The Missisquoi Museum, a small non-profit organization in the Eastern Townships of Quebec, first encountered Heritance in late 2006. The Heritance team were described to us a "museologists without borders". As we have been struggling for years with falling attendance, a lack of focus and direction, and a decline in energy and enthusiasm we felt that perhaps having wise council from an exterior point of view would be helpful. Little did we know after our first meeting with their director Maureen Doyle what amazing changes were in store for us. Our first workshop involved not only the staff and board of directors of the historical society but also museum professionals, similar organizations and key representatives from the community. Discussions were thought provoking and encouraging. Heritance guided the process with clairity, humour and an understanding of how small museums and small communities work. The result from this first workshop was a renewed interest in the museum's future as a potential regional museum. We started to see the potential that the Heritance team could see in us. Work began immediately on a strategic plan, a mission statement, thoughts on partnering with other organizations, an education programme and a clearer approach to how we want to see our museum in the community and in the future. The advice and guidance from Heritance has been priceless. The team of professionals are intelligent,approachable and committed to their projects. Our continued connection to them means that we are moving in a postive direction and with a sense that we are not alone.
My name is Camilo Sanchez and I'm chief of exhibition design at Maloka, a science centre in Bogota, Colombia. After 9 years of operation, Maloka is working at the moment on the construction of a second phase. Although the original plans for that new development were drawn 5 years ago, the needs of the organization have changed over the years and that old plan is not exactly what we are looking for today. In June we asked Heritance to give us a hand in the construction of a program for the musicological development of the second phase. A month ago, Heritance visited us for 10 days in Bogotá. As a result of an inspiring workshop, we created a team devoted to the definition of the program and the concepts that will be the basis of this new development. Heritance made us rethink and reformulate the basic ideas behind the transmition of scientific knowledge to our visitors and gave us lights and new ideas on how to approach the design of Maloka II. Have not been for Heritance, we would still be working on the ideas of the old project. They made us stop and THINK, and that is just priceless!!. After the workshop we kept on working here at Maloka and we regularly communicate with Heritance through the Internet. It is amazing how they keep track of the seed they planted in our minds. WONDERFUL!!!