Sardenta sez, "I know you're aware of the Science Fiction Museum in Seattle. They've got an opening in their education department for an Education Coordinator. Here's a summary:"
This position supports the Manager of Interpretation and Educator resources by coordinating the training and efforts of the part-time gallery guides and floor volunteers. The guides and volunteers will provide excellent museum experiences for guided group visits to the exhibitions and interactive galleries such as Sound Lab; as well as visitors participating in public programs and All Access Nights. Working closely with other EMP|SFM staff, especially the Visitor Experience and Public Programming Managers, this position will coordinate recruiting, training, and the day-to-day supervision required to produce lively and engaging interpretive staff and knowledgeable floor volunteers.
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Booooo! have you ever been there? Its Paul Allens old living room. It is seriously all the crap he bought over the years put in his stupid EMP. And its like 25 bucks, boooooooo.
I second that - the EMP and SFM are rather disappointing.
Yeah - I went there myself with a friend a few years ago. I'm not exactly sure *what* I was expecting, but it really was more of a satire of a sci-fi museum than a real museum.
Still, they had a big old computer thingee from something-or-other that I thought was pretty cool. (lack of Omega3's in evidence or what?)
And remember: if a really good person gets this job, maybe s/he will make the place better. Seattle deserves a kickass sci-fi museum, right? Who is ready to make that happen?
I went there after giving a talk at ACM UIST 2005. Maybe it was the free admission, booze and food, but I had a pretty rad time there.
They actually recently lowered admission prices, it's 15 dollars now.
Awsome !!
So what, exactly, would make a truly "kickass" scifi museum? I'd really like to know.
I've been to the SFM a couple times and found it very entertaining and inspiring. The fact that one person has gathered so many amazing collectibles and put them on public display (whether he's Paul Allen or not) is a rarity.
And yeah, it's a bit over-priced, but it's not like I go there every week.
The collection is actually pretty nice. However, the EMP/SciFi Museum is a complete wank, as it really is just a rich guy's fanboy stash on public display. I personally hate Paul Allen's guts (for other reasons). Nevertheless, the collection is impressive, albeit in serious need of development, both in terms of content and presentation.
Museology is a serious field of study. Maybe if Mr. Allen hadn't blown so much cash on the ugly and completely irrelevant Frank Gehry monstrosity that houses his collection, he could have sprang for a hotshot museologist. As it stands, the place is really no more than the Temple of Paul Allen's Giant Ego, and the sign on the front door needs to be changes to reflect this fact.
Allen-related dickery aside (I categorically refuse to set foot in the EMP), the SFM gave me plenty to drool over: the Queen Alien/Powerloader stand-off, plenty of Blade Runner props, and loads of original Golden Age manuscripts. Ackerman's lent plenty of his collection to the museum, so it's not just one mega-rich Boomer's idea of what SF is. Like Artbot says, what more would you want?
I admit to not being very familiar with the EMP|SFM. Still, I'm quite surprised/disappointed by all the bitching. Boo!
If any of you would please read the job description, you ought to be heartened by the fact that they're looking to hire someone with some rather specialized training: 3 years teaching experience; an interestin SF; knowledge of education and museum theory; public speaking skills; and experience working with volunteers.
My point: they're not looking to hire a slouch/fanboy. They want an educated and trained person. It's like they might possibly be contemplating the possibility of thinking about shifting from "complete wank" (@Bro Pro) to an actual scholarly museum. Like Rushkoff mentioned.
I'm still waiting to hear what that "kickass" museum would be like. Do you want to them to issue you a power loader you can walk around in? Does every tiny little artifact need an interactive touch screen interface? Conveyor belt walkways? Does it need to be located in an actual space station you have to ride a rocket up to visit?
Like it or not, the "historical artifact behind glass with descriptor" is a tried and true (and cost effective) museum design. I think they have actually struck a pretty good balance between gimmicky display and straightforwardly honoring the collection, which, as Contrasoma said, contains more than just Allen's toys. Personally I love the rotating art gallery, where I've seen many of the seminal paintings I admired in my youth and ultimately led me down my career path.
Speaking as a former museum exhibit fabricator, their collection is very appropriately, tastefully and entertainingly displayed. I think the majority of museum-goers prefer a "breeze by and stop if it's interesting" approach to viewing, and I think they have balanced this well with the "gee-whiz" displays of major props or costumes.
As for the job opening, it sounds like it has nothing to do with redesigning the exhibits.
Brother Provisional,
You do realize that museums like the Louvre and the Hermitage started out as private collections. I wonder how many people referred to the Gardner in Boston as a wank when Mrs. G was living there and sleeping around with the nobility of Europe to further her collection. Personal collections frequently evolve into the finest museums because they are founded on the vision of a single person rather than art buying by committee.
So what are your favorite museums? Which do, in whatever way kick ass?
My top three would be:
3. The Smithsonian Art & Space Museum in Washington, D.C. (I'm not so much a space fan, but this museum could convert me.)
2. The Bailey-Matthews Shell Museum on Sanibel Island, Florida (Small and charming.)
1. The Visionary Art Museum in Baltimore, MD. (You'll never look at art museums the same way. Besides, it has the best gift shop EVER.)
Antinous,
Does the Louvre's collection include a vast array of prop laser pistol or stage costumes used by Paul Revere & the Raiders? Honestly, I've never been there.
You have very good points, all kidding aside. Patronage has been THE driving force behind the arts, and group thinking gravitates towards the lowest common denominator. Nonetheless, there's a world of difference between a mature museum collection and a trophy case for pop culture nick-knacks won by a rich geek at auction. Maybe its just a matter of taste.
Hopefully, this position will filled by a talented and creative person, since the concept of a sci-fi museum is in itself particularly awesome. My own personal experience going there last month was markedly less than awesome, and I hope that will be different the next time I visit.
Bro Pro (#14),
Most "mature museum collections" are the result of a wealthy person consuming conspicuously according to their personal tastes (see the Gardener and the Barnes collection as 2 examples). "Popular culture" simply refers to things that are currently high in popularity (clothes, music, architecture, food, hairstyles, etc.). Impressionist paintings were once considered to be on the level of trashy pulp dime-store novels. Women were discouraged from viewing Impressionist paintings lest they suffer a miscarriage! Hardly the majority view these days.
Everything old was once new, and everything new will be old. Today's "trophy case of pop-culture knick-knacks" are tomorrows mature museum collections.
Are we arguing whether "pop culture knick-knacks" (aka sci-fi collectibles) are worth building a museum around, or how much more "kick-ass" the SFM should be?
Personal collection based museums/ wunderkammeren/ cabinets of curiousities are great. The Museum of Jurassic Technology is "kick-ass". Paul Allen's collections are rather dull compared to how they advertise themselves.
@Antinous - The Louvre may have started out as a personal collection, but when it was offered to the public, it didn't charge anything near what the EMP or the SFM do. Now that it is a "mature collection" it still doesn't. The EMP and SFM aren't horrible by any means, but they are overpriced for sure. The most expensive tickets at the Louvre are $0.50 cheaper than those at the EMP... and the unemployed (and many other people) get into the Louvre for free.
Also, I think a good museum should wow people based more on the contents than the container. The EMP fails at this. The Louvre does not.
i've got to say, with cory being in seattle at least twice in the past few months and this post; i appreciate the love seattle's getting!
@ artbot, yes i want a rocket.
I visited this on the 7th. My biggest problem was they don't allow any photography inside at all. The admission was about $12. There were some gaps in the displays as well. The Mars display has H.G Wells and ERB, but no mention of the Serviss sequel to the H.G. Wells story. Come to think about it, from the display you'd think the H.G. Wells piece was just the radio play.
Indeed, The Museum of Jurassic Technology does "kick-ass". One of my best "museum" experiences ever. I remember more from my one visit there than any other museum I've ever been to.