April+19+Notes

This is the place to add notes from your group's "audience" discussion in the morning. Thanks to the artists for starting us off!

Ideas: - Creating and sharing narratives and art to develop a social connection with content - Viral social network aspect so that they are not bound by geography - After hours events, meetups, and mashups: Non-bar options for mixing socially - Group problem-solving through media - Affordable tickets, events, prices - New shared interest -Technology - Beer served - Outdoor games/ Active stuff
 * TWENTY SOMETHINGS**

Crazy Ideas: - After hours - Tattoos - Live Music/Open Mic/ Concerts - Games (19th C. Baseball/ Pickup games)

Identified Artists: painters, sculptors, folk artists (quilting, carving), yogis, singers, dancers, thespians, sasquatch, etc.
 * ARTISTS**

Ideas of ways to ENGAGE ARTISTS: -be able to touch stuff -artists challenges (public contests to encourage different artistic interpretations of the Morgan, public can vote) -Sidewalk chalk festival - everyone join in and take different blocks of sidewalk, draw maritime scenes, etc. -folk art - watch it then do it  -Less rules for artists who paint MSM scenes (the artist is the sole owner of his or her creation)

IDEA #1: An Improvement of an Already Existing Program: Plein Air Painters -programs turns into a more participatory experience, there are professional painters but then the visitors can get involved as well, get lessons from the professionals, paint their own scenes, etc. At the end of the day, all pieces are displayed parade-style (like at the Jack-O-Lantern Walk) outside or in the rope walk if it is raining -google map of seaport that features artists' work of different spots at the Seaport -yearly map of Seaport for sale, each place is a painting or artwork done by artist

WILD IDEA: Sea Chanty FLASH MOB: when the bridge goes up in downtown Mystic, it's hot, you are frustrated, etc. On both sides of the bridge, Mystic Seaport employees and volunteers break into Sea Chanties. People get out of their cars and join, then the bridge goes back down, pedestrians connect on the bridge, everyone singing the same chanties, people get back in their cars and sing as they go across the bridge. :)

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= STUDENTS/TEACHERS = For an existing program that could be made more participatory, we talked about taking our Pine Point apprenticeship program and “taking it to the next level” by doing something like the Chicago Children Museum’s skyscraper project where the whole process was filmed and then students could edit and make their own video and post online.

For a “wacky” idea, we talked about having some sort of contest where the winning classroom of students stays at Mystic Seaport for a whole month (like the “Kate at the Museum” at the Chicago History Museum), and they would document their experience in several ways—blogging, tweeting, videoing, skyping with other classrooms across the country, etc.

= LOCAL AUDIENCE (SE CT) = WHO are they:

schools Civic community groups Hospitality guests Neighbors wandering Teens/ not yet driving Locals with special interest - maritime hobbies Local business owners Senior groups- Local People who drive by every day walking distance

Needs/ desires: 1. To be able to take guests to MSM for a quick view of the grounds- sneak preview without paying $100. and spending all day. 2. A place to have a picnic enjoy the view 3. Water related activities 4. show what's available better from outside the gate 5. Share experiences 6. Activities and exhibits for dogs and owners

Ideas: 1. More local programs 2. Teens & seniors activities together paired. 3. Rotating whole school pass/ sleep over 4. Flexibility short visit fee 5. Visitor comments outside " I Like " 6. Have locals who are " ambassadors " and are allowed to take their guests, our potential visitors in for a 30 sneak preview free.

**__Parents Group__**
Brainstorm regarding families' needs/interests in visiting MSM

For a variety of ages For a variety of learning styles Special Events Playful Flexibility in time commitment Drop in for an hour or stay the whole day Lasting memories Take home object “make and take” Show off kids Playgroups Teens able to connect with other teens Parental affirmation in children’s eyes Safe Access to food/snacks Easily accessible/clean bathrooms Picnic area/bring own food Good indoor spaces - rain/shine Guidance – “what do we do when we’re here?” (connects to kids planning visit) Affordable Create a criteria for our spaces – Something interactive/touchable in every space Does not require but can be enhanced by interpretation Something of themselves they can leave behind/come back to Ex. Carving their initials in the carve shop Ex. Contributing to a quilt in the buck Something they can take with them/continues beyond the borders of the museum Photo Online connection The group also expressed a desire to find ways to engage local teens in ways that allow them to feel ownership Of their experience Of some piece of the museum/get them invested
 * Indicates those activities the group felt most align with our mission
 * 1) Indicates those activities the group felt most passionate about/spoke to our specific interests
 * __Visit Experience__**
 * Hands On
 * 1) Varied
 * Participatory
 * Creative
 * Develop a relationship w/institution/staff/exhibits – familiarity (touchstones)
 * Be able to interact with/touch everything
 * __Social Needs__**
 * Meet other parents/families
 * Online Interaction
 * Giving kids the ability to plan, design, create, control their visit
 * __Physical/Environmental__**
 * __Resulting ideas__**

** Underserved Communities ** : Want family spaces and activities, want to feel involved and respected, want fun and entertainment with understandable content, and want to feel welcome and comfortable. Ideas: 1. Stay open addition hours to accommodate their schedules 2. Offer reduced ticket prices 3. Offer assistance with admission for families, individuals, or school groups 4. Offer transportation making the seaport more accessible 5. Actively recruit a more diverse staff to help minorities feel represented/ help the visitors to identify with other individuals within the museum 6. Give 2 free tickets to each student that comes with a school group- the idea being that they will return with 2 family members 7. Create a free space for families to come to within the seaport where they can sit, eat the lunch they prepared, relax, talk, etc. (picnic areas) 8. Accept or recruit interns or volunteers from underserved schools (N.L . High School) Wild Ideas: 1. Use an existing building for a community space or gallery where community members display exhibits that they created on their own or co-created with the Mystic Seaport a. Rent a space in downtown New London as a satellite branch of the Mystic Seaport 2. Work with Amtrack – train tickets to the Mystic stop would serve as vouchers/ museum passes a. Visitors would be greeted by a role play who will guide them to the Seaport on a walking tour. This role player would pretend it was a specific time period- now knowing about modern technology/ acting as if they were signing up for a voyage

** Researchers, Genealogists, Historians, et. al. ** Social & Participatory needs? · Genealogists want to meet with other genealogists · e.g. Morgan Family descendants · they want to see data · they want primary & secondary sources · they want o show their families something · they want that physical/primary connection to the past o want sensory connection · want historic validation – e.g. film-makers, newspapers, etc. · important that levels of researchers: academic, non-academic, etc.  · collect oral histories · social component: academic conferences o Informal lectures · Facebook page for Munson, Williams – Mystic scholars · Subscription to Ancestry.com Ideas: WILD: Personalized website similar to Amazon.com – you could create your own profile and the site would guide through research and suggest similar topics, artifacts, resources, etc. for you to see. · Digitize everything o Preservation aspect · Have all online & accessible – · Intuitive + recognize you · blogs · Would e-mail you updates – “Enduring connection” o This drives people to come for sensory connection · Perhaps a special membership that is research oriented NOT WILD: Celebratory event/show & tell · Genealogists · Researchers · Munson graduates · Stonington Interns NOT WILD: Make our online presence easier to navigate and more user friendly · Avatar to help lead you through the website · Similar to the UK “I Like…” site where there are “trails” you can create o Example: I’m looking for information on scrimshaw § The site would bring you to several resources in the CRC that would help you research this topic § People could suggest artifacts/resources or “trails” for different topics

= BOATING TRANSIENTS = Anyone who visits MSM by water overnight or for the day: individuals, yacht and sailing clubs, other boating interest groups.

Communication: • Year round electronic communication with groups and individuals • Participate in and encourage exchanges among individuals and groups via social networking. • Improved online communications, inquiries, reservations, etc. • A concerted effort with groups, MSM should be the preferred regional destination and facility for group maritime activities and events. • Very special dockage rates, ‘package’ deals, affinity group discounts.

Facilities: • Wi-Fi at the docks (often requested in the past two years) • Consistent adequate and sufficient electric power and water supply • Improved access to and from boats and mooring assistance, Many people are accustomed to being in commercial marinas and are nor familiar with tying alongside to mooring facilities that do not float with the rise and fall of the tide. • A 24 hour ‘clubhouse’ or other covered gathering place for groups.

Ambience: • A sense of welcome • For these people the museum is a 24 hour experience • Security and comfort • Quiet and serenity when appropriate, a ‘19th century’ atmosphere • Controlled early evening activities when appropriate • Assistance in planning and executing their own activities and events

Services: • Easy navigation on the website, an improved identifiable boaters section, possibly with interactive features, and a presence for the museum and its boating guests on social networking sites. • Regular year round electronic outreach to boating organizations with whom we are already associated, local and regional yacht clubs, CCA, OCC. NYYC. • Hosting-provide assistance to them in planning special events for their organizations at MSM. • Concierge-type services for shopping, marine services, transportation, local events. • Courtesy car • Laundry availability • Provide assistance in resolving mechanical problems, directory of services, assistance in making contacts, direct assistance with minor issues such as dead batteries, fuel shortages, pumping bilges, minor spills, etc, (Note that commercial services such as SeaTow and Towboat/US will often not come above the drawbridge even for their own subscription customers as it ties them up for a minimum of an hour.) • A complete information packet possibly funded by advertising- o Drawbridge information o Tides o Local navigation information o Pumpout facilities o Local events and activities o Events at the Seaport o Shopping information, especially for necessities o Marine supplies and services • Actively manage day visits, particularly in smaller boats, e.g., runabouts, dinghies, kayaks, etc. o Provide short term docking facilities for a variety of small craft (under 20’ LOA) o Verify that they are members or paid visitors o Attend to their needs, rest rooms, food service, information, etc.

Key (if not wild) Idea:

Boating people of all stripes are a natural affinity group for us. They should be treated as friends and guests rather than just as members, customers, or visitors.