Regional Workshops

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Join us for an exciting and interactive 2-day workshop with exhibition expert Tim Willis. We will explore how to plan exhibits successfully and the secrets to simple, effective design. And we’ll understand how to tell a story well so that it truly connects with visitors.

The proposed agenda is as follows:

Day One:  Planning Successfully, Designing with Purpose

This day is about thinking critically about exhibitions and their potential to connect with visitors. We will focus on planning effectively before moving into practical principles of exhibition design for small museums.

Day Two:  Interpretation and Writing for Exhibitions

Today the focus will be all about telling a story well. We’ll look at the art of interpretation and how successful exhibitions move beyond simply conveying information. We’ll see how great storytelling connects with the visitor as a person. And we’ll explore the principles of writing for exhibitions. Optional afternoon tour of the Agassiz-Harrison Museum.

Workshop participants will also receive free print copies of the BCMA’s Exhibit Development Tools for Small Museums. You are sure to come away not only with a sense of being inspired, but also a set of practical tools for easy implementation at your museum or gallery.

$110 for BCMA members; $200 for not-yet-members.

Please note:

The registration fee includes coffee, snacks and energy breaks on both days. Please bring your own lunch; there are a number of options to grab lunch or a quick bite near the museum.

For accomodation, we recommend

See workshop description

“Harnessing the power of original, real things – that’s what learning in museums is all about.”

– Osborne (2004)

Attention museum and classroom educators!  Museums are great places to find objects from the past and explore their stories. These objects can be powerful tools to enhance and expand learning in both museum and classroom settings.

Object based learning (OBL) is a technique that museum, school and community educators can incorporate into their practice in order to build on the themes and principles laid out in the new BC Curriculum.  OBL offers rich experiences to learners of all ages and learning styles.

OBL is a unique approach that:

• encourages group and class discussions;
•  fosters empathy and critical thinking; and
•  provides a direct and tangible link to the past.

Are you a museum or classroom educator interested in learning more about these techniques, but don’t know where to start?  Join us for this day-long learning opportunity offered by the BC Museums Association in partnership with the Qualicum Beach Museum.

In this educational workshop, Chris O’Connor, Learning Specialist from the Royal BC Museum, will present object-based learning strategies and historical thinking concepts that are easy to implement at your community museum or in your classroom. Together, workshop participants will consider ways to use these techniques to redesign educational programming in their museum or classroom. The topic of aligning to BC’s new curriculum will also be explored.

If you are a volunteer or professional working in a museum, or a classroom or community-based educator, this workshop is for you!

$40 for BCMA members; $90 for not-yet-members.