APA Staff Updates on Attending AAM
Smithsonian Asian Pacific American (APA) Program staff along with over 4,000 attendees from across the nation and forty-three different countries convened at the American Association of Museums (AAM) Annual Meeting and Museum Expo on May 22-25, 2011, in Houston, TX. Conference headquarters was located in the urban center of downtown at the Georgia R. Brown Convention Center that hosted countless conversations, educational sessions, and speakers for building a foundation of new ideas, skills, and collaborations. Evening events and tours highlighted the city of Houston’s cultural, visual, and performing arts.
The Museum of Tomorrow marked this year’s theme:
Often we think of the future as a destination. A journey is required to reach it, fueled by a need or instinct to control our own destiny, to make discoveries, unravel mysteries, adapt to the unexpected in order to survive and prosper. But in a universe of infinite possibility—the universe that museums represent—the future is an aspiration, and not always a destination. And taking meaningful action in the present will help to shape the future.
Smithsonian APA Program staff enjoyed a variety of experiences (click photos to enlarge):
 Dinner at Houston’s Little Saigon. From left: Jun Francisco (Director of Collections Management at Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum), Gina Inocencio (APA Program), An Duong (Houston-based Lawyer), Sandra Vuong (APA Program), and Steve Y. Wong (Curator for the Chinese American Museum of Los Angeles). |
“I have been attending the AAM Conference for the last eight years and I have always enjoyed helping to organize the annual meeting and reception for the Asian Pacific American Professional Interest Committee (APAPIC). I love seeing old friends and meeting new ones and discussing museum work and opportunities for collaboration. I’ve been seeing more APA faces at the last conferences and it’s always heartening to see young APAs entering the field of museum.” |
 Krista by a Portable On Demand Storage (PODS) container, a unique public art exhibition designed especially for AAM at Houston’s Discovery Green.  Krista outside of the Georgia R. Brown Convention Center. |
“AAM Houston was a remarkable experience—I had the opportunity to attend a variety of sessions on museum education and programming; collecting and interpreting visitor data; museum diversity; and managing internship and volunteer programs. In addition to training and professional development, I had the chance to network with museum professionals from across the country and to exchange ideas for best practices. Tours and evening events featured experiential learning opportunities at the city’s main attractions. From Space Center Houston to The Museum of Fine Arts Houston, the inviting and exciting atmosphere of this city will be one that I will always remember!” |
 Fine Arts Museum dinner reception. From left: Krista Aniel, Krishna Aniel, and Pawan Dhingra. |
“At AAAS I shared the HomeSpun initiative and connected with scholars whose research expertise involves Indian Americans. Such connections are central to the academic integrity of the project. In a similar vein, it was helpful in learning also the latest books in the field. At AAM I attended panels on curating exhibitions and reaching out to immigrant communities. It was a wonderful opportunity to explore the details of museums and exhibition planning.” |
 Conference exhibitor’s hall. |
“The big focus at AAM Houston this year centered on the ‘Museum of Tomorrow’ and how people from all over the world can utilize technology and social media to broaden their educational reach. I attended panel sessions hosted by museum leaders who told stories and recalled experiences about the challenges and opportunities involved with implementing technology to increase museum awareness.” |
Much thanks in this update about APA Staff Updates on Attending AAM
I was talking with a member of the AAM and he told me that most museums use pods to store their items when they are not being displayed. That way they won’t be stolen. I thought that was kind of interesting.