Museums as Agents for Public 



Education 



THE KELLOGG PROGRAM 



by Helen H. Voris 



Mention the word "Kellogg" and millions of people 

 think of breakfast. But for approximately 400 

 museum educators, curators, and exhibit designers from 

 across the country it brings to mind an imaginative pro- 

 gram of professional development workshops conducted 

 by Field Museum's Education Department over the past 

 four years: 



"Museum Education: Strategies for Effective Pro- 

 gramming," a one-week workshop offered twice a year, 

 assembles 20 museum educators to learn more about 

 theoretical and practical aspects of their role in getting 

 people involved with exhibits. 



"Exhibition Development: A Team Approach," a 

 three-day workshop offered twice a year, provides an 

 opportunity for ten museum teams of educators, cura- 

 tors, and exhibit designers to explore their respective 

 areas of expertise and potential contributions to the 

 exhibit development process. 



The generous award from the W. K. Kellogg Foun- 

 dation of Battle Creek, Michigan, which has made these 

 workshops possible, is based on the premise that tal- 

 ented, enthusiastic, and well-trained staff are the key to 

 producing more effective exhibits and educational pro- 

 grams, as well as greater public awareness and use of 

 museum resources. 



The workshops have earned a national reputation 

 for excellence, establishing Field Museum as a leader in 

 the development of training experiences for museum 

 professionals. A strong and growing interest in the pro- 

 gram has made it highly competitive: nearly 1,000 peo- 

 ple have applied thus far. Successful applicants receive 

 stipends to cover their transportation and expenses. 



Helen Voris is a writer for special projects in the Education 

 Department. 



They must be full-time employees of museums, and they 

 are selected on the basis of their level of responsibility, 

 their ability to articulate their own needs and those of 

 their institution as related to the content and goals of the 

 workshops, and the degree of support from their 

 administrative supervisors. 



The workshops have drawn participants from more 

 than 225 museums located throughout the U.S. and 

 Canada. Staff of the Alaska State Museum, the Univer- 

 sity of Alaska Museum, and the Bernice Pauahi Bishop 

 Museum in Hawaii have particularly welcomed the Kel- 

 logg Foundation's support, since the cost of travel from 

 their distant locations often precludes their attendance 

 at professional workshops and conferences. Participants 

 have come from museums of every size as well, with the 

 Elmhurst (Illinois) Historical Museum, which serves 

 4,100 visitors each year with a staff of four, at one end of 

 the spectrum, and the National Gallery of Art, with 

 over 900 staff members and an annual attendance of 

 over six million visitors, at the other. 



Presentations at the workshops by Field Museum 

 staff, keynote speakers, and small group activities gen- 

 erate lively discussions which often continue through 

 the evening and start again at breakfast the next day. 

 Specific issues are considered within the framework of 

 several overarching themes: mission, goals, objectives, 

 and evaluation. How is the mission of one's museum re- 

 flected in its organizational values, structure, and 

 functioning? How can a museum mission statement be 

 used to help articulate goals and objectives for exhibits 

 and programs? How can evaluation of exhibits and pro- 

 grams be used as a positive force to chart and guide pro- 

 gress in the direction of the mission? Attention to the 

 museum audience is implicit in these themes: It is not 

 enough to know who we are as museums, and where we 

 are headed; to get there we must know, in more depth 

 than ever before, the audience we serve — and those we 



