The Curator's Choice: Selections from the UH Museum Consortium

The University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa Library and the UH Museum Consortium are proud to announce the opening of the exhibit, The Curator's Choice: Selections from the UH Museum Consortium on September 6, 2011 in Hamilton Library’s Bridge Gallery.  The exhibit is free and open to the public during Library building hours through December 16, 2011.

The University of Hawai‘i Museum Consortium [UHMC] consists of units in the UH system which house living and non-living collections or are engaged in exhibition programs.  Formed in 2008, the UHMC was created to promote the significance of the collections by showcasing them in exhibits, advocating for their needs, and consolidating resources. The UHMC has been involved in improving collections care activities, sharing best data management practices, promoting online access to information and educational programs, and coordinating student volunteers.

The Collections are valuable resources for the University.  They provide opportunities for people to learn about the extraordinary variety of objects created by different societies and how they are made, used, and valued. Viewing and sometimes handling collections allow students and visitors to appreciate both the object itself (material composition, design, size) and its cultural significance (function, meaning, value).

Research done by curators on the cultural, economic, historical, political, religious, and regional importance of an object, and by collections managers on the material composition and care of objects—is crucial to the development of cultural knowledge and the preservation of the object for future generations.  Natural history collections provide enormous economic and scientific benefits to society and are irreplaceable resources that must be preserved for future generations.

The UH Virtual Museum [UHVM] enables students, educators, researchers, and the public to explore a variety of University of Hawai‘i collections through a single, web-accessible portal. It reduces the cost and redundancy of publicizing electronic information individually, while integrating online presentations. Through the UHVM, the UH Museum Consortium hopes to improve public understanding and recognition of UH collections.

The UHVM utilizes the internet to bring Hawai‘i’s diverse heritage collections to a global audience.  Greater accessibility to the collections will provide new research opportunities for users and lead to the sharing of ideas across disciplines, campuses, and geographic regions.

The UHMC is currently led by Dr. Karen K. Kosasa, Director of the Museum Studies Graduate Certificate Program and Associate Professor in American Studies, and Michael B. Thomas, Collections Manager of the Joseph F. Rock Herbarium. For a listing of members of the UHMC, visit: http://www.museum.hawaii.edu.

In association with The Curator’s Choice: Selections from the UH Museum Consortium, the Fall 2011 Faculty Lecture Series: Sharing Our Work & Knowledge presented by the UH Mānoa Vice Chancellor for Research and Graduate Education, Office of Research Relations, University of Hawai‘i i at Mānoa Library, and co-sponsored by the UH Museum Consortium.  All lectures held in UHM Hamilton Library, Room 301 on Thursdays from 3:30 – 4:30 p.m.  The lectures are free and open to the public.  Courtesy of the Vice Chancellor’s office, light refreshments will be provided.

"Exhibitions: Concept, Planning and Design," Tom Klobe, Emeritus Professor, Former Director, University of Hawaiʻi Art Gallery

September 29
"The UH Insect Museum, Hawaiian Agriculture and Conservation of Biodiversity: Dead men may tell no tales, but dead bugs do!" Daniel Rubinoff, Professor, Plant & Environmental Protection Sciences, UHM

"Digitizing Plant Biodiversity: The Consortium of Pacific Herbaria," Tom Ranker, Professor & Chair, Botany, UHM

October 6
"Illustrating the Far East," Lynn A. Davis, Head, Preservation Department, Hamilton Library, UHM

"History of the Costume Museum at UH," Andrew H. Reilly, Assistant Professor, Family and Consumer Science, UHM

October 20
"Conservation 'Hawaiian Style' at the Lyon Arboretum Hawaiian Rare Plant Program," Nellie Sugii, Junior Researcher and Manager, Hawaiian Rare Plant Program, Lyon Arboretum

"Having Fun and Saving the Planet, One Tree at a Time!" Roxanne Adams, Landscape Manager, Building and Grounds Management, UHM

November 10
"Touching the Sound: The UHM Ethnomusicology Instrument Collection," Ricardo Trimillos, Professor Emeritus, School of Pacific & Asian Studies and Department of Music

"Crossing Boundaries for Exhibition Collaborations," Lisa Yoshihara, Former Director, University of Hawaiʻi Art Gallery

December 1
"Unique Species of the Waikīkī Aquarium," Mary Roney, Community Program Coordinator

For more information, contact Teri Skillman, Hamilton Library Events & Communications Coordinator, at 956-8688 or by email at: skillman@hawaii.edu.