Return to Reality

AAM just flew by! I met so many interesting museum professionals, including a young woman from the Atomic Testing Museum in Las Vegas. She told me about a wedding held at her site (not a common experience) with two people dressed in haz-mat suits and gas masks! In addition to meeting many new people, it was a great chance to re-connect with many of my colleagues. I serve on the Small Museum Association conference committee and was excited to see how many people from the February conference attended. Additionally, I had the chance to attend several more fascinating sessions, including one on Hearing Art and Seeing Music, which involves a partnership between The Kreeger Museum in DC and Catholic University using museum educators, teaching artists, and musicians, as well as one on the The International Coalition of Sites of Conscience, which includes "historic sites specifically dedicated to remembering past struggles for justice and addressing their contemporary legacies." Besides all of the great sessions I attended, I'm pleased to say that my session on website development received warm praise and a strong attendance. Not that all of my time was spent in sessions. I enjoyed a lovely time with the Museum Education Roundtable at the American Philosophical Society, a nice reception with other accredited AAM museums, as well as a chance to meet with colleagues in other fields, such as registrars. (I'd like to point out that the registrars had not one but two sponsored receptions - completely free - and that the educators didn't have even one!!) Anyway, overall, I have to say that AAM was a big success, very educational, and tiring! I'm feeling both enthused and drained - though I suspect enthused will win out!