Follow Your Curiosity
Two of this month's picks center curiosity and what feeds it. Our third pick stands apart but is well worth your time: a call for museums to back up their values with concrete action.
What’s Making Us Curious?
She’s Learning Alongside You
“Have you heard of Chloe VS History–an AI time traveler and quasi-social-media-influencer on YouTube? I hadn’t. The American Association for State and Local History’s weekly newsletter brought Chloe to my attention via exhibit designer Paul Orselli’s featured blog post. In his blog, Paul describes how these AI-generated videos model curiosity and vulnerability in ways that parallel good interpretive design strategies for museums. As much as I thought I would hate the videos, I can see the appeal.”
— Katie
Recalibrating Your Attention
“If you’re like me and have become concerned with your constant doom scrolling and the fact you haven’t read a full book in weeks (months??), read this! John Paul Brammer writes about his own journey to reading more, and claims what’s behind a modern inability to read isn’t as much lack of attention, but rather the exploitation of our natural curiosity by cheap internet distractions (I personally haven’t seen the example he gives involving AI-generated videos of anthropomorphic fruit, but I get it!). This summer I may take his advice and gently guide my curiosity back to books I know I like, and go from there.”
— Hannah
Be Civic, Not Just Civil
“Lori Fogarty, director of the Oakland Museum of California, is someone I admire and pay attention to. In this article she argues that museums can't just talk about civic values; they have to live them. Rather than vaguely "doing the good work," she pushes for concrete commitments: paying staff fairly (a $30.88/hour minimum), recognizing unions, running transparent finances, and centering community voices in programming. She says that the foundation for external trust is internal integrity. She believes museums must act with courageous intention.”
— Stephanie
What’s New At Kera?
Hello Kansas City! Amanda and Hannah will be at the Visitor Studies Association’s Conference this month. If you spot us, please come over and say hello! Be sure to check out Amanda’s session, “Process Evaluation: Optimizing Projects, Programs, and Partnerships” with Rita Deedrick of Deedrick Consulting on Thursday, July 23 from 10:45-11:15am.
We are finishing an exciting new Toolkit for staff at the United States Botanic Garden that builds on an audience research study we did for them. The toolkit helps staff tap into data in their everyday decision making. We see so much potential for this to become a model we can bring to other clients looking to make their own data more actionable.
Moment of Wonder
“After a long day at the American Alliance of Museum Annual Meeting in Philadelphia, topped off with an American Association for State and Local History walking tour, I took a rainy walk back to my car. As I slipped around in my waterlogged sandals, I encountered an Amy Sherald mural! I mean, I immediately thought it was by Amy Sherald, but it was rainy, so I didn’t cross the street to find the label. I snapped a picture and confirmed later on Mural Arts Philadelphia that it was indeed by her. A bright spot despite the miserable weather!"
— Amanda
