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[Brent] The Holmes Museum in the anthropology department of Wichita State University,
was created initially to supplement an Anthropology course taught by Lowell Holmes.
It has grown into a teaching Museum with the additional goal of expanding public knowledge of the world.
It's now run primarily by students,
under the guidance of the Museum Director.
The Holmes museum has several functions.
The permanent exhibits are open daily to the public,
and new exhibits are created by the Museum Studies class each spring semester.
Which gives students the opportunity to experientially learn
both original design,
and integrating new concepts into existing formats.
It also has a rapidly expanding archive of material remains from diverse cultures
including Peruvian textiles, Pacific wood carvings, and native pottery.
Thus serving as a support unit for the Department of Anthropology,
and also as a local repository for the US Governmental Archeological Collection.
It is a public and research resource for individuals from a variety of backgrounds and interests
including: WSU faculty and students, and the surrounding community.
The Museum Studies Program was developed
specifically to work with the Holmes Museum.
The coursework provides students with direct participation
in several aspects of museum maintenance and curatorship.
Integrating the schools of History, Art, Anthropology, and Public Policy,
Museum Studies students learn everything from exhibit methodology at the introductory level,
up to and including public relations,
community engagement, financing,
and item specific presentation in various settings.
The program is designed not only for those interested in certification,
but also those experienced in museum work who wish to explore other aspects of the industry.
[Jordan] ...Not just for extra credit,
but out of general interest, they've seen the museum, or they've heard about the museum,
but they've never actually taken the time to come in here.
And they'll spend maybe even just five minutes in here, but they'll ask questions
and that didn't happen as often
before I came here, before we opened the door and people realized:
"Hey, there's a museum in this building besides all the exhibits out in hallway".
Many students believe that all the exhibits in the hallway *was* The Museum.
But that is not the case.
The galleries that we have in here is the actual Holmes Museum.
[Meinecke] As the Museum Studies program progresses,
I hope to develop training for students
in modern curation software,
which is becoming more ubiquitous in museum work, as well as integrating
technology both in exhibit design and visitor interaction.
Our educational outreach program will continue expanding into traveling exhibits,
which will allow the Holmes Museum offerings beyond its base at Neff Hall
and the immediate WSU campus.
We will continue fulfilling the vision of Dr. Holmes: to enrich the educational
experience of students and inspire them to learn about, and teach, the world that surrounds them.
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