• Victoria Shields, Detroit Institute of Arts 

This session will show museum docents how to conduct professional development for educators to connect museum artifacts and resources to their classroom curriculum. This will include leading engaging and content-based tours for secondary students (5^th - 12th grades), focused on secondary social studies and English language arts state standards. This framework can be applied to other state standards and subjects as well, such as science, geography, and technology. Bringing history alive through museum collections, in addition to providing suggested texts, will show educators how to use museum artifacts to write lesson plans and implement them in fun, informative, and compelling ways.  

• Dr. Nathan Seeley, Frankenmuth Historical Association

• Amy Walker, Sloan Museum of Discovery 

Whether you are a museum veteran or a rookie, you don’t have to be scared to tackle the next renovation or exhibit. No matter your budget (millions or thousands of dollars), the steps you’ll take, the questions you need to ask, and the processes during exhibit development do not change. In this conversational session, we will walk attendees through the universal lifecycle of exhibit development, covering the successes and challenges encountered during the Sloan Museum of Discovery and Frankenmuth Historical Museum renovations. In the end, reaffirming that we (as museum professionals) are the experts! 

• Lacey Ahmed, Grand Rapids Children's Museum

• Madison Perian, Grand Rapids Children's Museum

This session will discuss the play gap that exists for children from low-income families and the impact that the Museums for All program has had on the Grand Rapids Children's Museum (GRCM) and our community. Participants will have the opportunity to hear how Museums for All is uniquely implemented at GRCM, how they can increase access at their own museums, and how all types of museums (not just children's!) can connect families to play.