Small museums face the same challenges as large museums on a tighter budget and with fewer resources. Navigating these obstacles requires strong leadership and effective governance. The creation and use of planning documents and a clear mission and vision are essential to pursuing the long-term health of an organization. This book features concise, grounded approaches to finding and articulating the mission and vision of a small museum. Because a few tools have been invaluable to small mus...

There has been, and continues to be, an explosion of interest in developing new small science centers that is changing the world of museums. This handbook is designed to be a one-stop source for future and current centers, and anyone interested in the important roles these institutions play in their communities. With articles-all written by leaders in field-covering everything from administration, staffing, finance, marketing, exhibit design, and beyond, this comprehensive resource will be...

In small community museums, truck stops, restaurants, bars, barbershops, schools, and churches, people create displays to tell the histories that matter to them. Much of this history is personal: family history, community history, history of a trade, or the history of something considered less than genteel. It is often history based on the historical record, but also based on feelings, beliefs, and memory. It is neglected history.Private History in Public is about those hi...