PRM: Driving Through

As I start to finish up drafts and continue organizing photos and objects, I realize how detailed planning an exhibition is. There are so many permissions that must be gained, and so many significant choices on what you want your objects and pictures to say. Choosing the right onw then becomes quite a decision--and it's stressful! I've also had to confront my discomfort with contacting people I don't know and asking them for assistance. I've never been one who likes asking for things, especially from strangers. And not being able to talk to them in person makes it that much worse! But I'm making progress--slowly, but surely.

Kristan chatted with me today about a collections committee meeting that is happening tomorrow. She walked me through the step-by-step process in how she prepares objects for approval by the committee, and showed me all of the forms that get filled out in the process. She's a very detailed curator, partially because our CEO likes things to be laid out very simply. But it makes the work on the back-end that much easier, and it provides clear, concise reasoning for why Kristan believes an object should be added to the collection. Pictures, short descriptions, measurements, and condition reports are provided the committee for easy information, making it possible to answer questions easily.

Additionally, Kristan went through the process of how voting works in adding an object to the collection. It's quite complicated, but when is museum committee and board work simple? I appreciate the time she took in explaining the process, and she made it clear to me how accessioning involves a lot more people than the curator and the director. Plus, it gave me a small break from researching!

I keep finding more and more information that peaks my interest regarding this project. IN working further on the gender and mobility podcast, I'm finding great information about Alice Huyler Ramsey and other early female drivers. I didn't realize there was a Woman's Automotive Club as early as 1909! They took cross-country road trips and proved to the world that women could operate these big machines. I never thought I would be so interested in automobiles!