Interpreting the Shakers for a Broader Audience

FAIN: GM-50438-05

Shaker Museum | Mount Lebanon (Old Chatham, NY 12136-2601)
Lili R. Ott (Project Director: September 2004 to March 2005)
Carol Derfner (Project Director: March 2005 to January 2006)
Sharon D. Koomler (Project Director: January 2006 to April 2006)

Consultation for reinterpretation and reinstallation of a permanent exhibition and development of public programs on Shaker society at the museum's new facility at Mount Lebanon Shaker Village in New Lebanon, New York.

The Shaker Museum and Library requests $10,000 to host two roundtable discussions among humanities professionals, SML staff, and a museum marketing specialist to assist in preliminary planning for the permanent galleries of a new museum at the Mount Lebanon Shaker Village. There will be a large number of public programs and workshops which will build on existing museum programs, and their definition is a part of the current funding request. SML will include in the roundtable discussions a museum marketing specialist because the Museum’s goal is to present the Shakers in a way that expands upon the traditional understanding of Shaker culture and religion, thereby broadening the Museum’s audience, particularly among young adults.