Circus Lessons for Museum Professionals, with Jennifer Lemmer Posey

Making the Museum

What’s the role of wonder in experience design?

What can the circus teach us to make our exhibitions better? (Spoiler alert: a lot.) Could being “with it and for it” be the secret to success for museum projects? How much technology is too much? Can we really design for all five senses? Can an exhibition be a high-wire act — literally?

Jennifer Lemmer Posey (Tibbals Curator of Circus at The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art) joins host Jonathan Alger (Managing Partner, C&G Partners) to teach some inspirational “Circus Lessons for Museum Professionals”.

Along the way: popcorn, a wall of clowns, and that special smell of elephants.

Talking Points:

1. Build a team that is “with it and for it”

2. Engage all of the senses

3. Technology shouldn’t steal the center ring

4. Wonder is in the details

5. Create opportunities for shared experiences

6. Design a space that can be ever-changing, never-changing

How to Listen:

Apple Podcasts
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/making-the-museum/id1674901311

Spotify
https://open.spotify.com/show/6oP4QJR7yxv7Rs7VqIpI1G

Everywhere
https://makingthemuseum.transistor.fm/

Guest Bio:

As the Tibbals Curator of Circus at The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art, Jennifer Lemmer Posey oversees the interpretation and care of objects and ephemera related to the history of circus. With more than twenty years of experience, Jennifer serves as a liaison to the international circus community and facilitates academic study of circus arts. A leading scholar in American circus history, her work has been included in numerous books, catalogs, and journals. Jennifer served as editor for Bandwagon: The Journal of the Circus Historical Society and was an Advisory Scholar in Circus Arts for the Smithsonian Folklife Festival in 2017.

About MtM:

Making the Museum is hosted (podcast) and written (newsletter) by Jonathan Alger. This podcast is a project of C&G Partners | Design for Culture. Learn about the firm's creative work at: https://www.cgpartnersllc.com

Show Links:

About Jennifer:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenniferlemmerposey/
https://www.instagram.com/wonderfilled_curator/

About the Ringling:

https://www.linkedin.com/company/theringling
https://www.instagram.com/theringling/
https://www.facebook.com/TheRingling

From Point 1 - Building a team that is “with it and for it”:

Behind the scenes of the Howard Bros. Circus model - museum staff program
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wxntny_wC_M

Wagon Wheel installation
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pgF8__NDnJQ

From Point 2 - Engage all of the senses:

The Ringling
https://www.ringling.org

Wonder Symposium
https://www.ringling.org/wonder-symposium/

From Point 3 - Technology shouldn’t steal the center ring:

The Greatest Show On Earth Gallery at The Ringling
https://www.ringling.org/event/the-greatest-show-on-earth-gallery/

Manage This Podcast – My Project is a Three Ring Circus
https://www.velociteach.com/manage-this-podcast/my-project-is-a-three-ring-circus/

From Point 4 - Wonder is in the details:

Howard Tibbals & the Howard Bros. Circus Model
https://www.pbs.org/video/wedu-arts-plus-311-howard-tibbals/

Smithsonian Folklife Festival – Wonder Is by Albert Tong and Hae-Yang Chang
https://festival.si.edu/blog/wonder-is-circus-arts

Circus Museum Collection Highlights
https://emuseum.ringling.org/collections/5163/circus-highlights/objects

From Point 5 - Create opportunities for shared experiences:

The Ringling’s Collecting Recollections series features fascinating people with fascinating stories to tell about their lives, the Museum, the Circus, Sarasota – and more. I recommend Dolly Jacobs, Kenneth Feld, Jackie LeClaire, Peggy Williams
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLctJhityCmSnHNtgDWP6uWK3Nf0l7Pkr1

From Point 6 - Design a space that can be ever-changing, never-changing:

The Circus Museum at The Ringling
https://www.ringling.org/visit/venues/circus-museum/

To learn more about circuses:

Federation Mondiale du Cirque

http://www.circusfederation.org

Circus Historical Society
https://circushistory.org

Circus Sarasota
https://circusarts.org

Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey
https://www.ringling.com

MtM Show Contact:

https://www.makingthemuseum.com/contact
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathanalger
[e-mail]
https://www.cgpartnersllc.com

Newsletter:

Liked the show? Try the newsletter. Making the Museum is also a one-minute email on exhibition planning and design for museum leaders, exhibition teams and visitor experience professionals. Subscribe here: https://www.makingthemuseum.com