Mobile museums (in RVs)

Mobile museums are educational outreach programs that bring the museum to the people. Typically they drive to schools, libraries and rural events. Their business model is to use grant or donor support, as they goal is to make the museum exhibit accessible to underserved populations.^[1] This article discusses several examples of mobile museums.

Van of Enchantment”

Pair of RV museum vans with themes related to cultural history which operate in New Mexico (run by the NM Department of Cultural Affairs (DCA)), with primary funding from the NM Department of Transportation.^[2][3]

Go van Gogh (Dallas Museum of Art)

School outreach program targeting grades 1-6, operating in North Texas. ^[4]

VanGo! (Susquehanna Art Museum)

Brings art works to schools, community festivals, retirement communities, and businesses. Runs during the school year. Started in 1992. ^[5]

Moveable Museum (AMNH)

The Moveable Museum is produced and managed by the American Museum of Natural History in New York City under the auspices of the Gottesman Center for Science Teaching and Learning. The program is available free of charge to all schools in the five boroughs of New York City and consists of four themed vehicles outfitted with hands-on, interactive exhibits covering paleontology, anthropology and astronomy. The Moveable Museum program has been in operation since 1993, in which time it's visited over 700 schools in NYC and many libraries.^{[6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18]}

Current Moveable Museum Vehicles

• Paleontology of Dinosaurs (Grades K-2)

Paleontology of Dinosaurs is the oldest Moveable Museum vehicle currently in operation. Active since 1998, this vehicle is focused on teaching children how paleontologists use fossils to study dinosaurs and other ancient life.^[19]

• Dinosaurs: Ancient Fossils, New Discoveries (Grades 3-8)^[20]
• Structures & Culture (Grades 3-8)

The Structures & Culture Moveable Museum allows students to traverse the globe and enter the homes of three modern nomadic cultures—the Gabra of Kenya, the Mongols of Mongolia and the Blackfeet of Montana. By studying actual pieces of material culture, students become anthropologists and investigate how culture allows people to use various environmental resources to meet basic human needs.^[21]

• Discovering the Universe (Grades 6-12)^[22]

• 

  Structures & Culture Moveable Museum

• 

  Dinosaurs: Ancient Fossils, New Discoveries and Structures & Culture

• 

  Paleontology of Dinosaurs Moveable Museum

• 

  Discovering the Universe Moveable Museum

See also

• Virtual museums - Museum exhibits which are online

References

1. ^ 'Mobile museums (on a truck): History and science delivered' 27-Apr-2011. IDEA.org.
2. ^ 'Mobile museums (on a truck): History and science delivered' 27-Apr-2011. IDEA.org.
3. ^ http://www.vanofenchantment.org/
4. ^ http://www.dm-art.org/Education/GovanGogh/index.htm
5. ^ http://sqart.org/vango/index.htm
6. ^ "JIMMY VAN BRAMER BRINGS MOVEABLE MUSEUM TO QUEENSBRIDGE FOR FAMILY DAY". Woodside Herald. 25-Jun-10. http://woodsideherald.com/uploads/Woodside_6_25_10.pdf. Retrieved 2010-12-03. 
7. ^ "The Moveable Museum". Edwize.org. November 3, 2010. http://www.edwize.org/the-moveable-museum. Retrieved 2010-12-03. 
8. ^ "American Museum of Natural History 2009 Annual Report". The American Museum of Natural History. http://www.amnh.org/about/AMNH_AR_2009.pdf. Retrieved 2010-12-03. 
9. ^ "Fossilized Bones, Dinosaur Poo Are Hit in Park Slope". The Brooklyn Daily Eagle. December 4, 2009. http://www.brooklyneagle.com/categories/category.php?category_id=9&id=32312. Retrieved 2010-12-03. 
10. ^ "American Museum of Natural History Moveable Museum Program “Discovering the Universe” visits P.S. 225". NYC Department of Education. http://schools.nyc.gov/SchoolPortals/21/K225/newsandinfo/News/amnhvisit.htm. Retrieved 2010-12-03. 
11. ^ "Moveable Museums Make Trip to D.C. (video)". AMNH Youtube Channel. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x0NZzEQ3xno. Retrieved 2010-12-03. 
12. ^ "Moveable Museum". National Lab Day. http://www.nationallabday.org/resources/all?filter%5Bprovided_by%5D=American+Museum+of+Natural+History. Retrieved 2010-12-03. 
13. ^ "Moveable Museum". Stuyvesant Town Events. http://www.stuytown.com/#/events. Retrieved 2010-12-03. 
14. ^ "At Staten Island School, a Moving Way to Learn". SILive.com. 3-Oct-10. http://www.silive.com/northshore/index.ssf/2008/10/at_staten_island_school_a_movi.html. Retrieved 2010-12-03. 
15. ^ "Dinosaurs, Moveable Museums, and Science!". United States Department of Education. 8-Nov-10. http://www.ed.gov/oese-news/dinosaurs-moveable-museums-and-science. Retrieved 2010-12-03. 
16. ^ "AMERICAN MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY BRINGS DINOSAURS "EXHIBIT-ON-WHEELS" TO LOCAL PRESCHOOLERS". Educational Alliance. http://www.edalliance.org/index.php?src=news&submenu=ArtGalleriesUpcoming&srctype=detail&category=Early%20Childhood&refno=72. Retrieved 2010-12-03. 
17. ^ "AMNH Moveable at Family Fun Day". Family Health Resource Center & Patient Library. http://www.nyupatientlibrary.org/hassenfeld/news/6-30-08/amnh-moveable-museum-family-fun-day. Retrieved 2010-12-03. 
18. ^ "M.O.N.H (sic) Moveable Museum". ColoriumLaboratorium. http://coloriumlaboratorium.com/m-o-n-h-moveable-museum. Retrieved 2010-12-03. 
19. ^ "Paleontology of Dinosaurs (K-2)". American Museum of Natural History. http://www.amnh.org/education/school_groups/offering.php?id=194. Retrieved 2010-12-03. 
20. ^ "Dinosaurs: Ancient Fossils, New Discoveries (3-8)". American Museum of Natural History. http://www.amnh.org/education/school_groups/offering.php?id=194. Retrieved 2010-12-03. 
21. ^ "Anthropology: Structures & Culture". American Museum of Natural History. http://www.amnh.org/education/school_groups/offering.php?id=195. Retrieved 2010-12-03. 
22. ^ "Astronomy: Discovering the Universe". American Museum of Natural History. http://www.amnh.org/education/school_groups/offering.php?id=196. Retrieved 2010-12-03.