Today's DAR
We all know that 2020 was a year like no other. We had to adapt very quickly to an ever-changing environment. We all learned the intricacies of the virtual world, had events cancelled and spent most of the year in our homes. One thing we all learned: how to adapt to constantly changing circumstances and find creative ways to interact safely.
2020 Educational Offerings from the DAR Museum
The DAR Museum was no different. Museum staff learned to adjust to evolving policies and regulations. My colleague, William Strollo, highlighted the work of the exhibits team over the past year in a December blog post. Similarly, the education team worked to create new and informative digital programming for the public. Some of these programs included:
- World’s Fair: In August, attendees were transported to the World’s Fair through virtual lectures and pre-made videos from museum staff. All of these materials are available through the museum’s YouTube channel.
- Historical Teas: The education team hosted two virtual teas: a Victorian Historical Tea in September and a Christmas Historical Tea in December. Attendees conversed with each other while enjoying their favorite warm beverages and learning more about the subject and museum collections.
- Tours: Virtual tours became a staple of the education team’s offerings. Regular tours included “Privacy at Home in Early America” and “Women and Home in Early America.” Specialized events included “Secrets and Scandals” in October and “Songs of Christmas Past” in December.
- Lectures: Following our last on-site lecture in March and the museum’s closure, the education team worked to covert many of the lectures to a virtual format. These lectures ranged from men’s neckwear to the work of other organizations, such as the Colonial Virginia Portraits database, the Black Craftspeople Digital Archive and other similar topics. All of these lectures are available on the museum’s YouTube channel.
- Social Media: The museum continues to maintain a robust social media presence. New videos are posted often on the YouTube channel and our collections continue to be highlighted on Facebook and Instagram. New offerings, including Staff Picks and DAR Museum Chats, provide new information and experiences for the virtual visitor.
The DAR Museum education team appreciates and thanks members for their continued support and attendance at these virtual events. The museum staff hopes for your continued support in 2021 as we create new programming to complement our current offerings, all of which will be posted on the DAR Museum webpage. We hope to welcome you back in person to our DAR Museum soon!
