MANY members on our 60th birthday, 1/25/22

Dear Colleagues, Friends, and Members,

This winter the Hudson River has frozen over so hard that Ice Yachts are sailing across and down the River. It is a tradition that dates back to the nineteenth century. On January 25, we marked sixty years of the Museum Association of New York serving our state. I’ve spent a lot of time recently thinking about our traditions.

I was going to write this letter about our past and recount all we have accomplished for our museum community. But news of the pandemic this morning reminded me that we can not repeat the past, we can only move forward differently.

MANY’s past is documented on paper stored in cardboard boxes stacked in our Troy office. It is also in the collective memories of three generations of museum professionals who have gathered and learned together under the MANY banner.

The ways we gather and learn together will continue to change in 2022. We are pleased to announce that the free, virtual series “Museums Support Democracy” produced in partnership with Museum Hue will begin on Friday, February 25. These programs will explore Museums and Civil Rights, Protest Through Visual and Performance Art, Environmental Justice, Healing Historical Legacies, Ethical Collections, Expanding Interpretive Lenses, and Citizenship. Each topic will be presented and discussed by museum professionals from a broad range of locations and disciplines featuring the work of culturally responsive museums.

I hope you can join us virtually on Friday, April 1 at noon for our annual business meeting, welcome the members of our board of directors class of 2022-2025, and thank those stepping down who have so generously served the field. Registration for these programs will open soon!

Registration for the 2022 annual conference in Corning, NY will open on February 7th. Attendance will be limited so we can maintain the highest levels of safety protocols. Special events will be organized in small group gatherings. I look forward to seeing all who can join us in person in Corning.

The Google pins that cover the state on our member map bring me joyful reminders of travels across the state and visits to museums. In most cases, I can put a face and an image with each pin. On these cold winter days, the wind off the frozen Hudson brings warm memories of all of you. I send sincerest wishes for everyone’s health and safety as we strive to find meaningful ways to keep our community connected.

 

With thanks and hope in my heart,