museum exhibitions

darcie fohrman

www.darciefohrman.com

abqfcu@r.postjobfree.com

po box 892 monterey california 93942

831-***-****

M useum Consultant, 1987 - P resent

Darcie provides services for all aspects of museum exhibition development and design,

including interpretive planning and facilitating planning teams. Collaborating with museum staff,

consultants, trustees, and community representatives, we create emotionally engaging visitor

experiences for all types of museums. We have won the AAM Excellence in Exhibitions four

times for projects with the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum, the Exploratorium, and twice with

the Levine Museum of the New South.

The Exploratorium, San Francisco. New museum at Pier 15, exhibition development and design

for the East Gallery, Life Sciences, opens 2013; Living Liquid interactive exhibition development

and design, 2010; Revealing Bodies Co-Director of interpretive planning and design for this art,

artifact and interactive temporary exhibition, winner of the 2001 American Association

of Museums Exhibition Competition; and Frogs Designer of this extended temporary exhibition

which included live animals, cultural artifacts, immersive environments and interactive exhibits,

1999. Included in Beyond Best Practices, edited by McLean and McEver, published 2004.

Oakland Museum of California. Special anchor exhibition about our relationship with the San

Francisco Bay, exhibition developer and team facilitator, opens 2013. Natural Science Gallery

Team facilitator, History Gallery Lighting, 2010. Peer review advisor and concept brainstorming

for the new history and science galleries, 2008 and 2009. This Is Our Land! Teens Speak Out on

Nature and Community in the City Interpretive planning and exhibition design facilitating

community teen interns for this Lila Wallis Foundation Funded Urban Spaces Project, 1996.

Museum of Tolerance, Los Angeles. For All the Children / Para Todos Los Ni os Interpretive

planning, development and design for exhibition about the Latino fight for school desegregation

in CA in the 1940s shown in conjunction with the traveling version of Courage from the Levine

Museum of the New South, Charlotte, NC, 2010

Levine Museum of the New South, Charlotte, NC. Changing Places: From Black and White to

Technicolor, Interpretive planning, development and design of immersive, interactive exhibition

as a catalyst for Speaking of Change a yearlong community building project, 2009. Reviewed

in Curator: The Museum Journal, October 2010; and Courage: The Carolina Story that Changed

America Interpretive planning and exhibition design to create this award winning exhibition

about commitment of the community which filed the first case to become the Brown v Board of

Education Supreme Court Case, 2004. Exhibition was a catalyst for Conversations in Courage

a community building project to address segregation issues today.

California Academy of Sciences, San Francisco, CA. Interpretive planning and exhibition

development to create the natural history exhibits for the new museum in Golden Gate Park, 2008;

Wild Salmon: The Upstream Struggle Concept development for traveling NSF funded interactive

exhibition, 1997.

Utah Museum of Natural History, Salt Lake City. Peer review advisor of 50% design package

for new museum, 2007.

Return to the Sea of Cortez Planning and design of traveling exhibition documenting the 2004

voyage to recreate John Steinbeck and Ed Rickett s 1941 voyage, opened at the Pacific Grove

Natural History Museum, 2006.

Family Violence Prevention Fund, San Francisco, CA Interpretive planning and exhibition

development for the proposed International Center to End Violence that will include

environments and interactive exhibits to facilitate social change, 2005.

Cantor Arts Center, the Stanford University Museum, Stanford, CA QUESTION Collaborating

with and coaching all the curators to create an innovative, interactive art museum experience,

which responds to visitors questions about art, 2004.

Yeshiva University Museum, New York, NY. A Portion of the People: 300 Years of Southern

Jewish Life Design and installation supervision for the NY installation of this NEH funded

traveling exhibition, 2003.

J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles, CA. Interpretive planning and critique of their planning

document for reconfiguring the existing Art Information Rooms, 2001.

Skirball Cultural Center, Los Angeles, CA. Romance & Ritual: Celebrating the Jewish Wedding

Interpretive planning and design of this temporary costume exhibition, 2001; and Henry Mosler

Rediscovered, a temporary exhibition (traveled), 1997.

United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, Washington, DC. Daniel's Story: Remember the

Children National Park Service contract award, for interpretive planning, design, and project

management of this award winning, permanent interactive children s exhibition, 1992. Also

designed the traveling version.

Port Discovery: The Children's Museum of Baltimore, MD. Girls Development of an

interpretive plan for a traveling interactive exhibition celebrating girlhood, 1998.

Monterey County Planning Department, Salinas, CA. Made in Spreckels Interpretive planning

and design of a traveling exhibition about the history of this company town and the Spreckels

Sugar Company, 1998.

Judah L. Magnes Museum, Berkeley, CA. Souvenirs from Israel 1948-1998, interpretive

planning and design of this temporary exhibition, 1998.

Salinas Valley Memorial Hospital, Salinas, CA. Museum of Medical History Planning and

design of a permanent medical history museum, 1998.

Bay Area Discovery Museum, Sausalito, CA. In the Heart of the Home Development, design

and installation supervision of interactive ethnic kitchens, 1995; and interpretive planning for a

Youth Museum Exhibit Consortium interactive traveling exhibition, Gumby's World: Adventures

into Books, 1997.

Presidio of San Francisco, Golden Gate National Recreation Area, San Francisco, CA.

Education and Visitor Center, research and concept planning of an Interpretive Plan, 1996.

Museum of San Diego History, Balboa Park, CA. From Bustles to Bikinis: A Century of

Changing Beach Fashion Interpretive planning and design of this interactive costume exhibition

on public appearances and hidden values, 1996. In a case study (Serrell, AAM 1998) this was

one of four most thoroughly used exhibitions.

Brookfield Zoo, Brookfield, IL. Penguin Coast Planning and concept design of interpretive

components of live animal habitat for a new building, 1994.

Skirball Museum, Hebrew Union College, Los Angeles. Development and design of the

exhibitions: Hooray for Yiddish Theater in America, 1996; Tradition & Revolution: Jewish

Renaissance in Russian Avant-Garde Art, 1993; Project Americana Sampler, 1992; Memories

of Alsace: Folk Art and Jewish Tradition, 1991; The Torah, 1988.

Point Lobos State Reserve, Carmel, CA. The Whalers Cabin Annex Interpretive plan, design,

production, and installation of permanent whaling exhibition, 1993.

California State Parks & Recreation, Monterey State Historic Park, CA. First Brick House

Interpretive planning and design of permanent interpretive exhibition and recreation of period

kitchen for historic building, 1990.

De Saisset Museum, Santa Clara University, San Jose. Interpretive planning and redesign of

History galleries, 1989.

Crocker Art Museum, Sacramento. The Modern Spirit in Chinese Painting, Design and

installation supervision of temporary exhibition; and the Harold Wing Gallery, design proposal

for renovation of temporary exhibition gallery, 1988.

Pacific Heritage Museum, San Francisco. The Opening Door: American Presence in China &

Japan 1840-1890, Concept development, project management for temporary exhibition, 1987.

Wilshire Boulevard Temple, Los Angeles. History of the Jews of Los Angeles, Interpretive

planning and design of permanent exhibition, 1989.

D irector of Exhibitions, San Diego Museum of Art, 1979 1987

As a member of the senior staff of this major city museum in Balboa Park, I prepared and

administered the annual budget and schedule and supervised full-time and temporary

employees and contractors. I initiated the collaborative approach to interpretive exhibition

Darcie Fohrman R sum page 2 of 4

development, designed and coordinated installation of 12-18 special exhibitions per year in

14,000 sq.ft. gallery space, designed and supervised reinterpretation and renovation of 15

permanent galleries, and managed the renovation five temporary exhibition galleries.

Selected Major Exhibitions Planning and Design at SDMA:

Modern German Masterpieces from The St. Louis Art Museum / Oskar Schlemmer / Dr. Seuss from Then

to Now (traveled) / Ansel Adams: Classic Images / Master Drawings by Gericault / American Masters: The

Thyssen-Bornemisza Collection / Lautrec / Art of the European Goldsmith: Silver from the Schroder

Collection / British Art Now / Fortissimo! Thirty Years from the Richard Brown Baker Collection of

Contemporary Art / Homage to Amanda: Two Hundred Years of American Quilts from the Collection of

Edwin Binney III and Gail Binney-Winslow (traveled through SITES) / Dutch and Flemish Masters: Paintings

from the Vienna Academy of Fine Arts / The Precious Legacy: Judaic Treasures from the Czechoslovakia

State Collections / Morris Graves: Vision of the Inner Eye / Fifty Years of Babar / The Art of the Muppets /

The Art of Chivalry: Arms and Armor from the Metropolitan Museum of Art / Of Time and Place: American

Figurative Art from The Corcoran Gallery / Leonardo da Vinci: Leonardo's Return to Vinci / Sculpture in

California Modern Masters: 20th c. Paintings from the Collection of the New York Museum of Modern Art /

Renaissance of Islam: Art of the Mamluks / The Golden Treasures of Peru / Five Thousand Years of Art from

the Metropolitan Museum of Art / Turkish Treasures from the Collection of Edwin Binney III

D irector of Exhibitions, Spertus Museum of Judaica, Chicago

1 971 1 979

I was responsible for project supervision and management, exhibition planning, design,

production, and installation of over forty temporary art, history and ethnography exhibitions. I

co-developed and designed a permanent Holocaust exhibition, coordinated outside contractors

on permanent gallery installation, and designed and produced all graphics and publications.

F aculty Positions and Formal Education

University of Victoria, BC, Instructor, Exhibition Planning & Design, week long intensive, 2011

JFK University, Department of Museum Studies, Graduate Program, Adjunct Professor,

Exhibition Development, 1989-1997; member of Department Chair search committee, 1998

Santa Catalina School, Monterey, CA, Gallery Director 1991 1995, and Art History Faculty,

Humanities Department, 1989-1995

Chicago Board of Education, Marshall Upper Grade Center, Art Faculty

School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Post Graduate Courses, Photography and Video

University of the Americas, Mexico City, study abroad program

Ohio State University, Bachelor of Science Degree in Art Education

L ectures and Seminars on Exhibition Planning and Design

University of Washington, Seattle. Museum Studies Program, 2010.

American Association of Museums Annual Meetings, on panels 1983, 86, 89, 95, 96, 97,

2001, 03, 05, 06, 08,10, 11, 12

National Association for Museum Exhibition (NAME) with AAM, Organizer and Coordinator of

Advanced Professional Retreats: Creativity and Collaboration, Monterey, CA 2009; Insights:

Exploring Diverse Models of the Creative Process, Boulder, CO 1991; Western Museums

Conference, Tucson, AR, 2002.

ASTC, Association of Science-Technology Centers, 2007

SEGD, Society for Environmental Graphic Design, Retreat at Cranbrook, MI, 2006

Visitor Studies Association (VSA), 2006

Western Museums Associations Annual Meeting, 2001, 02, 03

Jewish Historical Society 27th Annual Southern Conference, 2002

John F. Kennedy University, Department of Museum Studies, 2000, 01

Monterey Youth Museum, Monterey, CA, 1996

Alumnae Resources, San Francisco, 1993

New York State Museum, Albany, NY, 1989

George Washington University, Museum Studies Dept., Washington, DC, 1986

Western /Mountain Plains Museums Associations Annual Mtg., 1985, 2007, 2010

Darcie Fohrman R sum page 3 of 4

Mountain Plains Museum Association Exhibit Workshop, 1985

Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service, SITES seminar on Interpretive Exhibition

Design, co-organizer, 1982

University of California, San Diego, Museum Studies class, 1981 and 1982

San Diego State University, Museum Studies class, 1980 through 1986

University of San Diego, Museum Studies class, 1982 through 1986

Southwest Museum Educators Committee Meeting, Los Angeles, 1982

School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Environmental Design Dept., 1979

P rofessional Associations

The Museum Group, http://www.museumgroup.com/ The Museum Group is a consortium of

senior museum consultants that was founded in 1995 by independent museum professionals

who had held senior positions in museums. Our mission is to work with museums to help them

achieve their greatest potential in an ever-changing world.

National Association for Museum Exhibition, NAME, Current & Founding Member 1980;

Vice President / AAM Program Chair 1983-1993, Education Advisor 1993-2008; Journal Editorial

Board 2008-present, Co-coordinator Creativity & Collaboration Retreats 1991, 2001, 2009

American Association of Museums, member 1975-present

Pacific Grove Natural History Museum, Board of Trustees, 1993-1996, Exhibition Committee

2009-present

Art Table, Inc. A national membership organization for women leaders in the visual arts, since 1983

Monterey Cultural Council, Arts Granting Panel, 1995

Member: Visitor Studies Association; Museum Education Roundtable; Western Museum

Association; California Association of Museums; Muse-X, Museum Association, San Diego,

Founder/Chair, 1980-86

Save Our Heritage Organization, Preservations Awards, Juror, 1985

Am. Institute of Architects, San Diego, Orchids and Onions Awards, Juror

I ncluded in Publications

McLean, Kathleen / Wendy Pollock. Visitor Voices in Museum Exhibitions, ASTC, 2007. Question

at the Cantor Arts Center at Stanford University as an example of Expressing and Co-Creating.

Fohrman, Darcie. Exhibition Reviews, Curator: The Museum Journal, Volume 44 Number 2, 2001

and Volume 51 Number 1, 2008.

McLean, Kathleen and McEver, Catherine. Are We There Yet? Conversations about Best

Practices in Science Exhibition Development, 2004.

Serrell, Beverly. Paying Attention: Visitors and Museum Exhibitions. AAM, 1998. In this case

study From Bustles to Bikinis at the Museum of San Diego History was one of four most

thoroughly used exhibitions.

McLean, Kathleen. Planning for People in Museums. ASTC, 1993.

Pearce, Susan. Objects of Knowledge. The Athlone Press Ltd, 1990. A review of the Holocaust

Memorial exhibition at Spertus Museum of Judaica by Helen Coxall

Klein, Larry. Exhibits: Planning and Design. Madison Square Press, 1986.

Fohrman, Darcie. National Association for Museum Exhibition, Exhibitionist, 1986.

Fohrman, Darcie. Western Museum Conference Newsletter, 1981.

C ommunity Projects

Pacific Grove Natural History Museum, Exhibits Committee, 2009-present. Creating all new

strategic planning documents and rethinking the museum exhibitions program preparing for

AAM reaccredidation; Board of Trustees 1990-1996.

Arts Habitat, Board of Directors, 2000-present. Creating a place for creating art, non-profit live-

work artist housing and studios at the historic East Garrison at former Fort Ord, Monterey, CA.

Monterey Museum of Art, co-coordinator of the Art Ambassadors Youth Program, working with

paid high school interns planning an exhibition over the school year, 1998-2003.

Lyceum of Monterey County, Board Member, coordinator of First Night Monterey middle school

art project bring artists into the schools, 1998-2001

Darcie Fohrman R sum page 4 of 4

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