PEIBlogs.com: the definitive Prince Edward Island blogroll since 2004.: Lifestyle

Happy Birthday KelliKelli on her 1st birthday (boy oh boy does Nate ever look like his Mommy)


Tomorrow is Nate's Mommy's 25th Birthday!
To a wonderful daughter, a loving wife, a fantastic Mom, and a great sister.
we are all blessed to have you in our lives.

go on over to her blog a wish her a Happy 25th Birthday

I did a lot of gift knitting this week...
I started and finished... a pair of Newfies,,,, A Calorimetry with a pair of somewhat matching mittens. I can hear you saying, "the cuffs don't match ," but I think they're cool, and so will the recipient.

Public Consultations on the PEI Museum Systems, March 2007

1889 -– 1969: The Early Years

"The vision of the Provincial Museum is that of a dynamic, welcoming, accessible, attractive, relevant and inclusive facility that will provide an overview of PEI’s cultural and natural histories. “The ideal museum is a secular establishment where civic issues can be broached and objects encountered by people interested in reflecting, while relaxing and socializing… The goal of such an institution is not to become another purveyor of nostalgia, but a safe theatre of conscience where the search for truth is an ongoing one. Supporters of a provincial museum describe it as an integrated, multi-functional, cross generational and cross cultural centre of engagement where visitors interact with different voices and experiences.”" (Participant W8)

Year-round access for students was seen as particularly important. Convenient access by the majority of Island residents, reasonable proximity to well-visited tourist attractions, and accessibility for the very young, the very old and the disabled were also considered key for unctionality and economic sustainability.


Another high priority issue was staffing. Those intimately familiar with the current museums system pointed to problems of limited staff and resources. One experienced PEI heritage professional noted that.

"“Over the past twenty five years essential positions have disappeared or were never created. Staff outreach to audiences is stretched thin; they are too caught up in administration and fundraising.... The collection is the reason a museum exists. It holds the stories but trained staff must bring the stories to life.... Museums must be seen as essential infrastructure, not just tourist venues."” (Participant W12)

The museum and heritage community members who attended the meetings are highly supportive of the mandate of the Museums and Heritage Foundation and especially proud of and grateful for the excellent work that is done by the Foundation’s professional staff, especially considering their limited numbers and resources. It was a priority for participants that any new museum should be adequately staffed with specialists and trained professionals; that these staff have every opportunity to collaborate with researchers and others in their field; and that their workplace is safe, pleasant, supportive and progressive. The importance of the research function of a museum storage facility was underlined. There was concern over the fact that many Islanders, including decision-makers, may not clearly understand the many things that a fully functional, professional museum does. People spoke of the importance of the core support work that goes on behind the scenes, for example the curatorial work that is performed with collections in storage.

Participants stressed the need to ensure the active support of the public for museums by involving them in planning and consultation, as well as the need to attract adequate and sustained financial support from all levels of government and from corporate sponsors. One discussion group promoted the idea that individual museums should be more business-like. Other groups were more cautious of burdening museums with ambitious fundraising targets, and recommended using a broad suite of indicators of success rather than simply counting visitor numbers and earnings. They pointed out the many public services that museums can perform given appropriate levels of core funding. This is one of many complex issues requiring further thought and discussion.


The optimal location of a Provincial Museum was discussed in each meeting, although it was not a focal point. People generally felt that a location should be selected through a transparent planning process, using criteria dictated by standard museum practice and the demographic and economic realities of PEI. All but a few individuals favoured a geographically central location in or near the capital city (e.g. Stratford to Cornwall area).


Finally, whether they came from Charlottetown, Summerside, a village or a rural area, participants were insistent that the issue of a Provincial Museum is important for all Islanders. It was agreed that it is time for the Island’s museum and heritage community members to work together for the benefit of the province as a whole. In all three counties the majority of participants firmly rejected attempts to frame the issue as a rural vs. urban contest.


In discussing the question “How do we ensure public involvement and consultation when major decisions are made concerning PEI museums and heritage?” most discussion groups began by affirming the legitimate role of citizens in decision-making affecting heritage conservation and education. They viewed the provincial collection of artifacts and their attached histories as the common wealth and legacy of Islanders.

“"The artifacts belong to the people – politicians should not be making decisions about them without broad public consultation.”" (Charlottetown plenary discussion)

People gained personal insights as they exchanged views during the consultations. They came up with advice on how to encourage and enable public involvement in the museums system. This advice was directed to their provincial government, to the Museums and Heritage Foundation Board and to fellow Islanders interested in culture and heritage. The key points that emerged are arranged in descending order according to the level of support from participants. All of these recommendations were stressed by at least 10 different people during the meetings, and some were brought up by as many as 40 persons.

1. Undertake a review of provincial museum policies and operations
2. Hold province-wide consultations on the provincial museum system to extend the IISsponsored
consultations
3. Review the Museums Act and include a specific mandate for public consultation (e.g. as for
the Heritage Places designation process)
4. Improve cultural and regional representation on the PEI Museums and Heritage
Foundation Board
5. Hold public forums on important issues affecting PEI’s natural and cultural heritage

In addition to these broadly endorsed recommendations, various individuals suggested increasing the size of the Board so that more community museums could be represented; changing from an appointed Museums Board to an elected one; keeping Board positions fully filled; and making the Board more publicly accountable. One individual cautioned that too much consultation could impede action. Others called for setting up a panel of heritage professionals to consider the potential and viability of a fully professional Provincial Museum.

1. Encourage debate and feedback and capture positive energy; Consult with members and other cultural and heritage organizations before making major decisions, so that decisions are more effective in the long term
2. Develop a larger & more empowered membership, and communicate better and more frequently with your members
3. Educate the public so that museums grow from the bottom up. Communicate more with the public around activities, and issues of concern. Use the media more effectively
4. Consult with the interested public before making key decisions. Be clear on the pros/cons of decisions, giving all the appropriate information so all are clear on their responsibilities and actions
5. Transcend politics; “be there” for Islanders; claim your power
6. Create a vision, develop a comprehensive plan and open it up for discussion
7. Ensure that museum professionals guide decisions, not politicians
8. Overhaul the Museum Board’s governance model. (The Canadian Museums Association recommends the Carver Model of Board Governance – which would focus the board on the institution’s mandate)

In addition to these broadly endorsed recommendations individuals also suggested that the Board should : be careful to ensure good relations with the professional staff; build capacity to see the big picture, beyond the parochial interests of the 30+ sites around the island; establish criteria for decision-making then stick with them; target youth with information, workshops etc and get their input; take a different approach to fundraising; make historic sites more accessible to schools, more relevant and more attractive to boost visitor numbers; and improve capacity for educational programming for schools. Participants in Charlottetown noted that a Provincial Museum would provide a concrete focal point for public engagement.

It was also pointed out that the Museum staff should be enabled to assess the provincial collection for its representational content and then work to fill the gaps through donations and purchases, before it is too late.

1. Don’t allow debate to fracture us into rural vs. urban– we need to set aside parochial interests and work together for a central, provincial institution
2. Build conduits to decision-makers; be more vocal; write letters; call your MLAs and let them know you care about museums and heritage and want a proper long range plan
3. Make this an election issue and let prospective MLAs hear about it at the door.

Concerned Islanders were encouraged to stay committed to the museum system and to communicate more with the general public to foster interest and involvement in preservation and interpretation of heritage. Historic sites and small museums were encouraged to develop an active, inclusive means of sharing news, and facilitating informed discussion of ongoing issues. One means of sharing information that was suggested was by “blogging”, that is, using web-based sites for dialogue.


In response to the question “Do we need a moratorium on the proposed move of the museum storage facility?”, only a small handful of participants said no. The vast majority of participants called for a moratorium on the move, to provide the in-coming Executive Director of the Museums and Heritage Foundation time to assess the museum system, consult with the membership and other heritage organisations, and develop a strategic plan for the museum system.

Many participants expressed disappointment that the decision to move the museums collection out of Charlottetown had been made without consultation with the broader museum community. Others expressed disgust with what they saw as political interference in what should have been a decision based strictly on the long term well being of the museum system.

People feared that if the museum collections in storage went to Murray River this would make it difficult if not impossible to develop a Provincial Museum in a central location. They pointed out that routine and necessary collaboration of staff with museum professionals in related institutions and access for researchers based in Charlottetown would be at the very least, constrained. From the perspective of small museums in the western end of the island, having to access artifacts from Murray River represents a significant challenge in view of their limited staff time and financial resources. They pointed out that developing an exhibit is often a process requiring repeated trips into the storage facility and close collaboration with curators, conservators and collections management staff.

All those calling for a moratorium looked to the PEI Museums and Heritage Foundation to engage and consult the public in seeking some resolution that could enhance and not detract from a future Provincial Museum development. Some participants advised that if, after due consideration and consultation, the move to Murray River was deemed irrevocable, the Board should address the identified constraints and problems, and then focus on improving policy, process and planning. Others stated their conviction that it would be better to give up the current opportunity, address the maintenance needs of the existing Artifactory and wait until an integrated Provincial Museum development was possible.

Reasons given by those supporting the move to Murray River were twofold. Several individuals saw the move as a way to shore up the local economy of that village. Others voiced their scepticism that the move was already a done deal and was so politicized that it could not now be reversed. They argued that a new and enlarged storage facility was necessary, and this was the only option available, so people should give up and focus attention on development of a Provincial Museum, even if it had to be separate from the storage and research facility. It was pointed out by a heritage professional that a museum separated from its study and display collections in storage would not be a fully professional, working institution.


Although a modest attempt at public consultation, these three meetings served to amply demonstrate the depth and breadth of concern among Islanders for museums and heritage. Attendance was large; discussion was thoughtful, sincere and at times impassioned. Many participants were paid up members of the Museums and Heritage Foundation; others were connected to community museums; some were new to the topic and were stimulated to purchase memberships in order to participate in the AGM of the Museum and Heritage Foundation, which followed closely on the consultation.

Discontent with the recent decision to move the museum storage to Murray River was strong and pervasive, as was the positive desire for a centrally located Provincial Museum that could fill critical gaps in the province’s system. Participants expressed understanding and sympathy for the Museums and Heritage Foundation Board because it was felt that the provincial government had placed them in a difficult position, having to chose between moving the storage facility out of Charlottetown or doing without a new facility. They also expressed deep regret that the Board had not turned to the membership for advice and support that might have placed them in a better position to argue for a more acceptable resolution to the storage problem.

At the AGM of the PEI Museums and Heritage Foundation on March 14, 2007 members voted in favour of a) placing a moratorium on the move of artifact storage to Murray River, and b) taking time to assess the PEI Museums and Heritage system, consult the membership and develop a comprehensive and strategic plan for the Island’s museums. A third resolution recommended filling vacant places on the Board of Governors from a list of nominees proposed by members at each AGM.


The Institute of Island Studies thanks the volunteers who made these consultations possible; the forum participants for sharing their views, concerns and creative ideas for improving provincial museums; the host communities for providing meeting venues; and the Museum and Heritage Foundation staff for their unflagging good will. It is our hope that this report will assist the process of developing a plan to move forward with sustainable improvements to the museum system that will protect and enhance the heritage that so many Islanders hold so dear.

We leave the last word to a forum participant:

“"People want the province to be noble and courageous; to articulate a strong vision and commitment; to plan carefully, then move forward with a properly structured, mandated and funded Provincial Museum. To get this, the people will have to have a strong, united voice."” (Charlottetown forum general discussion)

Diomedea Consultants 1986. A Planning and Development Study for the PEI Museum and Heritage Foundation. PEI Museum & Heritage Foundation.

Hennessey, C. 2007 (in progress). The Search for a Provincial Museum.

Lord, B. 1982. The Museums of Prince Edward Island, a Programme for Development. A Report
to the Island Studies Committee, UPEI, 198 pp.

MacDonald, B. 1987. Recommendations on the Development of a Natural History Branch within
the PEI Museum and Heritage System. Prepared for the Natural History Museum Advisory Committee.

Martin, K. 1983. Inventory of Natural Science Specimens of PEI. UPEI Dept Extension and PEI
Dept. Community and Cultural Affairs.

Martin, L. 1983. Recommendations on the Structure, Function and Development of a PEI
Provincial Museum. PEI Museum and Heritage Foundation.