contract negotiations, which occur at least two years ahead of the conference date.

Why Do Conference Dates Change Each Year?

Every hotel in every location has a differ-ent bracket of dates that are considered “low season.” We need to fit into that low season to get the best rates for our members, which is why the conference might be held during the first weekend of March one year or the third weekend another year.

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Member Q & ABehind the Scenes: The VAM Annual Conference

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President’s Corner

Dear Members,

Once again it is summer in Virginia and we have had several very warm days already. For some reason it caused me to think about people in our lives from several different perspectives. Quite possibly at the top of a list from a group of museum professionals might be the crowds of sum-mer visitors we look forward to at our sites. They are the reason for our labors – and ensuring they have an educational, fun and fact filled visit and in some cases possibly enjoy a nice meal is a key priority. It’s all part of what we do during the summer sea-son and we certainly can expect that trend, as well as the crowds, to continue for the rest of the warm weather season. It might be a nice idea to thank them for visiting as part of their departure.

Another group that came to my mind is our staff of paid employees and the many volunteers that we have at our locations. They are the real key to preparing and presenting our museums and historic locations to the public in the best possible light. Too often they are taken for granted as they labor in the summer season and a pleasant word of thanks can go a long way to ensuring they are aware of our reliance on them to do their jobs correctly in spite of the weather that may be present.

A sub set of the visitors who visit our facilities and experience our staff interac-tions are those who take the time to leave comments and suggestions on TripAdvisor after they leave. Certainly, we all want to have a good presence on the site and that

can be leveraged by careful planning. Be sure to see the article in this issue of VAM Voice about this very topic penned by our work study student, Annie Maddox.

Elsewhere in this issue of the VAM Voice, you’ll find a very interesting article about how museums are using technology to extend their reach. Many are doing so with the help of Virginia Foundation for the Humanities’ Encyclopedia Virginia team, who is using Google Street View technol-ogy and a fisheye camera to create and archive virtual tours. Our final workshop of the 2014 – 2015 series, entitled Technology Trends, was another sell-out and a testa-ment to how museum professionals are embracing technology tools for reaching new audiences. Another group of people, and certainly not to be slighted in our ranking, are the colleagues with whom we work with on a daily basis from other institutions and associations such as VAM, SEMC and AAM. These people have a wealth of knowledge and are generally very willing to share their experiences with us as we work to find solutions to our challenges. Call them and ask for help, you’ll most likely find them more than willing to assist.

Finally, this issue has a wrap-up of the 40th VAM Conference. Talk about an interesting group of people – the more than 400 of us that attended were involved in a variety of sessions, social events, tours, meals, renewing old acquaintances and forming new friendships. The VAM staff went over the top and I want to publically say thanks in this column for all the work they did to make the conference a success. Well done to all! And certainly a hearty thanks to our sponsors whose generosity allowed us to put on such a great event.

Have a great summer, enjoy the many people you meet and work with and try to make a positive impact on someone’s life when your paths cross.

Al Schweizer

PresidentVirginia Association of Museums

Our Governing CouncilPresident, Al SchweizerVP, Planning & Resources, Gary SandlingVP, Programming, Gretchen BulovaSecretary, Dana PugaTreasurer, Norman BurnsPast President, Tracy J. GillespieEx-Officio Members, Robert C. Vaughan and Jeffrey Allison

Direc torsEric App Lisa MartinJamie Bosket Jeffrey NicholsDr. Mikell Brown Robert OrrisonKaren L. Daly Scott StrohPaige Gibbons Vanessa Thaxton-WardCharles Grant Sarah WhitingDebi Gray Charlotte WhittedJoe Keiper Eric S. Wilson

Our Staf fExecutive Director, Jennifer ThomasAssistant Director, Christina NewtonCommunications Director, Heather Widener Accountant, Su Thongpan

Our Contac tsPhone: 804. 358.3170 Fax: 804. 358.3174www.vamuseums.org

Our VoiceVAM Voice is a member benefit published quar-terly for museum professionals and volunteers. The editor encourages readers to submit article proposals. Contact the communications director for more information.

Our News Deadl inesSpring: February 15thSummer: May 15th Fall: August 15thWinter: November 1st

Our MissionThe mission of the Virginia Association of Museums is to serve as the resource network of the Virginia and District of Columbia museum community through education, technical assistance, and advocacy.