September 28, 2010

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

IMLS Press Contacts
202-653-4630
Mamie Bittner, mbittner@imls.gov
 

More Than $1.7 Million Awarded to Support Training and Development
for Museum Professionals

Washington, DC—The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) today announced the seven recipients of FY 2010 21st Century Museum Professionals (21MP) grants totaling $1,795,798. These grants are designed to strengthen the knowledge, skills, and abilities of museum professionals.

"The learning needs of our increasingly diverse communities, the possibilities provided by new technologies, and changing strategies for disaster response require an expanding portfolio of skills for museum professionals at every level," said IMLS Acting Director Marsha L. Semmel.

Projects awarded from the 2010 grantees include:

  • The Museum of Science, Boston, will partner with two other museums in its city, the Museum of Fine Arts and the Children’s Museum, to provide professional development for 45 museum educators to enhance their understanding of Asperger’s Syndrome and Autistic Spectrum Disorders (AS/ASD). Participants in the training will engage in two kinds of learning experiences: explicit instruction through workshops and resources, and inquiry-based learning through engagement in reflective practice. As the educators incorporate the learning into program design, they will be supported by a social networking site and a final Capstone Workshop to share progress and results.
     
  • The Children’s Museum of Houston will partner with the New York Hall of Science, Oregon Museum of Science and Industry, and Sciencenter to increase the ability of museum exhibit facilitators to use personal mobile technologies (PMT) to engage visitors in learning. The 21st Century Exhibit Facilitators and Personal Mobile Technologies Project (21-Tech) will target staff and volunteers from museums that provide interactive opportunities to explore science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). This expertise to use PMT will be focused on providing parents and caregivers support for enhancing the meaning of museum visits for children.
     
  • Cultural Heritage Imaging in San Francisco will introduce both emerging and established museum professionals to state-of-the-art imaging technology through a series of 10 workshops reaching a minimum of 150 participants. These participatory workshops will provide training in Reflectance Transformation Imaging (RTI) and other new technologies based on digital photography. The two-year project will be supported by a robust group of collaborators from industry, higher education, leading computer scientists, and the museum community.

To learn more about the 21MP grant recipients and their innovative projects, click here.

The next deadline for the 21MP program is March 15, 2011. Click here for more information.
 

About the Institute of Museum and Library Services
The Institute of Museum and Library Services is the primary source of federal support for the nation's 123,000 libraries and 17,500 museums. The Institute's mission is to create strong libraries and museums that connect people to information and ideas. The Institute works at the national level and in coordination with state and local organizations to sustain heritage, culture, and knowledge; enhance learning and innovation; and support professional development. To learn more about the Institute, please visit www.imls.gov.