At the 2015 MALHM Annual Meeting and Conference at Glensheen mansion in Duluth, the MALHM Historic House Museum Affinity Group met for the first time to share ideas and discuss common goals.

One of those goals was more training. MALHM responded last fall with a one-day house museum workshop at Ramsey house in St. Paul. It will also offer a session on house museums at the 2017 Annual Meeting and Conference in Walker:

Think Outside of the (Historic House) Box: How to Create Experience-Based Programming at House Museums  
Visitors, in ever-increasing numbers, are looking for experience-based programming at historic sites.  But what does that mean and what does that look like at a historic house museum?  This session looks at the nuts and bolts behind developing unique and creative programming for all ages.  Participants will have the opportunity to “think outside of the historic house box” and learn how to create programs that attract new audiences and encourage repeat visitation.  Discover what experiences historic houses can offer, while still staying true to their educational mission.

Jayne Becker, program director for the Minnesota Historical Society's Ramsey and James J. Hill historic homes, will present the session along with Holly Johnson, manager of Hormel Historic Home in Austin, MN. Becker is chair of the House Museum Affinity Group, and Johnson is the vice-chair.

The conference will offer several other sessions of interest to house museum managers and staff, including a Facebook session by Glensheen Director Dan Hartman, as well as a variety of outreach and event sessions.

House Museum Affinity Group
The House Museum Affinity Group is one of two MALHM special interest groups. (The other is MALHM Curators.) The group has a Facebook page to share ideas. Follow the Facebook page for announcements of meetings and workshops, or contact us to be put on an email list.

Register now!
Registration is now open for the MALHM Conference, set for April 26-27 in Walker, MN. Register through our new online store. Attendees may also pay with a registration form and check by mail. With either method, attendees can indicate dietary needs, such as vegetarian and gluten free.

Registration deadline is April 10. Chase on the Lake will offer a discount to MALHM attendees who book by phone by April 4. For more information, see our Annual Conference page. If you have additional questions, please contact MALHM Coordinator Marci Matson or Conference Chair Jill Wohnoutka. Look for a full conference schedule soon!

The next big thing in social media might not be Snapchat or Google Hangouts or some app that you haven't heard of yet. It might just be the old familiar Facebook, a platform that most local history organizations already use -- but not to its fullest potential.

For example, have you tried Facebook Live yet?

Here are a couple of Facebook Live events from historic Glensheen mansion in Duluth, featuring Director Dan Hartman and Marketing Manager Jane Pederson. The one above is from inside the historic home; the one below was filmed outdoors, featuring Dan snowboarding down a hill to promote a new combo package with Spirit Mountain. Take note of the comments, shares and number of views on both. (Check out Glensheen's Facebook page for more examples - and if you want to find out if Dan manages to stay upright on his snowboard adventure.)

Explore the power of the new tools of Facebook, at our 2017 Annual Meeting and Conference when Dan presents a session on the topic:

The New Facebook: Your New Newsletter, Your Best Educational Platform and Your Best Way to Bring In New Visitors
Learn some some strategies to adapt to the new era of Social Media. Even though some of us are bored with it, Facebook is still the number 1 social platform that all of our audiences engage in. Whether we like to admit it or not, it has become our newsletter to many of our loyal fans. Also, with the creation of Facebook Live it has become easily one of the best educational tools in our arsenal, especially for reaching into the classroom. Of course, it also has become the number 1 marketing platform for reaching visitors in almost all geographic and demographic areas. During the presentation Dan will advise strategies that are mostly free and things that can be adapted immediately if desired. Also, during the presentation Dan will go live on Facebook to have the audience interact and watch first hand how it is not as scary as folks think.

The Minnesota Alliance of Local History Museums (MALHM) is an professional organization dedicated to "Peers Helping Peers." Learn from your colleagues in the field, who will share their expertise at the conference. With this session, you'll see why Glensheen's social media helped it win "Attraction of the Year" at the 2017 Explore Minnesota Tourism Conference held earlier this month in St. Paul.

Register now!
Registration is now open for the MALHM Conference, set for April 26-27 in Walker, MN. Register through our new online store. Attendees may also pay with a registration form and check by mail. With either method, attendees can indicate dietary needs, such as vegetarian and gluten free.

Registration deadline is April 10. Chase on the Lake will offer a discount to MALHM attendees who book by phone by April 4. For more information, see our Annual Conference page. If you have additional questions, please contact MALHM Coordinator Marci Matson or Conference Chair Jill Wohnoutka. Look for a full conference schedule soon!

How can you attract more visitors to your house museum and then deliver such a fun engaging tour that they keep coming back for more?

MALHM's fall workshop explores two tools for improving audience engagement: Instagram and creative storytelling in interpretation. The full-day workshop will also includes a session on house museum security and a planning session for the House Museum Affinity Group.

Join us on Monday, Oct. 24 at Ramsey House in St. Paul for a full day of learning:

• Jane Pederson from Glensheen Mansion (Duluth) will show how her organization has drawn new audiences with Instagram, explain how to host an Instameet and offer tips for shooting great photos. Bring your smart phone or a camera to practice shooting photos at Ramsey House in our own mini-Instameet.
• Jayne Becker from Ramsey House (St. Paul) will demonstrate how her staff uses storytelling to revitalize their tours and engage visitors. Learn how you can train your docents to re-imagine their traditional tours and create a connection with visitors.
• Aaron Novodvorsky from the Minnesota Historical Society will address "Historic Site & Museum Security & Key Management." What type of security system do you have at your site?  When was the last time the security code was changed?  How many people have keys to your site?  How do you keep your site secure when you're an all volunteer organization?  When was the last time the local first responders visited your site?  This is a group discussion session for keeping our sites and our staffs, our volunteers, and our visitors safer and more secure.

The agenda will also include time for the group to discuss 2016-2017 goals and an action plan, discuss additional training needs, and provide input on the 2017 MALHM Conference (April 26-27 in Walker, MN).

Cost is $15 for MALHM members and $25 for non-members. See program for full agenda and registration form. Send form along with payment to: Jill Wohnoutka, Kandiyohi County Historical Society, 610 NE Hwy. 71, Willmar, MN 56201.  Sign  up today! Space is limited to 50 participants.

The price does not include lunch. The group will walk to a nearby restaurant for conversation and networking  mid-day. On-site parking is free.

Contact MALHM Coordinator Marci Matson if you have questions or ideas for future events.

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