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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes Museum Of Science And History Advisory Committee - 10/03/1991 y t MINUTES ti O .,p0 Corpus Christi Museum of Science and Hist' u\^\I Advisory Committee Meeting October 3, 1991 t The Corpus Christi Museum of Science and History Advisory Committee met in the Museum at 12 :30 p.m. , Thursday, October 3, 1991. Members Present: Gene Pennebaker, Alda Klett, Art Howerton, Captain Dwayne Dean, Susie Sedwick, Alicia Perez, Judith Reader, and Ruth O'Brien. Members Absent: Dr. Linda Mora Cano, Augustin Rivera, and Cindy Gamez. 1. The meeting was called to order by Chair Alicia Perez. 2. The minutes of the September 5, 1991 meeting were approved as written. 2a. The absences of Susie Sedwick from the last two meetings were excused for good cause. 3. The Chair had no remarks. 4a. A Texas Association of Museums program identifies museums which grant reciprocal complimentary admission to association members. A motion was made, seconded and unanimously approved that the Corpus Christi Museum grant complimentary admission to members of the Texas Association of Museums. 4b. A motion was made and seconded that the Corpus Christi Museum invite the Mountain Plains-Museum Association to hold their 1994 annual meeting in Corpus Christi in October, 1994. This would require financial and staff commitment on our part. MPMA is a regional association, and their annual convention would probably consist of approximately 300-350 people. The vote approving this motion was unanimous. 4c. The Museum, represented by Jane Deisler-Seno has been involved in the Society for the Preservation of Natural History Specimens for several years. They alternate sites for annual meetings between the United States and Canada. Museum staff has proposed hosting their annual meeting in June 1994. This would not be an expensive undertaking for the Museum, but it would require staff commitment. Attendance would be approximately 200 people who represent institutions with natural history collections. A motion was made and seconded supporting the bid to host the SPNHS 1994 Annual Meeting. The vote approving this motion was unanimous. 4d. Rick Stryker advised that the Museum is in the final stages of negotiating a contract with Dinamation to host the Dinosaurs SCANNED Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes - October 3, 1991 Page 2 of the Deep exhibit from March through July, 1992. The admission fee for this exhibit will be in addition to the admission fee. This is a fund raising effort to benefit the Museum Endowment Fund. This agreement will be considered by the City Council within the next few weeks. A motion was made, seconded, and unanimously approved recomending that the agreement with Di-amation be approved by City Council. 4e. A museum visitor's survey based on attendance by zip code was discussed. The survey supports past assumptions that a cross section of the local population comes to the Museum. With one exception, at least 5% of the people in each zip code zone came to the Museum. As much as 13% of the population in some zones came while the lowest percentage was 4%. Potential applications for this information include target marketing for Museum programs and Friends memberships. "Jazzed up" brochures promoting the Museum with transportation as part of the advertisement were also discussed. 4f. Susie Sedwick reported progress of the Long Range Planning Committee. The Committee is considering children's museum type exhibits. Ms. Sedwick, Chair for the Committee, has written to approximately 12 children's museums requesting information. This will be the main topic for discussion at the next LRP Committee meeting (Tuesday, Oct. 8) . Ms. Sedwick advised that the Committee would like, at the very least, to see present areas (such as touch tables) updated. The Committee is still working with different ideas, and a reccommendation to update some of the exhibits and make them more interactive for children or to move towards children's exhibits on a large scale has not yet been formulated. Mr. Stryker advised that if children's exhibit space is determined to be a high priority, 2, 000 - 4, 000 sq. ft. might be set aside for this purpose. Ms . Sedwick stated that the Committee would appreciate any and all input. 4g. On October 2, the Friends Executive Board approved the 1991-92 budget of approximately $154, 000. Of this amount, almost $22, 000 was allocated for a graphics production facility which will enable the Museum to do in-house graphics. These graphics will have a high interpretive impact on exhibits. The Friends budgeted funds to landscape the Museum grounds. Ruth O'Brien and Gene Pennebaker are working with Doug Wade, landscape architect, to achieve this. Mr. Pennebaker advised the landscaping will be ornamental but will use plants which will require minimum water (xeriscaping) . Negotiation are underway to use funds from other sources to establish a demonstration garden. The Auxiliary also has some trees to plant and benches to install. Ms. O'Brien and Mr. Pennebaker will meet with Mr. Wade and Mr. Stryker on Tuesday, October 8, at 3 PM. Mr. Stryker promised to provide the Advisory Committee with a copy of the Friends approved budget next meeting. Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes - October 3, 1991 Page 3 4h. Since the Advisory Committee has been concerned with the lack of Museum publicity and advertising, all future mailings to the Advisory Committee will contain copies of publicity articles concerning the Museum. Lynne Dean described the upcoming Winter Entertainment Package inclduing the Art Museum and Texas State Aquarium; cost: $10.00/ticket. Lynne is hoping to have the entire package out to the public by the era of October. An ad in winter Texas ragazine ha; .already run, .and se have received responses to this ad. Tickets will be available at all participating facilities and at the Visitor Bureau locations on I-37 and Shoreline Drive. KWVS-FM Radio is sponsoring a Halloween Festival at the Museum benefiting the Museum on Nov. 1. It will feature live music, a costume contest, mask-making, a special version of the Museum's treasure hunt with prizes, a silent auction, door prizes, and more. A cash bar and hors d'oeuvres will be provided. Tickets are $9.75/couple or $5/person. Friends members will receive a discount. The Belize flyer describes another fundraising project by the Friends -- an expedition to Belize sponsored by the Friends and handled by International Expeditions. There being no further business to discuss, the meeting adjourned at 1:45 p.m. /sso