Interpretation and Education Standard for  Huronia Museum & Huron Ouendat Village

Effective:   May 2014

1.      Purpose

This standard establishes a standardized method and guideline for Huronia Museum to consider, plan and implement interpretive and education programming in order to provide its visitors and community with quality heritage programming.  This standard ensures that visitors and community members of all ages, interests, abilities and expectations are able to interact meaningfully with the museum’s collection, information and resources.

2.      Responsibility

(a)    The Board of Directors for Huronia Museum and Huron Ouendat Village is responsible for implementation and regular review of this standard.

(b)   The Director/Curator will monitor the application of the policies and guidelines of this document and ensure that the intent and objectives are monitored.

(c)    The Director/Curator is ultimately responsible for general public, education and special events programming and the interpretive forms it may take.  The Director/Curator may delegate the planning and implementing of general public programming to the Education Coordinator of Huronia Museum.  The Director/Curator may also call upon external consultants and service providers to assist with the development and implementation of quality programming.

(d)   The Director/Curator will ensure that the facility provided for general public, education and special events programming is adequate and safe.

(e)    The Director/Curator will ensure that all staff are accordingly qualified and trained for planning, implementation and/or delivery of programming at Huronia Museum.  Where required, the Director/Curator will provide support and training or training opportunities in accordance with the “Staff Training Policy” of Huronia Museum and Huron Ouendat Village.

(f)    The Director/Curator will liaise community groups and special interest organizations to determine areas of heritage programming required and develop and direct new programs and program delivery mechanisms.

3.      General

(a)    Museum interpretive and education programming will provide the public, education and special events programming surrounding the four major areas of interest in collections, exhibits, education and preservation which are:

Aboriginal history of the Huron/Ouendat and Ojibway people

Georgian Bay Marine History

Georgian Bay Arts and Artists

Regional pioneer and Euro-Canadian development.

(b)   All programming will focus its efforts on these four main areas.

(c)    All programming will make every effort to provide both enjoyment and a meaningful heritage experience for every participant.

(d)   All personnel who are planning, implementing and/or delivering educational programming will maintain program quality and consistency by following the guidelines of the Huronia Museum “Research Policy” to build interpretive content.

(e)    Director/Curator, or personnel as assigned under the guidelines of section 2 of this document, will provide the Museum’s audience with quality programming by ensuring that all staff, volunteers and resource people associated with the activities of the facility are accordingly qualified.

(f)    All programming will provide its visitors with accurate and objective interpretive content free of bias and criticism or inappropriate information.

(g)   All Programming will be applied with established principles of interpretation.

(h)   All programming will consider cultural ownership, cultural citizenship and the principles of stewardship in planning, implementation and/or delivery processes.

(i)     Every effort will be made to ensure that ethical practices are adhered to by all staff members when planning, implementing and delivering programming.

(j)     Planning and implementation phases will reflect the policies and guidelines of Huronia “Museum’s Conservation Policy”.

(k)   Planning processes will identify all areas of programming where Provincial and Federal legislation applies.

(l)     Where and when applicable, all programming will consider enhancing the museum’s product with partner organizations and individuals.   A “Memorandum of Understanding” should be developed for every partnership project to provide structure and ensure the benefit to all partners.

(m)  All visitor and participant complaints and concerns will immediately be brought to the attention of the Director/Curator.  He/she will respond in a timely manner or may delegate this responsibility to personnel as outlined in section 2 of this document.

(n)   Education and interpretation programming will receive it’s own allocation in the yearly budget put forth by the Board of Directors for Huronia Museum and Huron Ouendat Village and will be thoroughly discussed with programming staff to determine appropriate outcomes.

4.      Public Programming Policy

(a)    Public programming will include but is not limited to general visitation to the museum, Huron/Ouendat Village and outreach programming for special interest groups and events.

(b)   Huronia Museum and Huronia Ouendat Village will offer public programming on a year-round basis with extended days and hours during peak or increased visitation seasons.

(c)    Special consideration will be given to the interests, expectations and demographics of our community and visitation when planning, implementing and delivering public programming.

(d)   All public programming will establish learning, behavioral and emotional objectives in the planning phase of public programming.  The objectives are an essential component of the program delivery and will be formatively and summatively evaluated to ensure economic and interpretive viability.

(e)    Regular review and revision of public programming will take place based on the results of structured program evaluation.

5.      Education Programming Policy
(f)    Education programming will include but is not limited to regular on-site programming, special events, workshops, outreach programs, field trips and/or conferences.

(g)   Huronia Museum and Huron/Ouendat Village will offer education programming to coincide with the school year.

(h)   Director/Curator, or personnel as assigned under the guidelines of section 2 of this document, will establish clearly defined learning, behavioral and emotional objectives based on participant need (i.e. curriculum) for every program.

(i)     Education Programming will set learning, behavioral and emotional objectives based on Ministry of Education curriculum from Kindergarten to grade 12 when planning programming.

(j)     Education programming will consider developmental needs of participants when developing, implementing and delivering education programming.

(k)   Director/Curator, or personnel as assigned under the guidelines of section 2 of this document, will carry out formative and summative evaluations to assess economic and interpretive viability of each program.  Alterations will be made to programs as required.

6.      Special Events Programming Policy
a)      Special events will include but are not limited festivals, workshops, one or multi-day events, outreach programming and/or field trips.

b)      Huronia Museum and Huronia Ouendat Village will offer quality special events programming on an as-required basis.

c)      Special Events Programming will serve to promote heritage education, community involvement in heritage preservation and build an enduring relationship with the community it serves.

d)     Special Events programming will consider interests, expectations and demographics of the community it serves when planning, implementing and delivering public programming.

e)      All special events programming will be evaluated for economic and interpretive viability and revised as required.