HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes Museum Of Science And History Advisory Committee - 02/03/1994 fr
MINUTES .- .
Corpus Christi Museum of Science and History
Advisory Committee Meeting
February 3, 1994
The Museum Advisory Committee met in the Museum at 12 : 00 Noon,
Friday, February 3 , 1994 . Members Present: Alicia Perez, Alda
Klett, Susie Sedwick, Sharon Brower, Ruth O'Brien, Deborah
Kobelan, Gwen Henzi, Gene Pennebaker and Dwayne Dean. Members
Absent: Delbert Hooper, Dr . Linda Mora, and Cindy Gamez .
Chair Alicia Perez called the meeting to order, and the minutes
of the January 7, 1993 meeting were unanimously approved as writ-
ten.
The absences of Ruth O'Brien and Sharon Brower from the last
meeting were approved for good cause .
For informational purposes, Mr. Stryker provided copies to the
Advisory Committee of his memo to Tom Utter regarding Museum
support . Attached to the memo was a graphic representation of
component responsibilities and support for the Museum. The City
provides approximately 80% of the Museum' s support, but the
Friends and the Auxiliary provide funds so that the Museum is
able to have what would otherwise be impossible to purchase if
the Museum did not have diversified support .
The Subscription Series contract with the Witte Museum is coming
to an end. Don Zuris reported on how successful this series has
been at a relatively inexpensive cost . The Advisory Committee
members advised they would like to see this series continue, but
they were not happy with the topics proposed to them. The
Committee felt these particular topics were too depressing, that
there was nothing "upbeat" about them and that they couldn' t "get
excited" about them.
The members did have the following ideas : computers, communica-
tions, items taken from the Long Range Plan, the history of some
of the big ranches in Texas, as well as the history of cultures
that are prevalent here in Texas (the possibility of exhibit
loans from the Institute of Texas Cultures was discussed as was
getting funding from some of these groups) , Thundering Hoofs, and
Backyard Bugs . Granted, there are problems with some of these
ideas . Example : the Thundering Hoofs exhibit is 6, 000 square
feet at a cost of approximately $50, 000, and Mr. Stryker advised
that his experience with ethnic exhibits is that they are very
labor intensive. TAM will meet next month in Houston, and Mr.
Stryker will research which exhibits have been the most success-
ful/popular .
In April , the Advisory Committee must make a recommendation to
the Council regarding the budget . Therefore, Mr. Stryker dis-
cussed the major capital budget items which have high-priority
funding needs . They are the air-handling unit, a separate
environment for photo storage (approx. $10, 000) and an MIS plan
(basically, a computer plan) over the next 5 years to provide
computer access to the collections and the photo archives .
SCANNED
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Advisory Committee Meeting
February 3 , 1994
Page 2
Mr. Stryker advised that the Museum is doing an incredible amount
of marketing in conjunction with the Fleet . Lynne Dean has been
working closely with the Convention and Visitors Bureau. The
main goal is to increase the awareness of people outside of
Corpus Christi regarding the Columbus Fleet and the Museum.
Lynne has gone to three trade shows recently and met with tour
operators . She' ll be going to Ft . Sam Houston soon to try and
draw the military market . She sends out marketing packets to
companies/groups who write the CVB requesting information on
Corpus Christi . These packets give the meeting planners and tour
operators the kind of information they want and need.
The problem of transportation to the Museum was brought up. Gene
Pennebaker made a motion seconded by Ruth O'Brien that the RTA be
approached to help solve the problem of getting visitors to and
from the Museum.
Lynne Dean advised that a letter to the state asking that Corpus
Christi be included in the Scenic Route System should go out by
the end of this week.
The Long Range Plan is still in the development stages . If you
have any comments or input, please advise Rick Stryker .
With no further business to discuss, the meeting adjourned at
1 : 05 p .m.
/sso