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Office of Policy and Analysis: Museum Capacity Building
Carried out by the Smithsonian’s Office of Policy & Analysis, in conjunction with the Smithsonian's Asian Cultural History Program and the Office of the Chief Information Officer, the International Programs & Partnerships works with institutions around the world to advance knowledge through conferences, seminars, lecture, collaborative research, training and online publications.
Museum Capacity Building - Partnerships Online
Since 2005 the Smithsonian’s Office of Policy and Analysis (OP&A), in conjunction with the Asian Cultural History Program (ACHP) and other offices, has participated in lectures, workshops, seminars and other activities as part of its International Museum Capacity-Building Program.
Museum Development
Drawing from extensive multi-disciplinary expertise in the field of museum development, OP&A offers International Museum Capacity Building Programs for museum professionals from around the world. Working with museums in East Asia, Central Asia and the Caucasus, Europe, and Latin America, these programs provide co-learning opportunities for museum professionals to keep abreast of new developments, methods and best practices in the museum field. These programs foster greater sharing of information and help build communication, understanding and partnerships among international museums and nonprofit and for profit organizations.
Collaborative Research & Training
The Office of Policy and Analysis conducts various training programs with other units within the Institution as well as organizations across the nation and around the globe. From regularly hosting visiting scholars and interns, to providing consultations for other organizations, to leading seminars and workshops or to delivering lectures in our offices in Washington and at offsite facilities, OP&A helps forward the Smithsonian's mission: "the increase and diffusion of knowledge."
OP&A has hosted visiting scholars, interns, and fellows from around the world, including participants from: Austria, Azerbaijan, Canada, Gabon, Georgia, Japan, Korea, Turkey, Columbia, Brazil, and other nations. Visits vary in length from a few days to a year or more. Long-term visitors generally undertake projects under the guidance of OP&A senior researchers and/or participate in the design and the execution of OP&A projects. OP&A also draws upon experts in diverse disciplines throughout the Smithsonian who add to and enrich participants' understanding.
Training sessions may include modules on Management and Organization, Planning and Performance Measurement, Evaluation, Governance, Policy Formulation and Analysis, Research Methods, Education, Exhibit Production, Conservation, Collections Management, Tourism, Public/Private Partnerships, among others.
Conferences, Seminars, Lectures
The Office of Policy and Analysis participates in conferences, seminars and lectures throughout the world. For example, in 2006, OP&A, ACHP and OCIO delivered lectures at a Sikh Heritage conference in India on museum management, collections, research, exhibit development, and the educational potential of museums. In 2010, OP&A presented a paper at the International Forum on Cultural Heritage Education for Future Generations for the 10th Anniversary of the Korea National University of Cultural Heritage. In 2009, OP&A presented a lecture on museums in the 21st Century in Singapore to representatives of several Asian countries.
In 2005, the Smithsonian received a grant from the American Association of Museums’ International Partnership Among Museums (IPAM) Project, and with support from the US Embassy in Kazakhstan, OP&A and ACHP have worked with museums in Kazakhstan since that time to share information about museum policies and practices and presented lectures on the following topics:
- History of Representing Cultures in Museums
- A Survey of the Activities and Operations of a Modern Museum
- Introduction to Information Technology and its Applications in Museums
- The Integration of Museum Activities within Museum Programs
- Museum Management and Development
- Online of “Virtual” Exhibitions and other Museum Uses of the Web
