Holocaust Museum Houston-Eliana Streeter, Week 2
Hey guys! This past week was super eventful. I started off the week by continuing my research on youth initiatives while also meeting more museum staff and collaborating with different departments.
The next day was spent at the Museum of Fine Arts Houston or MFAH for short. I was able to see the museum from a youth perspective and observe the ways in which the museum connects to younger audiences. While I was there, I had the pleasure of experiencing two different exhibitions. They were entitled, Leandro Erlich: Seeing Is Not Believing and Virtual Realities: The Art of M.C. Escher.
The first exhibit featured more interactive art from an artist that plays with mirrors and reflections which create optical illusions that force you to question your perception of reality. The first piece had a large mirror stretching almost the entire length of the wall as well as a set piece that resembled the side of the building that rested on the floor. Unlike most art pieces, guests were allowed to lay on and interact with the set on the floor. This is because, from a certain angle, it looks as if you are really climbing up a wall, sitting on a ledge, or falling off the side of the building. Pictured below is me having fun with this exhibit and also one that helps explain the illusion.
The second piece consisted of a smaller room that was partitioned with a piece of glass. The space behind the glass looked like a therapist's office, meanwhile, the space you were physically in was just a plain black room. Upon entering the room there was generic black furniture that matched the furniture behind the glass, giving the illusion that you were physically in the office through your reflection.
The second exhibit had a wide range of the artist M.C. Escher’s work including prints, watercolors, drawings, printed fabrics, wood, and the artist’s own tools. M.C. Escher was largely known for his mind-bending images that feature math and branches of science. His work was enjoyable to see as he would often use repeating patterns that had lots of shapes and angles, most resulting in forming a spiral shape on the page. He was also inspired by many different cultures as he traveled Europe and created his art. He was very fond of capturing the European countryside and coasts which were all very beautiful, especially with his use of light and realism.
After my day spent at the Art Museum, I had several meetings with the Holocaust Museum Houston Staff. This included Changing Exhibitions Manager, Alex Hampton, and the museum’s Marketing team, Robin Cavanaugh and Clare Legg.
In my meeting with the Changing Exhibitions Manager, I got to learn how much planning and preparation it takes to add and rotate exhibitions at a museum. While there are many suggestions and ideas for the next exhibit, there can only be so many at a time because space is limited and exhibitions are planned out at least 2-3 years in advance. Another thing to keep in mind is that it also has to correlate with the mission of the museum. Luckily, the decision on whether to have the exhibit at the museum is not solely up to him. He takes a handful of ideas and brings them before a council. Then the council votes on it and decides on whether it will be an exhibit in the museum or not.
When an exhibit is on the move, he is tasked with configuring digital 3D models on how everything with fits onto two large trucks. This is a difficult task as the artifacts, panels, and extra set pieces have to be able to transport to the museum or else there is no exhibit. Overall, this position was interesting as it is one of the more behind-the-scenes jobs that an everyday visitor would think about.
That same day I also got to meet the Marketing team which consists of Robin Cavanaugh and Clare Legg. Together, they provide positive messaging and communication to the public to support the mission of the museum and its outreach. They also provide the marketing for Exhibitions and public programs, Boniuk Library, the museum’s Annual Luncheon, and Annual Dinner, as well as the Educational Department programs, videos, and printed materials.
Some ways in which they market the museum’s mission are through the museum’s Instagram @hmhou, local radio stations, news articles, online ads, email lists, and much more. Please follow their Instagram to get the latest updates on the museum’s free admission days as well as notifications about the newest exhibitions and events.
To end the day I was able to shadow a Docent-led tour with kids that ranged from middle school to early high school while providing my own feedback. The tour was both educational and enlightening. I was thrilled to share my perspective on catering to young audiences and keeping them engaged with a museum, especially one that is focused on a dark historical time that students typically aren’t drawn to learn about.
Lastly, to close the week out I met with the Curatorial team which includes Chief Curator Carol Manley, Collections Manager Caprice Erickson, and Registrar Nick Zizinia. I got to learn more about what it takes to acquire a new object for the museum, maintain the ones that are already there, and the finer details of curating such as the best temperature and lighting that a room should have to maintain the artifacts. The coolest part of our meeting was that I got the opportunity to look in the Holocaust Museum Houston’s vaults where they store all of their artifacts that aren’t currently on display. I got to see everything from an authentic Star of David, to a collection of paintings that were painted by Holocaust survivor, Samuel Bak.
In the coming weeks, I hope to continue learning about the museum world and look forward to collaborating with many more departments on engaging younger audiences!
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