Seventeen-County School Service Program and Wizard of Oz Exhibit and 75th Anniversary Celebration
The Children’s Discovery Museum (CDM) continued aggressive School Service Program (SSP) enrollment strategies to reach the seven new counties of Becker, Lake of the Woods, Mahnomen, Mille Lacs, Morrison, Todd, and Wadena. A new Wizard of Oz exhibit was mounted in time for the 75th Anniversary Celebration, June 10-14, 2014.
$1,100,000 the first year and $900,000 the second year are for arts and cultural heritage grants to children's museums. Of this amount, $600,000 the first year and $400,000 the second year are for the Minnesota Children's Museum, $200,000 each year is for the Duluth Children's Museum, $100,000 each year is for the Grand Rapids Children's Museum, and $200,000 each year is for the Southern Minnesota Children's Museum.
1. CDM will increase overall SSP enrollment from within all 17 counties by 25% over the previous ten-month period.2. The Museum will reach at least two new schools in each of our seven new target counties of Becker, Lake of the Woods, Mahnomen, Mille Lacs, Morrison, Todd and Wadena. We’ll also reach at least one new school group from each of the ten core counties.3. Walk-in visitation in June 2014 will double over the previous June attendance.4. The June 10-14, 2014 festival will generate statewide, national and international media attention on internet, television, radio and print outlets. $1 million in free publicity is documented.
1. From December through March 2014, a contract-for-services registrar was engaged to complete a thorough catalog/inventory of all the items in the new Wizard of Oz collection. 1,946 artifacts were physically tagged and computer entries made – listing the item’s catalog number, name, object title, creator description, material composition and condition.
2. CDM staff conceived and rendered exhibit drawings in time to begin fabrication of the new Land of Oz exhibit in April. Enough time was allowed to complete the construction in time for the grand opening on June 10th. A stated goal for a new exhibit to spark new and renewed interest in CDM was achieved.
3. Both lead teachers at CDM traveled to and visited with their peers at the Duluth Children’s Museum and the Minnesota Children’s Museum. As a result of these visits, CDM staff implemented many new ideas and improvements to museum exhibits.
Blandin Foundation, Minnesota Humanities Center, Itasca County Historical Society, Jonathon Miner