Jenny: If we could take everyone who
wanted to go, it would be a caravan like Priscilla, Queen of the Desert. Which would be really fun, if we could just get the funding. Glance: At what rate will things change
in the galleries? How frequently can people come back and think, “Oh, that’s different”? Nadja: Five of the seven sections—
Oakland, Yosemite, Mount Shasta, Sutter Buttes, and Cordell Bank—are open now, and the final two sections, the Tehachapis and Coachella Valley, are set to open in December 2013. And within all of that are areas where new content rolls through. There are also labs and investigation stations that are meant to be flexible spaces where we can post current events and feedback from visitors. We’re still figuring out an interesting delivery system for that. We might use digital technology, or maybe we’ll go with Post-Its. René: Also there are areas that operate
like art galleries, with temporary exhibitions. For instance, inside Curry Lodge in the Yosemite section, the gallery content is changeable. Glance: Nadja, tell me a little bit about
yourself and your role here. Nadja: I came in about two years ago,
and I’ve had various positions. Now I’m part of the development process. If I want to go change a sign in the gallery, I can. If something’s not working, I have a voice in how to fix it. René: Did you study graphic design at
CCA? Nadja: I had an open major, but took
mostly printmaking and photography. My favorite class was a poster-making class with Malaquías montoya. He was my mentor, and he opened me up to art as social activism. My feeling about CCA was that it was hands-on. We learned how to use materials. René: I think that’s something about
CCA that echoes with this museum: the idea of the use value of creative activity. Creative activity is not just an aesthetic exercise. We’re doing things that have a tangible benefit to others. Jenny: I also studied under Malaquías
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FE ATURES
Roadkill in the grille of a pickup truck shows one outcome of human encroachment into the formerly wild habitat of Oakland
Montoya and was very influenced by the idea of communal work, collaborative work. It’s good to have both technical and philosophical skills to engage people.
Education by Design Glance: Let’s talk about intended audiences. It’s one of the things that makes this
museum a different animal. It really tries to talk to everybody, all at the same time, on all different levels. René: This museum is genuinely committed to educating and celebrating with the
public. The assumption is that folks are here to learn, rather than to reinforce their existing knowledge. There’s something beautiful about that for me as a museum practitioner. We believe in cultural work. And, crucially, I think that natural science is a cultural activity. A lot of science is presented here, but also lots of gray areas that our imaginations have to fill in. Nadja: We’re very committed to evaluation. It’s a feedback loop. René: Yes, we’re committed to saying, “What do you think? Does this make sense? Is
this interesting or valuable?” It’s about starting a conversation with people. Just like CCA is a learning institution, we are a learning museum. Nadja: With the reorganization here, there’s a new position called Experience
Developer. That’s new for museums to ask, “What will the visitor do here? What will they touch?” As a developer, you put yourself in the position of the visitor. If we’re claiming to be for all ages, then we have to think about how something looks from a five-year-old’s perspective. What can a nine-year-old do here? Realistically, is the language over most people’s heads? Are we catering to PhDs, or schoolchildren, or parents who are interpreting for their kids? Jenny: It’s an interesting challenge to try to speak to all ages, all classes, all groups. On
a functional level, you have to say: “These things are OK to touch, and these things you