ONM concludes assessment program and prepares next steps

August 24, 2016 - For Immediate Release

Press Contact: Hallie Winter | 918-287-5222 | hwinter@osagenation-nsn.gov

Pawhuska, OK (8/24/2016) –The Osage Nation Museum (ONM) recently concluded its assessment program through the American Alliance of Museums (AAM). Through guided self-study and on-site consultation with a museum professional, participation in the Museum Assessment Program (MAP) will empower the ONM to better serve the citizens of the Osage Nation and Pawhuska, Okla., by facilitating its meeting and exceeding the highest professional standards of the museum field.

The ONM was accepted into the MAP in January 2016. Over the course of four months, staff at the museum worked with members of other Osage Nation departments and Osage Nation constituents to complete a self-study workbook. This workbook focused on five major areas of the museum: mission and planning; interpretation; collections stewardship; administration and finance; and governance. The self-assessment also consisted of two group activities further analyzing different aspects of the museum. The ONM participated in the MAP Organizational track, which considers the museum as a whole rather than focusing on specific areas within the organization. According to the AAM’s website, “This [organizational] assessment places significant emphasis on strategic planning as well as ensuring operations and resources align with the museum’s mission.”

On June 9, 2016, a peer-reviewer visited the ONM for an intensive tour and full day of meetings with the ONM staff and MAP team. Dr. Neal Hitch, the selected peer-reviewer, is the director at the Imperial Valley Desert Museum. Dr. Hitch provided the ONM with a wealth of feedback in all aspects of the museum. He was guided in his analysis by his professional experience and the “Characteristics of Excellence for Museums” created by the AAM. These characteristics describe 38 core standards for museums to achieve excellence.

The ONM received the final MAP report on July 30, 2016. The report includes a critical analysis of Dr. Hitch’s findings along with a suggested list of priorities and tasks designed to implement improvements at the museum. Last week, ONM staff and the MAP team sat down to review the report and detail a list of actions for accomplishing goals and priorities.

The report included statements praising the ONM for the quality of its exhibits, graphics and promotional material, public programs, and future vision. About the recent renovations, Hitch said, “I had a hard time believing the building improvements were new when I saw them, as they create functional and professional spaces that seem perfect for the facility.” He remarked on the new exhibits as well: “As a team, the staff produce quality, professional exhibits that are some of the best I have seen in small museums.”

The report also brought some issues to light and provided guidance on how to improve upon certain aspects of the museum including prioritizing cataloging the museum’s collection, expediting the creation of specific policies and their relevant procedures, and diversifying the museum’s budget through fundraising and grants. Out of these recommendations, the museum is already drafting a Collections Assessment for Preservation (CAP) program grant application and finalizing drafts of certain policies and procedures.

August 2016 marks the ONM’s second round of completion with this program. The ONM, then the Osage Tribal Museum, participated in the MAP program in 1994 under the direction of then-curator E. Sean Standingbear. “Even though the ONM has completed this program before, going through the program now has been crucial in understanding how far we’ve progressed since January and served to better guide us moving forward,” said Curator Hallie Winter about completing the MAP. “We have a firmer grasp on our goals supported by Dr. Hitch’s commentary and suggestions. We can use this assessment in applying for grants, seeking additional outside funding, and eventually for seeking accreditation by the AAM, which can help us receive loans from other institutions. Being accredited also means we are operating at the highest standards set by museum professionals, and that ultimately means our collections, the material we’re here to care for, will be around for generations to come.”

The ONM began the MAP process with three goals in mind: to increase staff knowledge of museum standards and best practices; to improve the ability to develop institutional policies and procedures; and to prepare for accreditation. After completing the MAP, staff can confidently check off each goal.

The coming months will be a vibrant time for the museum as the final stage of the MAP, the implementation phase, is an ongoing and vital process. “We made several improvements at the museum immediately after the consultation with Dr. Hitch in early June, including the new comment cards and the interactive Visitor Experience Survey on an iPad at the front desk,” Winter said. “Now we get to outline some more specific long-term goals based on the report and incorporate those suggestions into developing our organizational policies and procedures and strategic plan.”

About the Osage Nation Museum

The premiere destination to experience Osage history, art, and culture

Visit the Osage Nation Museum (ONM) in historic Pawhuska, Oklahoma. Our continuously changing exhibits convey the story of the Osage people throughout history and celebrate Osage culture today. Highlights include an extensive photograph collection, historical artifacts, and traditional and contemporary art. Founded in 1938, the ONM is the oldest tribally owned museum in the United States.

Admission and parking is free.

Contact Information

Phone: 918-287-5441

Fax: 918-287-5227

Email: museum@osagenation-nsn.gov

Website: www.osagenation-nsn.gov/museum

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OsageNationMuseum/

Location

819 Grandview Avenue

Pawhuska, OK 74056