Institute of Museum and Library Services awards Bullock Museum with professional development grant

OCTOBER 2, 2019 (AUSTIN, TX) — The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) has awarded a two-year grant to the Bullock Texas State History Museum through their Museums Empowered: Professional Development Opportunities for Museum Staff Program. The grant will provide support for expanding staff leadership development and training programs. 

Since opening in 2001, the Museum has been a popular and innovative destination, welcoming more than 500,000 visitors each year, thousands of whom are school children. As the Museum matures, its administrative team has begun to plan for strong professional leadership skills across all levels of the Museum and incorporate best and inclusive practices into new employee orientation.

"The goal of the leadership development project is to strengthen institutional capacity and sustainability, while increasing the ability of the Bullock Museum to better serve and engage visitors in the story of Texas," said Bullock Museum Director Margaret Koch. "Through this initiative, across every department, staff will have the advantage of enhancing and learning new skill sets that meet our core values of Leadership, Excellence, Accessibility, Diversity, Engagement, and Relevance to better serve our wonderful Texas communities."

The Museum was one of 18 projects selected out of 62 applications for the Museums Empowered: Professional Development Opportunities for Museum Staff Program. Altogether, the program will distribute $2,635,212 out of $9,367,363 requested. The Bullock Museum will match IMLS's funding with an additional $80,470 toward the project.

"We are proud to have been selected for funding of this important project. With the support of IMLS, we aim to build on an already strong foundation by nurturing an effective, inclusive culture, creating a well-defined curriculum and institutional ethos that supports Museum staff members for years to come," said Koch. “We hope the new orientation and on-boarding process developed will be a model for other institutions to use as inspiration, as well.”

For more information about the Bullock Museum, visit TheStoryofTexas.com. For more information about the Institute of Museum and Library Services or the Museums Empowered: Professional Development Opportunities for Museum Staff Program, visit IMLS.gov.

 

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​​The Bullock Texas State History Museum, a division of the State Preservation Board and an accredited institution of the American Alliance of Museums, creates experiences that educate, engage, and encourage a deeper understanding of Texas. With dynamic, award-winning exhibitions that illuminate Texas history, people, and culture, educational programming for all ages, and an IMAX® theater with a screen the size of Texas, the Museum collaborates with more than 700 museums, libraries, archives, organizations, and individuals across the world to bring the Story of Texas to life. For more information, visit www.TheStoryofTexas.com or call (866)369-7108.

The Bullock Texas State History Museum is a division of the Texas State Preservation Board. Additional support for educational programming provided by the Texas State History Museum Foundation.