IDEA Tip:
Our Tour Toolkit: Developing an Inclusive Tour is now available on the artsmia Digital and Print Publications page, so take some time to explore its contents! Here is a direct
link to it. Many of the IDEA tips provided over the last few months have come from the toolkit. This is a practical resource to use, with plenty of “tips” for best practices that were observed on tours or shared with staff. The digital publication platform will allow easier revision as best practices change, and the toolkit should adapt to whatever device you are using for access, be it your smartphone, tablet, or laptop. There is also an option to download a PDF of the toolkit. The full menu bar is accessed in the top right hand corner of the screen, and when you click on that, and scroll to the bottom, you will find the PDF option.
December 10 to 15
IDEA Tip:
If you plan to use artworks on view in Gallery 375,
The Enduring Soul, take time to learn more about this collaborative gallery experience before your tour. From the
artsmia.org site: “A collaboration between the Minneapolis Institute of Art and the Cultural Wellness Center, The Enduring Soul presents artwork by African and African American artists that honor the connection between ancestors and the living and between what is seen and the invisible. The artworks on view hold historical, personal, and community memory. The Minneapolis Institute of Art and the Cultural Wellness Center work to co-create methods for each organization to transform mainstream institutions.
This includes widening interpretations of art, sharing authority, decolonizing collections in museums, and museum staff working in collaboration with cultural elders and subject experts. This partnership advances the work of both organizations as they work to establish museums as sites for social action.”
Please see
this link for the training video and to familiarize yourself with the panel and labels for The Enduring Soul.
December 3 to 8
IDEA Tip:
In thinking of our spaces at Mia, we realize it is very much a white space, defined as “having an “overwhelming presence of white people and… absence of black people,” writes sociologist Elijah Anderson, though most are no longer explicitly anti-black.They are, however, fluid.” To better understand the impact of these spaces on those who are not white, check out this article:
The Art of Being Black in White Spaces
November 26 to December 1
IDEA Tip:
Before tours, remember and reflect on how art connects to the memories and emotions within ourselves and our visitors. While scholarly expertise is valued, we also should value the personal lived experience. Two examples of personal lived experiences and community voices are now on view. In Gallery 259, check out the installation curated by Marlena Myles, a local Native American (Spirit Lake Dakota, Mohegan, Muscogee) artist, discussing the use of the American flag in Dakhóta and Lakȟóta artworks. In Gallery 254, you will see a Somali Qur’anic writing board, with a label written by a Somali community member, giving insight into the personal experience of viewing the board on display. These labels and installation help us remember that viewing the artworks on our tours is not a neutral or objective experience.
November 19 to 24
IDEA Tip:
Looking for more info on gender pronouns and how to talk about them? Check out
MyPronouns.org. From MyPronouns.org: “Using someone’s correct personal pronouns is a way to respect them and create an inclusive environment, just as using a person’s name can be a way to respect them. Just as it can be offensive or even harassing to make up a nickname for someone and call them that nickname against their will, it can be offensive or harassing to guess at someone’s pronouns and refer to them using those pronouns if that is not how that person wants to be known. Or, worse, actively choosing to ignore the pronouns someone has stated that they go by could imply the oppressive notion that intersex, transgender, nonbinary, and gender nonconforming people do not or should not exist.”
November 12 to November 17
IDEA Tip:
For those giving school tours, just a reminder to share the Social Narratives and pre-tour videos to help school groups prepare for their visit to Mia. Here is a direct link to the page on artsmia.org with the videos and Social Narrative link:
https://new.artsmia.org/programs/school-tours/
November 5 to November 10
IDEA Tip:
We had a great discussion with Curator Jill Ahlberg Yohe at the training on Native American art. Jill offered some good reflection questions to consider before touring the Americas galleries: What do you want to share with visitors? Why do you want to share it? and Where do you come from? (Is it your story to share?). If you did not have a chance to attend the training, we have posted the video of the training from last Thursday, along with a handout from Jill. Here is a
direct link to the material on the IPE website.
October 29 to November 3
IDEA Tip:
As we know, language is always changing. Check out this article
link about saying the word “disabled.”
October 22 to October 27
IDEA Tip:
If you are touring students or adults, remember the power of Visual Thinking Strategies (VTS) as an approach to start discussion about a work of art. Those three simple open-ended questions often lead to great observations from many in the group: “What’s going on in this picture? What do you see that makes you say that? What more can we find?” Paraphasing the responses received validates the visitors’ thoughts and ideas and demonstrates you are listening closely.
October 15 to October 20
IDEA Tip:
Whether you are touring students or adults, consider integrating a pair share opportunity into your tour. Pair-share or small group discussion opportunities are often effective strategies for improving levels of engagement in large or quiet groups. Like the nonverbal responses, this technique allows for the entire group to participate. Time spent in discussion with peers may jumpstart conversation or reinforce the relevancy or value of ideas expressed.
October 8 to October 13
IDEA Tip:
IDEA Tip:
From the Mia Intranet, “The term “decolonize,” as in “decolonize the museum,” is gradually emerging from academic circles to describe the vital work of recognizing and remedying the historical effects of white supremacy on institutions like traditional museums.” Here is a short resource to check out from a researcher in the UK, Shelley Angelie Saggar:
The Decolonial Dictionary. In particular, Saggar calls attention to the term Indigenous peoples by quoting author Daniel Heath Justice, (Cherokee Nation/ᏣᎳᎩᎯ ᎠᏰᎵ), from his book Why Indigenous Literatures Matter: ‘The capital “I” is important […] as it affirms a distinctive political status of peoplehood, rather than describing an exploitable commodity, like an “indigenous plant” or a “native mammal”.[1] The “s” in “peoples” then, serves to signal the fact that Indigenous peoples are hugely diverse, with distinct cultures, histories, languages and beliefs. Pluralising “peoples” makes this clear and resists subsuming all Indigenous peoples together as a homogenous group.’
September 24 to September 29
IDEA Tip:
From the cultural fluency training on our upcoming exhibition, we received a good reminder today. We often shorten the titles of exhibitions when referencing them to others, so just a reminder to avoid referencing “Artists Respond: American Art and the Vietnam War, 1965-1975” as the “Vietnam exhibition.” The focus of the exhibition is on the artists’ response to the Vietnam War, not the country.
September 17 to September 22
IDEA Tip:
Here is a link to a reference chart from the Center for Disability Rights, “Words & Phrases to Use or Not Use” when writing or speaking about disability (scroll to the bottom of the column to see the chart). However, the Center also makes this important point, “While most people in the Disability Community agree these terms and usages are overwhelmingly problematic, there are always exceptions. Always ask a disabled person how they wish to identify, and respect that. If you find the term problematic, you can always say this is how the person self-identifies in your article, video, or other pieces of media. Identifying as disabled is a personal choice each person must make for themselves. Some are very proud, while others are uncomfortable with their disability. Everyone is in different places of their journey to acceptance.”
September 10 to September 15
IDEA Tip:
For your exploration, here is a great PBS website, “What I Hear When You Say…” with short videos on many topics we have discussed in past training sessions, including cultural appropriation versus cultural appreciation.
August 27 to September 8
IDEA Tip:
Reflection is a powerful tool for learning. Spend some time reflecting as we approach the start of fall tours. What does inclusion mean to you? What are some ways you could facilitate your tours or art cart sessions to be more inclusive, offering visitors more opportunities for participation?
August 20 to August 25
IDEA Tip:
Be cautious of making assumptions about family and homes, especially when leading school tours. For example, while looking at the Cream of Wheat box in Philip Goodwin’s painting A “Bear” Chance, you might ask “What kind of breakfast did your mom or dad make you this morning?” With that question, you assume all the kids were able to eat breakfast, eat at home, and that a parent takes care of them. An easy fix is to turn the question to an opinion question, such as “if you could choose whatever you wanted to eat for breakfast, what would you choose?”
August 13 to August 18
IDEA Tip:
When first meeting your group or interacting with visitors at the Art Carts, avoid asking any visitor “where are you from?” While the motivation behind your question may be an attempt to initiate conversation, this question is a form of microaggression reported by many people (read more on reactions to this question at this
link). Instead, focus on what brought visitors to Mia. What type of art do they hope to see? What type of art do they most enjoy? Especially on public tours when you may have a disparate group of people, focusing on why people chose to visit Mia helps create a common topic of conversation connected to the museum experience or tour.
August 6 to August 11
IDEA Tip:
Having a focus to your tour is an important part of developing an inclusive visitor experience. If you are touring “Highlights” of the museum, develop a theme to connect the objects. Everyone is entering into the tour with a unique set of personal expectations, and a theme helps create a shared expectation, such as “today we’ll be exploring how modern artists were inspired by the natural world.” At each stop, visitors will think of making connections to that theme, and following the visit, the theme helps visitors recall the group’s discussion and information about the artworks. With a theme, you are creating a common lens through which to view the art.
July 30 to August 4
IDEA Tip:
From an article by Jaclyn M. Roessel on “Restoring Indigenous Perspectives” in the latest issue of AAM’s Museum magazine, rethink the language used on tours to describe cultural material of non-Anglo cultures. “Terms like “artifact” and “object” contribute to the erasure of the indigenous histories. Using community-centered terms like “belonging” and “cultural resource” acknowledge the ownership and value these items have within Indigenous communities that still exist today.”
July 23 to 28
IDEA Tip:
When presenting a work by an unknown artist, specifically identify the cultural group from which the object originates. Continue to reference the culture’s name in discussion, and avoid use of “these people” or any terms that signify the culture as the “other” in your facilitation. For example, here is how you could introduce an object with an unknown artist: “The Kundu drum was made by an artist of the Iatmul people. The Iatmul live in Papua New Guinea and use hand drums to accompany clan songs performed at important community events.” If uncertain on pronunciation of a culture’s name, check with staff or your colleagues, as well as look online for pronunciation guides. Several volunteers have worked on great pronunciation guides which are posted on the IPE website for your use: Peer Sharing pronunciation guides
July 16 to 21
IDEA Tip:
Be comfortable with wait time when you ask a question. We all have different rates of processing, and on tours, it is often tempting to take the answer from the first hand in the air. Take a breath and wait for a few more people to be ready to answer, so more people have the chance to participate in the discussion.
July 9 to 14
IDEA Tip: When developing questions for tours and art carts, focus on open-ended questions to promote dialogue with visitors. Open-ended questions allow visitors to express ideas and opinions, helping them to connect to the art and better remember their experience at Mia. Open-ended questions also support English language learners visiting Mia. Here is a link to an article from Dr. Veronica Alvarez, Director of School and Teacher Programs, Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA), on “Good Teaching is Good Teaching: English Learners and Museums.”
For examples of various types of open-ended questions, check out this resource: Using-Open-ended-Questions
June 25 to 30
IDEA Tip: Use inclusive language when greeting visitors (adults and children). Avoid gender binaries. What are inclusive language options? See this article: Mac Buff, Beyond Bathrooms: Including all Genders through Language, Viewfinder, March 2019.
In addition Margaret Middleton, Exhibit Designer at the Boston Children’s Museum, discuses the need for museums to critically examine the words they use pertaining to families: Including-the-21st-century-family