The Museum Association
of Newfoundland and Labrador is a non-profit, charitable organization
representing institutions and individuals interested in the preservation and
promotion of the province's material and cultural heritage. The Association was
incorporated in 1980 under the leadership of a volunteer Board of Directors
representative of the museum and heritage community in the province. Since 1980
MANL has grown to include over 150 member museums and heritage societies and
115 individual members. Associate membership is offered to members of the
public who support the work of the organization. Since 1982 an office has been
established with one full-time staff person and now has an administrative
assistant to help with membership, special events planning and office duties.
The Association's constitution outlines the following mandate for the organization:
1. "To aid in the
improvement and promotion of museums, defined herein as a non-profit, permanent
establishment exempt from Federal and Provincial income taxes, open to the
public and administered in the public interest, for the purpose of conserving, preserving,
studying, interpreting, and exhibiting to the public, for its instruction and
enjoyment, objects and specimens of educational and cultural value, including
artistic, scientific, historical and technological material.
2. to promote the protection and preservation of objects, specimens, records and sites of significance to the natural and human history of Newfoundland and Labrador.
3. to disseminate information of special interest to museums and concerned individuals.
4. to promote the exchange of information, material, and exhibitions between museums.
5. to promote public understanding of museums and of the historical, cultural and artistic resources of the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador...
6. to implement training programs so as to upgrade the expertise of museum workers..."
In an effort to improve
the standard of community museums in the province and to provide better
services to the general public, MANL is involved in a number of activities and
projects. The following are just some of these activities:
* The Association acts as a channel of communication between its members and the provincial government of Newfoundland and Labrador.
* As a member of the
Canadian Museum Association, MANL is the representative of the Newfoundland and
Labrador community museums and other heritage groups.
* The Association publishes and distributes three to four Newsletters annually. The Newsletter is the principal vehicle of communication with MANL membership, a means for communication for members with each other to publish articles, and act as a source of reference by publishing technical and curatorial information. Advertising in the MANL newsletter is a great way to connect with people and businesses in the heritage fields.
* In order to encourage
higher professional standards within the province's museum community the
Association has an Awards program. Currently, MANL has two Awards - the
Honorary Life Membership and the Award of Merit. The Award of Merit reinforces
the work of the Professional development Committee. This Award is intended
"to recognize outstanding contributions to the practice of museum and
heritage work in Newfoundland and Labrador, and to encourage higher standards
of excellence in the preservation and development of our province's material
and cultural heritage." Go here for the online nomination form.
* The Association organizes one major provincial conference, five regional introductory to intermediary level seminars, and a series of 3-5 "Seminars on Request".
* Recently, the Association undertook a strategic planning effort and a professional development study which gives MANL a blueprint for the direction of its future activities.