Inspiration through diverse programs

By Savannah Lore

Museums have to have diverse programming. It is how we stay relevant to to our communities and get visitors interested in our content. Since I have worked with Wornall-Majors House Museum, I see a lot of great diverse programs and events planned. From slavery in museums workshops to children’s morning story time to civil war reenactments, Wornall-Majors does a lot. I think this mixing of programs helps us get people in the door and even learn things about our content, even if that was not the main reason they come. I think that is the great thing about all different kinds of programming, you attract people who might not have an initial  interest and you inspire one in them.

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This is a screenshot of our upcoming calendar of events. There are many different things on this list that bring people to our house and get them interested in our museum. There are also things planned at our space that are not on this list. The Alexander Majors Barn is also a rental space for people to have events, such as weddings. It is always interesting to be working when a wedding is happening. It never interferes with my job of giving tours and so many more people show up just to see what all the activity is about. (The house is not a part of the rentable space, only the barn. And there is an attendant to help with rented events so I do not do that work.) There have also been paranormal investigations at both the Wornall and Majors homes which get people really excited. (If one does show up at Majors, I will definitely write a post about that experience.) I do not know how many times I have been ask about ghosts when on a tour so many people really like to talk about the previous investigations.

I have noticed something great about these events, especially if they are not focused on history: people always ask about the history. They may have not come for the history (vendors of a craft fair, the wedding party) but they always ask, “So, tell me about Majors. What is important about him and the house?”

And isn’t that our goal, inspire interest in our history and get them coming to us?

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