WestMuse Blog

Here on the WestMuse Blog, you’ll find a variety of articles and resources to help guide you through this difficult time as we all stay home to mitigate the spread of COVID-19.

Check in every #WestMuseWednesday and Fridays for our latest blog posts discussing current topics from learning how to work from home to sharing social media best practices.

If you’re seeking information on a specific topic related to the museum industry or COVID-19, please feel free to reach out to us at blog@westmuse.org. Thanks!

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March 19, 2014
By Sue Lafferty
“I made some incredible connections! I reconnected with old friends and felt great to be able to mentor the newcomers during the conference.”
“I came away with a renewed enthusiasm for a career in museums and ideas to enhance the mission of my institution.”
“I am always so impressed by the spirit of community and reflective practice you and your team are able to cultivate at these...
March 18, 2014
The Western Museums Association (WMA) was a proud Leader Sponsor of the Sixth Annual Museums Advocacy Day – a two-day event February 24-25, 2014, in Washington, DC. While many working in the museum field know that museums play a key role in education, job creation, tourism, economic development and more, many elected officials are not fully aware. In February, WMA Executive Director Jason B....
March 12, 2014
By Heather Diamond
At a recent symposium panel about interpreting contentious histories—a topic with which curators in Hawaii are quite familiar—I spoke about the early planning process for several new exhibits in Iolani Palace, and an overview of a 3-day retreat we held with five advisory scholars, a design team, and a consultant. I explained that I wanted our visitors to get beyond the emotions...
March 5, 2014
By Barbara Larson When I first started working for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s ENERGY STAR program, I thought energy efficiency was all about major building retrofits and new facility designs. While such projects can take advantage of new technologies and may result in large energy savings, there are many simpler steps that result in energy savings that can be implemented at little...
February 26, 2014
By Cheryl Hinton
As we experience the great American traditions of Super Bowl and the World Series this season, we may not think immediately of American Indians. Yet, most sports fans know about ancient Indian sports, such as lacrosse, as well as about contemporary Native American sports heroes in baseball, track and football. This slice of American life runs deep in Native America. Sports are...
February 13, 2014
By Susannah Dowds
This post was written by a recipient of a Wanda Chin Scholarship to attended the 2013 Annual Meeting
Susannah during her 2013 internship at the Anasazi State Park Museum in Boulder, Utah


Two days before the Western Museums Association (WMA) 2013 Annual Meeting, I was the only grad student in the Northern Studies offices at midnight. In my last minute packing I remembered that...
February 5, 2014
By Jennifer Miller
Close your eyes for a moment and imagine a long hall, but not too long. Around you, you can hear the lapping of water against the shore, birds calling, an airplane flying over in the distance. The end of the hall is darkened save for a projection of a passing shoreline taking up the entire wall. You think you recognize it but you’re not sure. It draws you in with the slow,...
January 30, 2014
By Angela Fisher
The Church History Museum had a tremendous opportunity this past year as we collaborated with the National Scouting Museum in Irving, Texas to bring 23 original Norman Rockwell paintings to Salt Lake City in the exhibit American Originals: Norman Rockwell and Scouting. Not only was this a tremendous opportunity in terms of bringing new visitors into the museum and building...

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