On Wed, Oct 19, 2016 at 8:05 PM, <[email protected]> wrote: > Hi Mouse - > running a museum project is fun but also a lot of work. > here is a little framework to think about and discuss Ed# at SMECC . > > - SPACE > you rent or buy a building ($$$$ !) > or... > place displays in other's premises (can work if they protct your gear) > > > - INSURANCE > (property, liability, employee) > > - UTILITIES > ( winter is your enemy, summer is ours in AZ) > > - SECURE FURANITURE AND FIXTURES > (when in doubt, lock it under glass) > > EMPOLYEES and/or VOLUNTEERS > Great to have so you are not the only one chained to the entry desk, > employees cost $$$ volunteers no salary - either can be a > blessing or a curse if you get a bad one > > > > In a message dated 10/19/2016 7:41:07 P.M. US Mountain Standard Time, > [email protected] writes: > > There's someone local who's seen my assortment of computer hardware > twice and has, each time, told me I should set up a museum. > > This is tempting, but I don't know the first thing about doing it. > About all I'm sure of is that it would involve a lot of stuff I > currently have no idea of. > > I know that there are at least a few people here who've been involved > in such things. While all the examples that come to mind are in the > USA, and mine would be in Canada, I'm sure there are many respects in > which the issues are jurisdiction-independent - and, who knows, there > may be such a person in Canada that I just can't recall offhand. > > So, I'm wondering if there's anyone who'd be willing to share > experiences, thoughts, issues, whatever, on the possibility. > > I'm not looking to make a lot of money off this. If I can turn my > computers from money-sink to money-neutral, I'll be content. (They are > currently soaking up money in the form of causing me to be renting > significantly more storage than I would be if they were to vanish.) > > /~\ The ASCII Mouse > \ / Ribbon Campaign > X Against HTML [email protected] > / \ Email! 7D C8 61 52 5D E7 2D 39 4E F1 31 3E E8 B3 27 4B >
So, having done this with a big purse :-) I will endorse the old saying, "The way to make a small fortune in the museum business is to start with a large one." Having met a lot of folks who have done this in some semblance or another, here is my advice. Hours by appointment, so that you aren't a slave to it. Even if you can find volunteers, because you don't want to burn them out, either. Seek educational/public interest donations, rather than counting on donations from attendees. I have no experience with the visitor-funded approach, but I have doubts. Figure out how to offer a unique experience AND pitch it to local media. Buy them beers. If you can tie into local legislators (I've done this), that's a plus, because they know people with money (which is how they get elected). If you can tell a potential donor's story well, that encourages the potential donor. Here's where you can end up selling your soul. Some thoughts, YMMV. Cheers -- Ian -- Ian S. King, MSIS, MSCS, Ph.D. Candidate The Information School <http://ischool.uw.edu> Dissertation: "Why the Conversation Mattered: Constructing a Sociotechnical Narrative Through a Design Lens Archivist, Voices From the Rwanda Tribunal <http://tribunalvoices.org> Value Sensitive Design Research Lab <http://vsdesign.org> University of Washington There is an old Vulcan saying: "Only Nixon could go to China."
