Reclaiming History, Reconstructing Lives: Chinese Laborers and the Building of the Transcontinental Railroad

June 26, 2017 by usfmuseumstudiesblog

by Shabnam Shermatova (MA, 2016) On April 11, 2017, University of San Francisco hosted a panel discussion on the Chinese American Historical Society exhibition Reclaiming History, Reconstructing Lives: Chinese Laborers and the building of the transcontinental railroad.  It was on display from March 20 to April 28, 2017, at the Gleeson Library/Geschke Center. The goal of both the exhibition and the discussion was to give voice to the Chinese laborers who built the American railroad system; call attention to this […]

Categories: Alumni, Collaborations, Exhibits, Forums, Museum Studies, Social Justice • Tags: Alumni, California history, collaboration, Gleeson Library, social justice

Alumni Connect: Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive

June 19, 2017 by usfmuseumstudiesblog

by Victor Crosetti (MA, 2015) Editor’s note:  For this installment of Alumni Connect we interviewed Victor Crosetti (MA, 2015).  Victor serves as Membership Coordinator for BAMPFA, the UC Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive.   –MS USF Museum Studies Blog:  Tell us something about BAMPFA. Victor:  The UC Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive (BAMPFA) is the visual arts center of the University of California, Berkeley. BAMPFA offers one of the most distinguished and provocative programs of art […]

Categories: Alumni, Exhibits, Interviews • Tags: Alumni, art, California history, marketing, professional development

Designing Innovation for Museums

June 12, 2017 by Paula Birnbaum

By Emily Lawhead (MA 2017) How can museums effectively facilitate problem-solving, creativity, and innovation – both within their gallery spaces and in their programs? Dana Mitroff Silvers, founder of Designing Insights, has developed custom workshops and trainings in Design Thinking to answer this question. The Design Thinking process emphasizes learning by doing, and assists museums and companies in developing their best visitor experience. On April 25th, the USF Museum Studies Graduate Association invited Mitroff Silvers to conduct a Design Thinking […]

Categories: Exhibits, Forums • Tags: design, professional development

Sacred Garments: Orthodox Christian Vestments from Around the World

June 5, 2017 by usfmuseumstudiesblog

by Lydia Webster (MA, 2017) Editor’s note:  We congratulate the Doug Adams Gallery at the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley on its June 6, 2017 opening of  stunning exhibition of Greek Orthodox vestments belonging to Metropolitan Nikitas of the Patriarch Athenagoras Orthodox Institute and thank the gallery for giving us permission to re-post this exhibition announcement.  Sacred Garments:  Orthodox Christian Vestments from Around the World, was curated by USF museum studies graduate student Lydia Webster (MA, 2017) during an internship that […]

Categories: Community, Exhibits, Forums • Tags: exhibit, history, social justice, textiles

Alumni Connect: Kathleen Schlier and the Accessibility Learning Collaborative

May 29, 2017 by usfmuseumstudiesblog

by Ivy Young, California Association of Museums Editor’s Note:  The Accessibility Learning Collaborative is part of the California Networks for Collaboration, funded by the Institute of Museums and Library Services and coordinated by the California Association of Museums.  Its goal is to share best practices for accessibility and professional practice with museums across the state.  In this post, we share an interview with Kathleen Schlier (MA, 2016) about disability justice, conducted by CAM’s Ivy Young.  –MS ********** Kathleen Schlier is […]

Categories: Alumni, Community, Forums, Interviews, Social Justice • Tags: access, Alumni, social justice

Curating Community with Robert Flynn Johnson and Shipyard Trust for the Arts

May 22, 2017 by Paula Birnbaum

by Else Trygstad-Burke (MA 2016) One of San Francisco’s most wonderful attributes is the city’s closely interconnected art communities. In October 2016, students from University of San Francisco’s graduate Museum Studies and undergraduate Art History/Arts Management Programs were invited to collaborate with one of the city’s longstanding art organizations, Shipyard Trust for the Arts (STAR). Four students were granted the exciting opportunity to assist Robert Flynn Johnson, Curator Emeritus of the Achenbach Foundation for Graphic Arts, California Palace of the […]

Categories: Alumni, Collaborations, Community, Exhibits, Museum Studies, Site Visits, Social Justice, Uncategorized • Tags: Alumni, art, collaboration, community, design, education, faculty, interactive, professional development, social justice, students, workshop

Curator Shares Intimate Portrait of Everyday Life in Han Dynasty China

May 15, 2017 by Paula Birnbaum

by Emily Lawhead (MA, 2017) On February 8, 2017, University of San Francisco’s MA in Museum Studies Program partnered with the Center for Asia Pacific Studies and the MA in Asia Pacific Studies Program to host a lecture by Dr. Fan “Jeremy” Zhang, Senior Associate Curator of Chinese Art at the Asian Art Museum.  At this event, Dr. Zhang gave students, professors, and community members an “insider’s view” of the exhibition, Tomb Treasures: New Discoveries from China’s Han Dynasty, which […]

Categories: Collaborations, Community, Exhibits, Museum Studies, Uncategorized • Tags: art, design, history, research, social justice, technology

Re:Vision: A Conversation with Andy and Deborah Rappaport and Catharine Clark

May 8, 2017 by Kate Lusheck

By Greer Montgomery & Michelle Tarbell When local philanthropists Deborah and Andy Rappaport first began collecting art as a young couple, they had no idea it would eventually lead them to envision an innovative, internationally-recognized arts destination — Minnesota Street Project — and become the owners of an important collection of contemporary art. In Fall 2016, the Rappaports generously lent a series of monumental woodblock prints, produced by L.A.-based artist Sandow Birk (represented in San Francisco by Catharine Clark Gallery) […]

Categories: Collaborations, Community, Exhibits, Forums, Interviews, Museum Studies, Social Justice, Uncategorized

Intern-connectivity: St. Louis

May 1, 2017 by Marjorie Schwarzer

by Sara Hodge (MA, 16) Editor’s Note:  Next week, over 4,000 museum professionals from around the world gather in St. Louis, Missouri for the annual American Alliance of Museums conference.  Faculty members Fraidy Aber and Marjorie Schwarzer will be presenting at the conference and Leslie Lombre (MA, 2017) has been awarded an AAM Diversity Fellowship to attend. In honor of the gathering in St. Louis, we are pleased to share reminiscences from alumna Sara Hodge (MA, 2016) of her 2016 […]

Categories: Alumni, internships, Museum Studies • Tags: archaeology, collections, curating, internships, USF Museum Studies