New England Museum Association

What is a study collection? With college and university museums already removed from typical public interactions, how can stewards make such collections readily accessible to their publics? These collections consistently prove invaluable to scholars, museum staff, and students, but how do we get beyond the ivory tower without public exhibition? This Wednesday, October 9 at noon, join the Registrar and Collections Care Specialist PAG and the College and University Museums PAG via Zoom for a lively, informal discussion by four museum professionals who care for study collections within higher education institutions. Speakers will include: - Joshua Gorman: Executive Director, Collection of Historic Scientific Instruments, Harvard University - Christina Linsenmeyer: Associate Curator, Yale Morris Steinert Collection of Musical Instruments, Yale School of Music, Yale University - Megan Paqua: Museum Registrar, Fairfield University Art Museum, Fairfield University - Josephine Rodgers: Curator of Collections and Director of Engagement, Middlebury College Museum of Art, Middlebury College RSVP on the NEMA website: https://ow.ly/wwhe50TFQAb

Today is the day! Register for #NEMA2024 before the Early Bird Discount is gone. Go to nemanet.org/register Starting Saturday, October 5, regular registration rates apply.

TODAY is the Early Bird deadline for our Annual Conference, taking place November 6 - 8 in Newport, RI. The discount ends at 11:59 pm today, October 4. Starting Saturday, October 5, regular registration rates apply. These Early Birds are all signed up. Don't miss out on saving money! Go to nemanet.org/register and get your discount today.

Staff member Scarlett Hoey is representing Team NEMA at the Slave Dwelling Project’s 8th Annual Conference taking place this week in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania! The theme is "The Illusion of Freedom: Slavery in the Northern States," and we know she is looking forward to bringing back inspiration for her work with NEMA's Interpreting Enslavement and Freedom Community of Practice.

The last week of Early Bird Registration for #NEMA2024 is winding down, and a few Rhode Island Reds stopped by to help you remember with their hilarious memes. What a bunch of comedi-hens! The deadline to get the early-bird discount is 11:59 pm this Friday, October 4. Here's how to get in on the savings: Go to our, online registration site, where you'll be just a few clicks away from sign-up: nemanet.org/register Select your off-site and after-hours events. Click "Submit" by 11:59 pm Friday night and you're on your way to saving up to $80. Who doesn't love that? Starting Saturday, October 5, regular registration rates apply. You can pre-register for the conference up to October 18. After that, registration is on-site only. Click here to register today! nemanet.org/register

On October 9 from 5 PM - 7 PM, join your NEMA museum colleagues for an event exploring The Importance of Being Furnished: Four Bachelors at Home exhibition. Come explore the evolution of American interior design with this exhibit that spotlights four historic house museums - Beauport-the Sleeper-McCann House, Codman Estate, Gibson House, Pendleton House – and their creators. This meet-up takes place at Historic New England's Eustis Estate in Milton, Massachusetts. Light refreshments will be provided. Hosted by Historic New England. RSVP on the NEMA website: https://ow.ly/I36t50TCeG7

TOMORROW! Join the Environmental Community of Practice for a virtual meeting on Thursday, October 3 from 3 PM - 4 PM to learn about an exciting case study in cross-organizational collaboration! In 2023, Indigo Arts Alliance, a Black-led artist incubator space based in Portland, ME, launched a three-year partnership with Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens in Boothbay, ME, focused on environmental justice in urban and rural spaces, to articulate why it is critical to center Black and Brown experiences and knowledge. Through multi-faceted symposia events and permanent art commissions, they invited audiences to honor collective wisdom and forge new ways to be in harmony with the land now known as Maine and beyond. The first year’s theme was Deconstructing the Boundaries: A Future of Land & Food Resilience, which brought attention to the many ways Black, Brown, and Indigenous communities have created spiritual, traditional, and cultural relationships to the land for millennia and continue to do so. For the 2024 continuation, they launched Deconstructing the Boundaries: The Land Fights Back. Learn more about this project here: https://ow.ly/g5y650TBicw Tomorrow's speakers will include: Jordia Benjamin, Executive Director, Indigo Arts Alliance Ashley Page, Studio and Programs Manager, Indigo Arts Alliance Gretchen Ostherr, President and CEO, Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens RSVP on the NEMA website: https://ow.ly/4Vll50Tr1yC (Photos courtesy of Coastal Maine Botanical Garden)

It's the last week to sign up for Early Bird Registration and receive a discount for #NEMA2024 in Newport, RI! And speaking of early birds, did you know that the Rhode Island state bird is the Rhode Island Red chicken? First bred in the Rhode Island area in the nineteenth century, the birds are a cross between chickens of Asian and Italian origin. They are known for their deep red plumage and their friendly, curious demeanor. Rhode Island Reds have been a popular choice for livestock farmers since they serve dual purpose, providing both meat and eggs. Roosters, like the one seen here, can be very energetic and loud (which could be helpful if you are depending on them to wake you up early!). Several NEMA member organizations in Rhode Island are working to maintain this historic breed and give visitors an opportunity to interact with them. These include Historic New England's Casey Farm in Saunderstown and the South County Museum in Narragansett. You can learn more at their websites: https://ow.ly/a1iW50TAra2 https://ow.ly/v2Uy50TAqb5 But first, don't forget to register for our conference by the Early Bird Deadline, this Friday, October 4! nemanet.org/conference

Did you miss our September 17 session about Voter Registration and Engagement in museums? You can check out the recording at your convenience on our YouTube channel. We all know voting is a cornerstone of our democracy. As civic institutions, museums are excellent places to offer voter registration & engagement between now and the November 5 election. And as long as you aren't telling people who or what to vote for, it's completely within your bounds to do so. This workshop covers basic strategies for voter registration & engagement to help you organize a voter effort even if you have limited bandwidth and resources. It includes: Concrete tools and resources to support voting in your community Examples of museum voter events and projects Breakout rooms by state to encourage collaboration & mutual support This workshop was organized by: Sarah Jencks, Every Museum a Civic Museum Caroline Klibanoff, Made By Us Michelle Moon, Saltworks Interpretive Consulting Jennifer Ortiz, Utah Historical Society Braden Paynter, International Coalition of Sites of Conscience Donna Sack, museum consultant Rainey Tisdale, museum consultant

The Early Bird is back, and he has already registered to attend #NEMA2024 in Newport, RI! Have you? This is the final week to get the early-bird rate for Conference! Sign up by Friday, October 4 to receive the discounted rate. You won't want to miss it. Register today at: nemanet.org/conference