Tehama - The Magazine

12 TEHAMA - THE MAGAZINE, May 2017 through volunteer labor and donations. The interior is still unfinished, and progress towards completion continues sporadically as funds became available. When completed, the Annex will provide flexible exhibition space, a meeting room with sophisticated conferencing capabilities, and storage with environmental controls. The facility will be protected by a high-tech security system. These attributes will enable the museum to meet stringent requirements to borrow objects to enhance museum exhibits and to host traveling exhibitions from other museums. "We are making good progress towards completing the Annex, but we will still need more grants and donations to finish the work," said Bauer. "There are also many improvements we want to make to the original building as well, including a better air conditioning system," he added. According to Museum Curator Darryl Mullins, funding isn't the only challenge to the museum's long-term viability. "Volunteers with a passion for history are vital to our existence," said Mullins. "We struggle for volunteers like most organizations now days. We are actively trying to engage millenniums because their ideas are what will take the museum to the next level. We are open to new ideas, and it is by being open-minded that we can be timely." "We need to be able to expect the unexpected whether we hold an art exhibit or are approached with objects of cultural significance that may conflict with preconceived notions of our County's historical values," continued Mullins. "Our program must be relatable to mom, dad, grandpa and the kids, and it must be an honest representation of the history of our area." Mullins believes strategic marketing will make it possible for the museum to engage the community, promote an interest in local history, and recruit volunteers. "Everything is calculated as we approach marketing the museum as a commodity," said Mullins. "We look for ways to partner with other organizations through speaking engagements and other activities. We inject life into our museum by rotating in new exhibits, such as the one about the area's flumes. We are a member of a co-op of museums in Tehama County and share experts, calendars, ideas, and marketing resources. We utilize the Tehama County Visitor's Center as a marketing resource knowing that tourists still want something to do after they visit Mount Lassen, play Casino games and sip wine at local wineries." Social media, especially Facebook, is playing an increasingly important role in the museum's marketing strategy. The first Wednesday of the month, the Museum's Facebook page posts an artifact and the person who guesses the artifact correctly gets a free year's membership. Membership is only $10 per person or $25 for a family. The museum could really use a volunteer to redesign and maintain it's outdated website. " "

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