Last modified: Tuesday, May 22, 2007
AAM announces winners of 2007 Brooking Paper on Creativity in Museums
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 22, 2007
Bloomington, Ind. -- The Indiana University Art Museum received an honorable mention from The American Association of Museums (AAM).
The AAM recently announced the winners of the 2007 Brooking Paper on Creativity in Museums competition. The Brooking Paper is an annual writing competition honoring innovative ways of thinking about the museum field, in any area of museum operations.
The 2007 first-prize winner is Amy E. Herman, head of education at the Frick Collection, New York, for "The Art of Observation: How the Long Arm of the Law Is Reaching the Frick Collection." Her paper describes a program that uses the study of art to improve observation skills among law enforcement professionals.
Two honorable mentions were also awarded. David M. Tanner of the Indiana University Art Museum in Bloomington was cited for "Innovation and Teamwork: A Modest Ticketing Project Yields Accurate Attendance Figures." The IU Art Museum mastered the tedious but critical task of assessing attendance with an interactive visitor ticket, whose additional benefits include assisting in orienting visitors to the museum. Jessica Bicknell and Sonal Bhatt of the Wildlife Conservation Society, Bronx Zoo, New York, were honored for "The Eco-Restroom: Inspiring Visitors to Think When They Flush." Their paper detailed how a composting restroom accompanied by an exhibit educates the public on environmental concerns -- with a touch of whimsy.
All three winning papers are available online at www.aam-us.org/pubs/index.cfm.
The competition is funded through the generosity of Dolores Brooking, retired professor of arts administration at California State University, Dominguez Hills, and former director of education, Spencer Museum of Art, University of Kansas.
For more information, please go to www.aam-us.org/getinvolved/nominate/awards.cfm.
About the Indiana University Art Museum
With collections ranging from ancient gold jewelry and African masks to paintings by Claude Monet and Pablo Picasso, the Indiana University Art Museum is located on 7th Street in the heart of the Bloomington campus. The Indiana University Art Museum is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m., and Sunday from noon until 5:00 p.m., and includes Angles Café & Gift Shop. The Art Museum is closed on Mondays and major holidays. Admission is always free and open to the public. More information on all exhibitions and programs can be found at www.artmuseum.iu.edu.
About the American Association of Museums
The American Association of Museums has been bringing museums together since 1906, helping to develop standards and best practices, gathering and sharing knowledge, and providing advocacy on issues of concern to the entire museum community. With more than 15,000 individual, 3,000 institutional, and 300 corporate members, AAM is dedicated to ensuring that museums remain a vital part of the American landscape, connecting people with the greatest achievements of the human experience, past, present and future. For more information, visit www.aam-us.org.
