| The Texas Panhandle’s
XIT Ranch was, at one time, the largest range in the world
under fence. The XIT Museum features exhibits on the XIT
Ranch and ranching equipment, wagons, and several period
rooms. The museum also hosts changing exhibitions with various
collections of hats, guns, cameras, and other historical
items. A newly renovated art gallery and an extensive museum
archive make the XIT museum a valuable cultural resource
for the community.
Year 1 | Year
2 | Year 3 | Year
4
Click image for slideshow!
Year 1:
This Contest is for
Real Hands: Rodeo Photographs of the 1930s
Goals:
With the assistance of exhibition design consultant Paul
Katz, the XIT Museum settled on several goals in conjunction
with the HELP exhibition. First, they planned to augment
the exhibition with local artifacts. This local component
would be developed with three-dimensional aspects, hands-on
materials, and with a specific focus on various aspects
of rodeo (such as events, history, and parades).
XIT would also feature a companion exhibition on period
photography. The museum also hoped to involve the public
and school libraries in order to extend the exhibition “out”
of the museum.
Accomplishments:
Despite a short timeline and few staff, the XIT Museum achieved
their objectives with exceptional finesse. They effectively
expanded the exhibition by using items from their permanent
collection, and they obtained numerous loaned items from
throughout the county. In designing the gallery space, the
museum exhibited photographs on opposing walls of the room,
creating interior space to simulate a rodeo parade route.
Other areas in the middle of the room were used for two
mannequins dressed in rodeo costumes; a case containing
rodeo artifacts from the collection, loaned specifically
for this exhibition; and a “loan board,” where
photographs and postcards were displayed immediately upon
receipt,. These augmentations dramatically increased the
size of the exhibition and created a three-dimensional aspect
to the two-dimensional photographs.
The museum wisely scheduled the exhibition to coincide with
the annual XIT Reunion and Rodeo, thereby bringing in a
large number of visitors to Dalhart. The museum also offered
to take pictures of visitors standing next to the two costumed
mannequins (a rodeo clown and a bull rider). This proved
very popular and provided a physical reminder of the exhibition
and of the visit to the museum.
Improvements:
-
Integrated sound (via Cowboy Songs) in the exhibition
space for first-time
-
Recognition of the importance of scheduling an annual
temporary exhibition at the time of the XIT Reunion
and Rodeo
-
Reinforced staff considerations with regard to interactivity,
multi-dimensionality, and circulation when planning
and executing temporary and permanent exhibitions
-
Use of educational materials supplied by ExhibitsUSA;
expansion of the exhibition’s interpretation by
professionally creating additional text panels on topics
such as “Women in Rodeo” and “The
Rules of Rodeo.”
Goals for Year 2: Out of
the Nest: Artists’ Birdhouses
With HELP consultant Seth Davidson assisting, the XIT Museum
has focused their resources on improving marketing in Year
Two. Their marketing goals include: creating a flyer for
the exhibition; including birdhouse information in regular
mailings; listing events in state and local publications;
increasing outreach to donors; contacting bus tour companies;
tracking visitors to find out where they come from; and
distributing brochures more widely.
Year 2:
Out of the Nest: Artists’
Birdhouses
Goals:
With their area of technical assistance focusing
on PR and marketing, the XIT Museum set out to increase
their marketing efforts by creating a brochure for the birdhouse
exhibition and to distribute it widely. They wanted to promote
the museum more extensively and set goals of advertising
in new media outlets.
Accomplishments:
The museum got local children involved with the
birdhouse exhibit by holding a summer art camp. Students
were able to create their own birdhouses, which were then
displayed with the exhibit. Local artists were also invited
to showcase their birdhouse creations. The museum staff
stretched its capabilities by soliciting pieces from the
community to compliment the exhibition, and they created
unique labels for them.
Improvements:
Solicited new members through veterans’ memorial
board Rented a billboard to reach more highway traffic Sent out a targeted mailing to promote the exhibition
and followed up with phone calls Developed a new brochure and distributed it to area
tourist bureaus
Goals for Year 3:
In year three of Texas HELP, the XIT Museum will focus on
fundraising and development as their area of training. They
will work with consultant Scott Cooksey on their main goal
of building an endowment for the museum. They hope to achieve
this by generating new interest in the museum and developing
a strategy to secure estate gifts. They'll also attempt
to solicit more donations by highlighting giving opportunities
in their newsletter and creating a major gifts fundraising
plan.
Year
3:
El Caballo: The
Horse in Mexican Folk Art
Goals:
Consultant Scott Cooksey worked with the XIT Museum on
their year three area of focus, fundraising and development.
Director Nick Olson wanted to concentrate his fundraising
efforts on long-term planning and estate giving, targeting
specific local groups that are interested in supporting
the museum. Plans to develop a major gifts fundraising
plan are also in the works.
Accomplishments:
The El Caballo exhibition was met with great enthusiasm
from everyone who saw it. Director Nick Olsen had hoped
for a larger turnout, but was glad to have a very different
kind of exhibition on display. They hosted a book signing
in conjunction with the exhibition and advertised in larger
community newspapers such as the Amarillo Globe News. Additionally,
Scott Cookey provided consultation with the trustees on
planned giving and review of the museum’s endowment
policies.
Improvements:
Included letter on planned giving in the museum
newsletter
Used local funding to expand wildlife exhibition and add
track lighting
Included “Your Gifts at Work” article in museum
newsletter
Goals for Year 4: Grand Ole Opry
In the final year of Texas HELP, the XIT Museum will turn
their attention to the last area of training, volunteerism.
They will work with consultant Norma Seals on revamping
their volunteer program. On their list of things to accomplish
are developing volunteer descriptions and agreements, improving
tracking methods for contributed volunteer hours, assigning
a museum staff person to be the volunteer supervisor, and
recruiting more volunteers.
Year 4
Grand Ole Opry
Goals:
The XIT Museum turned their attention in year four of
Texas HELP to the final area of training, volunteerism.
Since the museum currently has just a small pool of volunteers,
consultant Norma Seals had some good advice for them. They
worked together to establish a list of goals that would
strengthen their volunteer program and increase their
volunteer staff. Their first goal was to write volunteer
job descriptions. Director Nick Olson also wanted to improve
their methods of tracking the actual number of volunteer
hours worked and to assign a staff member to be the volunteer
coordinator. In addition, they made plans to actively recruit
more volunteers and establish a recognition program.
Accomplishments:
The museum started to address their goals by using the
newsletter as a forum to recruit volunteers. They also
highlighted three of their volunteers in a short article;
two have been there since the museum opened, 31 years ago.
Instead of hosting a recognition event, they decided to
use their $500 HELP grant to purchase XIT jackets for
long-time volunteers and to buy a coffee urn for use at
future volunteer
appreciation events. Lisa Hanbury was appointed volunteer
coordinator for the museum in order to provide continuity
in recruitment and training. Director Nick Olson felt
that their HELP exhibition, Grand Ole Opry, challenged
them
this year, in that to accommodate the large number of
photographs, they had to rearrange and expand their display
area for
temporary exhibitions.
Improvements:
Recognized two volunteers in the newsletter
Appointed a volunteer coordinator
Doubled their number of volunteers
Developed and implemented a volunteer hours tracking instrument
Completed volunteer job descriptions and agreements
Purchased XIT logo jackets for the two volunteers that
had contributed the most hours
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