Two dozen members of the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum (TVRM) are going on a 5-day study tour of four selected railroad museums in mid-January 2004. TVRM RFE Mark Ray is the primary organizer of this trip.

There is not a "junket!" There is not a train ride of any sort in the itinerary! All travel is on Delta and luxury motor coach. [How many folks from the South deliberately head to the Northeast in the dead of Winter unless it is for serious business?]

As part of pre departure preparations, a "readings packet" is being prepared for each participant containing articles on museum educational and interpretive programs; tactical and strategic plans thereunto related; display development; marketing and related consumer research; and collections management.
Questions:
(1.) Have any RYPN readers prepared any reports or presentations on these subjects that you would like to share.
(2.) Or do you recall any recent particularly insightful reports, proceedings, or articles covering these subjects?
Your referrals will be greatly appreciated. You can correspond via email or go to the production services group's website -- linked below -- for a phone number.


PRODUCTION SERVICES WEBSITE LINK
amiller@rtms-movietrains.com

> As part of pre departure preparations, a
> "readings packet" is being
> prepared for each participant containing
> articles on museum educational and
> interpretive programs; tactical and
> strategic plans thereunto related; display
> development; marketing and related consumer
> research; and collections management.
> Questions:
> (1.) Have any RYPN readers prepared any
> reports or presentations on these subjects
> that you would like to share.
> (2.) Or do you recall any recent
> particularly insightful reports,
> proceedings, or articles covering these
> subjects?
> Your referrals will be greatly appreciated.
> You can correspond via email or go to the
> production services group's website --
> linked below -- for a phone number.

Orange Empire Railway Museum has its Mission Statement and Collection Policy available at its website at this page:
http://www.oerm.org/pages/collection_policy.html

For Education, I would refer you to Pennsylvania Trolley Museum because it has found the funding and is employing a professional educator on staff. It has recently hired its second such person.
See its website at http://www.pa-trolley.org and its education newsletter page at: http://www.pa-trolley.org/Education.htm

Penn Trolley has several volunteers who are professional educators; one of the volunteers is Jack Samuels who is also serving as the chair of the Association of Railway Museums Education & Interpretation committee he can be contacted at mailto:Jack.Samuels@railwaymuseums.org

In addition, I would like to note that the topics you mention are usually included in the sessions held during the annual conference of the Association of Railway Museums.

Brian Norden

Association of Railway Museums