July 1 is the start of the new year at Brown, and so it’s an appropriate time to look ahead. Here are some of the things we’re thinking about for next year:

Haffenreffer Museum planning
July 2011 – June 2012

Exhibits

• CultureLab study center
• New entrance cases: Representing people
• Roger Williams 375^th anniversary (with RIHS)
• Taiwan aboriginal arts
• Taoist paintings (with RISD Museum)
• El Anatsui
• Art/Archaeology program with Bell Gallery
• Begin work on Weihe Collection Liberia exhibition
• [additional for spring]

Public Programs

• Public lectures tied to exhibitions
• Student CultureLab assistants
• Work with Sheridan Center on teaching with collections certificate
• Complete Sankofa grant project with new website
• Continue Culture Caravan K-12 programs in schools; begin evaluation of programs
• Expand archaeology program with RISD Museum, Joukowsky
• Minor improvements to museum website

Friends of the Haffenreffer Museum

• New collections group (to improve collections)
• Re-invigorated Programs and Exhibits Committee

Collections

• Complete mold remediation
• Complete move of collections to new spaces
• Collections management system
  • Undertake review of accuracy, consistency of data in collections system
  • Make decision on new collections management system
  • Improve documentation of existing collections and their collectors
  • Increase digital access to collections and exhibits
  • 40 short videos of curators talking about collection objects
  • Complete two student research and collection grants currently in process, bringing material obtained into the collections and potentially into temporary exhibitions
  • Digitize Spinden collection?

Management

• Plan for future of Circumpolar Lab
• Student employment/training/internships continued for collections management, curatorial research, exhibits and education
• Move Collections Research Center to Providence
• Grant proposals: IMLS (storage); NSF (Circumpolar); IMLS (training)
• Select new director