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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes Museum Of Science And History Advisory Committee - 02/05/2004 MINUTES z^^�1 Corpus Christi Museum of Science and History I fl Advisory Committee Meeting .3 P I February 5, 2004 c>/ The Museum Advisory Committee met in the Museum's DeDietrich Conference Room at'N¢o 7 on Thursday, February, 2004. Members Present: Shirley Abrams,Henry Brennecke, Sharon Brower, Tony Diaz, Margaret Bolick, Angie Flores, Joe Martinez, and Phyllis Riddle. Upon motion by Tony Diaz and seconded by Angie Flores the minutes of the January 8, 2003 meeting were unanimously approved. By a unanimous vote the absences of Shirley Abrams, Sharon Brower, and Angie Flores were excused for good cause. Chair Phyllis Riddle asked that Committee members provide the Director with e-mail addresses to provide another option for communication. Phyllis introduced Yvonne Haag, Assistant to the City Manager who was recently named as the liaison for the Museum to the City Manager's office. Business: A. The Museum experienced a 20% drop in attendance by general visitors and a 27% drop in attendance by schools in 2003. 2003 attendance sank to historical low levels. Surveys of both audiences continue to show a high level of satisfaction. Angie Flores echoed the problem from the perspective of the schools which do not have the funds to support the cost of buses for students. There is also increasing pressure to prepare students for academic achievement tests. The Committee briefly discussed initiating outreach programs to the schools. B. The Friends of the Museum are unhappy because of a lack of marketing support by the Convention and Visitors Bureau. CVB CEO Tom Galyon will meet with them at their February 18th meeting. The Friends Board is considering a lobbying effort with the City Council which appoints the CVB board of directors. Lack of marketing for the Museum was discussed by the Committee at length. Upon motion by Margaret Bolick and seconded by Angie Flores the Committee unanimously charged Chair Phyllis Riddle with meeting with the Mayor to express the Committee's concern regarding lack of marketing and asking that the City Council specifically charge the CVB with initiating an effort to market the Museum and the Columbus ships. It was felt that the CVB should be held especially accountable for Museum attendance since it is the only attraction owned and operated by the City. Methods of measuring efforts were discussed including increases in revenue/attendance and initiating a "secret shopper" program to make certain that operators answering the CVB's 800 number and service providers at the visitor centers were providing information about the Museum. C. In light of the location of the Arena and the baseball stadium in the area, Rick Stryker reported on an evolving strategy to collaborate with the Art Museum and Asian Cultures SCANNED lad Advisory Committee Meeting February 5, 2004 Page 2 Museum in working to define the area as the City's cultural district. The present name for the area, Bayfront Arts and Sciences Park is not succinct enough and does not adequately describe the area as a marketable destination. The Museum is also participating with La Salle Odyssey partners in marketing the six county shared exhibits. D. Ultimately all efforts would require cooperation with the CVB and the other entities in the area that are major marketers: Corpus Christi Baseball, SMG, Concrete Street Amphitheater, and the Ortiz Center. Rick Stryker and a Committee of the Friends Board met with J.J. Gottsch, President of Corpus Christi Baseball, to discuss cooperating in the development of a temporary exhibit of major league baseball memorabilia to coincide with the inaugural baseball season in 2005. Rick and Patty Murphy have been talking with Rachel Stender, Project Engineer with the Port, about the development of a permanent exhibit on the cotton industry at the baseball stadium. Museum staff is also contemplating an exhibit of historic baseball photos that will he installed at the Airport. E. Rick Stryker reviewed the ambitious plan of work for 2004 which involves five week-long summer teacher workshops, completion of the Santiago's Challenge exhibit on the Plaza, completion of the Cultural Encounters exhibit and development of a companion curriculum guide, offering the fifth Anthropology Field School in San Patricio, and replacement of the graphic panel exhibits on the Plaza. This work is supported by numerous grants supplemented by the Friends of the Museum. The intensity of the work schedule make it necessary to again cancel summer classes which will reduce revenue(to the General Fund), but also save some expenses (for the Friends). In the face of lagging attendance, the staff is redoubling its efforts to improve service and offer programming that is responsive to audience needs There being no further business the meeting adjourned at 1:15 p.m.