2012 Mountain Plains Museum Association Conference

Bianca and Michael are back from a successful and enjoyable trip to the 2012 Mountain Plains Museum Association Conference in Corpus Christi, Texas.

The conference provided great opportunities to meet new people and learn about the latest issues and solutions in the museum world, as well as some interesting vendors and services in the exhibit hall.

Best of all though was the chance to catch up with old friends and clients.   This year we were delighted to get to spend some time with the following people with whom we've had the pleasure of working with in the past:

Georgia Hansen, Executive Director of the Aspen Historical Society

Shan Rankin, Executive Director and Lisa Adams, Registrar & Curator of Artifacts from The Museum of South Texas History

Karen Reinhart, Curator of Education and Outreach from the Jackson Hole Historical Society & Museum

Art Wolf of Wolf Consulting

And last but certainly not least,  the State Historical Society of North Dakota was represented by a number of old friends including, Chris Johnson, Director, Museum Division, Genia Hesser, Curator of Exhibits, Jenny Yearous, Curator of Collections Management as well as several other familiar faces.

All in all it was a great experience.  We send a huge congratulations and thanks to Monta Lee Dakin, Hillary English and the rest of the MPMA team for a truly fantastic event.

Following are few scenes from the conference to give a sense of what we experienced.

The Corpus Christi waterfront walk with the USS Lexington in the background.

Delegates board the USS Lexington for one of the evening events.

The AAID booth in the exhibit hall. Our custom mixed tea was a big hit.

Corpus Christi is home to the original Whataburger so Michael had to eat there for "historical reasons"

Jenny Yearous of the State Historical Society of North Dakota takes in the art at the Art Museum of South Texas.

The Corpus Christi skyline with the Omni hotel where the conference was held. (Far right hand tower)

Jackson Hole Museum: Telling the Eastern Shoshone and Shoshone-Bannock Stories...

This week Bianca has been on site in Jackson Hole working closely with Ren Freeman, Karen Reinhart, Lokey Lytjen and the team at the Jackson Hole Museum.  The Museum reflects the stories of the people in Jackson Hole.  Three years ago Bianca recommended the Historical Society reach out the the Native Community and ask them to share their story, as it relates to Jackson Hole, in their own words.  Since that time the Museum has done exactly that.  Building bridges with the Eastern Shoshone and Shoshone-Bannock communities, they have contracted Ren Freeman, an Eastern Shoshone, to act as liason, researcher and interpretive developer, with the Tribes, and help guide and research the stories to be told.  

Ren and Karen working out details with the Shoshone-Bannock team.

Bianca is passionate about ensuring the "Native Voice" in the exhibition is not one of tokenism, but instead is vibrant, reflecting the culture, integrated into the larger story of Jackson Hole.  Too often the Native American story is left off in the past.  The Jackson Hole Museum will be presenting, along side the story of the trappers and traders, homesteaders and ranchers, hunters and fishermen, mountain climbers and skiers, the Shoshone-Bannock story, celebrating the rich past, the tragic loss, the Tribes today, and the hope for the future.

Later Bianca and Karen were treated to an evening at the Shoshone-Bannock Powwow in Idaho.  Thanks so much Ren!

Slim Lawrence BBQ

The Jackson Hole Historical Society and Museum hosted their 12th annual Slim Lawrence Barbecue on August 17th. Locals gathered to appreciate and remember the history that has made Jackson Hole the unique and much-loved community that it is today.

Bianca, Amy and Nick were privileged to attend and capture the event on film. Interacting with the locals, experiencing the historic Walton Ranch and witnessing the authenticity of the spectacular people who have formed this town were highlights.

They were able to hear and record rich stories from the elders of the community, to be preserved and shared in the Jackson Hole Museum.

They spent two days interviewing and traveling around ranch-country, hunting for the gems of history that enrich the museum's story; they found a treasure trove.

Amy and Bianca coordinating shots at the Slim Lawrence BBQ.

Nick Johnson of Hey You Media is our media producer extraordinaire. Amy Willson assisted with production and onsite coordination.

Jackson Hole Historical Society and Museum

On May 11th, Bianca, Andy and Amy traveled to Jackson Hole, Wyoming for a very productive week of meetings and presentations with the Jackson Hole Historical Society.  They presented the 75% drawing package to the board and received very positive feedback on the direction of the project.  The A+A team also took the time to visit with local suppliers and potential subcontractors for the fabrication phase of the project. 


Presenting the 75% drawing package to the board and JHHSM team


Andy, Amy, Lokey and Shannon went through the existing museum to see if there were any reusable materials that could be salvaged for the new museum.

The team visited the construction site of the new museum.


The team went on a survey to a local ranch for a location for a media production.


Amy, Bianca and Shannon discussing next steps.

Jackson Hole Team Visits Victoria

On September 10th and 11th we were pleased to have Lokie Lytjon, Karen Reinhart and Linda Franklin visit from the Jackson Hole Historical Society visit our offices for an interpretive planning and design workshop for the development of their new museum.

The week of November 5th found Bianca, Tom and Michael enjoying the welcoming hospitality of the Jackson Hole Historical Society.


We plunged into invigorating and enjoyable sessions with the Museum’s staff, Executive Director, Lokey Lytjen, and key staff Karen Reinhart, Linda Franklin, and Shannon Sullivan along with board members Joe Albright and Marilynn Mullikin. The community was consulted and the ‘experts’ listened to, the old-timers, youth, museum volunteers, board members and humanities scholars from around the state. These voices will shape the intent and contents of the proposed new museum.


We presented to museum staff two exhibit concepts incorporating information gleaned from previous sessions, including iconic or significant artifacts, each designed to fit the footprint devised by Charles Rose Architects Inc. The museum will utilize LEED principles in a recycled structure with both interior and exterior exhibits.


Downtown Jackson




Thanks to Lokey for driving us around the valley and allowing us to “feel” and feast our eyes on the land, the air, the quietness, and the jaw-dropping grandeur of the vistas as the setting sun painted the mountains and the clouds.

Welcome to Jackson Hole

Currently André and Associates is working with Charles Rose Architects and the Jackson Hole Historical Society to redevelop the Jackson Hole Historical Society and Museum.

In August, Bianca visited Jackson Hole to review the site and begin the interpretive planning and concept design stages of the project.

View from Teton Village

Slim Lawrence Barbeque

Friendly face

Interpretive Planning Workshop

Bianca and Charles developing themes

Curious neighbor

Team dinner