HomeMy WebLinkAboutBy-law No. 2021-022THE CORPORATION OF THE
MUNICIPALITY OF BAYHAM
BY-LAW NUMBER 2021-022
A BY-LAW TO ESTABLISH AN INTERPRETATION AND
EDUCATION POLICY FOR
MUSEUMS BAYHAM
WHEREAS the Council of the Corporation of the Municipality of Bayham recognizes the need
for clear and concise policies concerning Museums Bayham;
AND WHEREAS the Council of the Corporation of the Municipality of Bayham is desirous that a
policy be established for Museums Bayham Interpretation and Education;
AND WHEREAS the Council of the Corporation of the Municipality of Bayham is desirous that
such a Policy be approved by By-law;
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT the Council of the Corporation of the Municipality of
Bayham enacts as follows:
1. THAT the Policy to be known as the 'Museums Bayham Interpretation and Education
Policy' as set out in Attachment 'A' attached hereto and forming part of this by-law is
hereby adopted.
2. THAT the interpretation and education related to the Port Burwell Marine Museum &
Historic Lighthouse shall be maintained in accordance with the said Policy.
3. THAT By-law No. 2007-083 Education Policy be repealed in its entirety.
4. THAT this By-law shall come into full force and effect on the date of its passage.
READ A FIRST, SECOND, AND THIRD TIME AND FINALLY PASSED THIS 1st DAY OF
APRIL 2021.
Municipality of Bayham
Museums Bayham — Interpretation & Education Policy
SECTION 1 — STATEMENT OF PURPOSE
1A Museums Bayham exists to educate the citizens of Bayham and the community beyond
about the history of the Bayham area. This includes Port Burwell and its lighthouse in
relation to the local and marine heritage of the Great Lakes, fostering an appreciation for
the relationship of Bayham's past to its present and future development.
1.2 To this end, Museums Bayham collects, records, preserves, researches, shares,
promotes and presents exhibits and interprets documents and artifacts related to the
history of Bayham.
1.3 Museums Bayham has been established to collect, preserve, promote, research and
share the history of Bayham.
1.4 The Marine Museum and Lighthouse have been established to serve the inhabitants of
Port Burwell and the Bayham area, with a strong appeal to tourists visiting the region.
The museum collection will focus on marine documentation and artifacts that illustrate
the relationships between marine life on the Great Lakes together with domestic and
commercial life of the Village as a port on Lake Erie.
1,5 The Museum will collect, exhibit and interpret artifacts that tell the story of marine life on
the Great Lakes & the Village of Port Burwell, in accordance with documented research
and records.
1_6 This Statement of Purpose may not be altered without the approval of the Council of the
Corporation of the Municipality of Bayham upon recommendation of the Museums
Bayham Board.
1.7 The Statement of Purpose is in the Policy to provide guidelines for the collection:
a. the reason for the museum's existence;
b. the time period of which objects will be collected and what they will be related to;
c_ justification for accepting or declining artifacts from potential donors;
d. the public intended to be reached.
SECTION 2 — MISSION STATEMENT
2A The Port Burwell Marine Museum & Historic Lighthouse is committed to collecting,
preserving, researching and sharing the history of marine life on the Great Lakes & the
history of Port Burwell and the Historic Lighthouse.
SECTION 3 — DEFINITIONS
3.1 'Educational Programming' shall encompass guided or self -guided museum tours of the
permanent and temporary exhibitions by casual drop -in visitors, custom designed tours
for special interest groups, special events and activities offered during those events,
lectures, workshops, children's programs, and curriculum -based school group
programming at the Museum and in class.
3. `Interpretation' shall mean information related to the museum and its collection shared
directly by a museum staff member or volunteer with the visiting public. This information
may be shared via exhibits and displays, and verbally or physically through
demonstrations in order to enhance the visitor's understanding of the particular object or
a broader concept.
3.3 'Pedagogy' shall mean the study of how knowledge and skills are exchanged in an
educational context, and it considers the interactions that take place during learning. The
museum setting and its educational role has been identified as the core to museums'
service to the public, as it encourages exploration, study, observation, critical thinking,
contemplation and dialogue.
SECTION 4 - INTERPRETATION & EDUCATION PROGRAMS
4_1 Museums Bayham is committed. to the development and delivery of exhibitions, public
programs, and other educational activities based on the Museums Bayham collection, in
order to realize its goals and objectives contained in the museum's statement of
purpose.
4.2 As a community museum owned and operated by the Municipality of Bayham, the
Museums Bayham functions within the community as an institution working in concert
with formal and informal educational partners to provide a valuable educational
resource. At the heart of this commitment is a belief in the role of museums as centres
for life-long learning.
4.3 Responsibilities
a. To ensure that the Museum's educational and public programs are consistent
with the subject matter described in the Museum's Statement of Purpose.
b. To develop priorities and provide resources for designing, researching,
determining content, producing, implementing and evaluating the Museum's
educational and public programs.
c. To affirm that the highest ethical standards continue to be met by the Museum
and its staff in all activities pertaining to the Museum's education functions.
d. To ensure that the Museum's educational and interpretive methods and
techniques do not compromise the natural, cultural, scientific and/or artistic
integrity of the artifacts entrusted into the Museum's care, nor needlessly hasten
the physical, chemical and/or biological degradation of those artifacts.
e. To affirm that education for all ages is a primary purpose of the Museum and that
the educational purpose is integrated into all of the Museum's activities especially
its exhibit function.
f. To affirm that the Museum conduct research into the ways people of all ages
learn in museums, since continuing, systematic research into these unique
processes and mechanisms is the key to the success of the Museum as an
environment for learning.
g. To develop a continuing and effective dialogue among school teachers,
educational administrators and academicians, and the Museum to explore the
potentially enriching relationship and the realization of mutual goals.
h. To provide a teaching and learning environment based on sound professionally
accepted museum pedagogical concepts, methods and techniques.
4.4 Interpretation and education programs are central to the Museums Bayham mandate,
recognizing the responsibilities the museum carries with respect to educating the
community. Through a series of varied programs, displays, exhibits, activities, and
events, the museum strives to engage the community in a greater understanding of their
cultural heritage.
4_6 Educational activities will
a. Develop and maintain Museums Bayham as a dynamic institution committed to
providing the community with engaging and informative educational resources by
using the collection in a stimulating, accurate, and imaginative manner
b. Educate the community about the purpose and function of museums as an
institution that is vital to our culture and society
c. Incorporate relevant pedagogical practices, knowledge, attitudes, and skills
d. Be planned in a collaborative manner involving appropriate representatives from
the external community as needed
e_ Be developed and delivered by appropriately qualified museum staff, municipality
employees and volunteers
f. Employ a combination of instructive and open-ended inquiry learning methods
and techniques
g. Incorporate measures to accommodate those in the community with special
needs
h. Respect diversity in all forms
SECTION 5 - GENERAL PUBLIC PROGRAMS
5_1 The Museum Curator will design and implement a variety of programs and activities for
the general public that will include:
a. Guided tours
b. Interpretive demonstrations
c. Public lectures
d. Permanent and temporary exhibits and displays
e. Volunteer workshops
f. Attention to special needs individuals
ECTION 6 - EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS
6A The Museum Curator will design and implement curriculum based programs for school
groups that can be customized to suit:
a. the grade level of the group, be it a single grade or a home school group
b. the abilities of the attendees, taking into account special needs attendees
c. the number attending, which can affect the ability to engage in hands-on
opportunities for each individual
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SECTION 7 — SPECIAL EVENTS & ACTIVITIES
The Museum Curator will create and implement a variety of special events and activities
to be hosted at the Museum, on the grounds, or off -site, and they may be:
a. new exhibits
b. seasonal festivities
c. special guests
d. speaking engagements
e. held outside regular Museum hours
f. arranged at a time that is suitable for both the recipients and leader of the
program
held at off -site locations such as local fairs and trade shows
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