stephanie norby, how to connect with other museums

The Smithsonian

19 Museums

136 million things

5,000 people

How can we help people explore their own interests?

How can they continue to explore these interests with us after they go home?

How do we know what happened?

Crossing Boundaries

WithinMuseum

s

BetweenMuseum

s

WithOther

Groups

Collaboration – HBR

Both partners help others climb this ladder - and in the process of helping others they lift themselves up to the top of the ladder. They are consciously creating a new path that creates synergies for themselves, while leaving a trail for others to follow. The intent of the collaboration is not just their own success but that of the larger community as well.

Case Study #1Crossing Boundariesto engage educators with digital content

Smithsonianeducation.si.edu

Collections.si.edu

Photos by Joe Hobson

http://scems.navnorth.com

Empower the User: Digital Learning Resources Project (open source toolset)

Case Study #2Crossing Boundariesto engage youth in social networks & “digital badging”

Core Badges: Across the Institution

Smith

Smithsonianquests.org

Citizen Science

Review and Assessment by:

Smithsonian Experts Badged Teachers “Powered-Up” Peers Tree Banding Database

External Triggers

Environmental Badges

Case Study #3Crossing Boundaries

by co-curating exhibits

How can we help people explore their own interests?

How can they continue to explore these interests with us after they go home?

How do we know what happened?

Both partners help others climb this ladder - and in the process of helping others they lift themselves up to the top of the ladder. They are consciously creating a new path that creates synergies for themselves, while leaving a trail for others to follow. The intent of the collaboration is not just their own success but that of the larger community as well.

Choose partners based on their superior expertise or contextual knowledge. Work on strategic problems you can’t solve alone.

Invest in collaboration for the long-term – technology platform, “backbone” organization that keeps the work moving, training for staff.

Collaborate in-person but sustain using technology

snorby@si.edu