It was one year ago today that we launched the current version of IMAmuseum.org. We are admittedly still proud of our website as it took a large group of IMA staff six months of dedicated work to create what you see today. In a blog post, we introduced the world to the new set of features of the site. Today, we thought we would take a brief look back at those features and see what worked and what needed a little adjusting throughout the year.

Front page of IMAmuseum.org as seen on 2/1/2011.

With the exception of changing images in the blocks, the front page has seen virtually no changes during the last year. We originally toyed around with the idea of making the main banner image somewhat dynamic, with rotating images, but eventually opted to let it remain static until a true need arises.

The interactive calendar on IMAmuseum.org.

The calendar is among the most novel features of the website, providing a simple “month-at-a-glance” interface. This has seen little change in its first year as well. Museum calendars can be littered with complication, and we like to think this clean approach brings a sense of clarity to users.

The IMAmuseum.org collection search showing advanced options.

Another feature that has held up fairly well is the collection search. You can see the set of advanced search options in the screenshot above. While looking through search logs, we can see that most users don’t seem to use the “Department”, “Materials”, or “Object type” search filters. We have received a lot of positive feedback and seen moderate use of the slider tool for accession and creation date though.

Live search results when searching for "superbowl".

The Apple-style live search, sprinkled with a little bit of administrator search boosting, has proven extremely useful. We watch our website analytics heavily and try to understand what users are really searching for based on their terms. Using this information, we can boost specific content for specific search keywords. Above, you can quickly find our losing Super Bowl bet from last year. (Be sure to follow this year’s bet as well).

Three major exhibition sites created within IMAmuseum.org in the last year.

We decided that we would produce all major exhibition sites (commonly called microsites) under the IMAmuseum.org umbrella once we launched this new site.  The site was designed in such a way that dramatically different designs could be “sandwiched” between the header and footer. This can especially be seen in the new and visually impacting Thornton Dial exhibition site.

The IMAmuseum.org shopping cart.

I’ll admit. Up until this point I have been a little self-congratulatory. When it comes to the eCommerce features of the IMA website though, we have had to do a fair amount of updating and improving. I don’t know that any of us quite expected the amount of work behind running, maintaining, and supporting an online store. We also took quite a risk by providing the ability to purchase memberships, retail, tickets, and give donations within a single cart system. Here are some of the lessons learned from the first year:

• Applying membership discounts online is hard! We are still actively trying to make improvements to ensure members can quickly and easily log on to the site and have their account aware of their benefits. Building a system that is capable of respecting the many nuances of our specific membership rules is also a continuous effort.
• Users do not like to leave the site to pay. When we originally launched the site, all payments were made through Google Checkout, which involved the user leaving the IMA website to pay and then being redirected back to the IMA site. While we had good reasons for using this at the time, the frustration experienced by users did not account for those. We have since switched to a payment provider which allows users to checkout completely without ever leaving the website. Since this change, we have seen a huge decrease in the number of shopping carts abandoned.
• Have support processes in place. The software development team didn’t quite realize that they would be acting in a custom support role. While many of the features of the website “run themselves”, an eCommerce operation definitely requires the offline touch as well. We are just now getting formal support chains in place for online customers that need assistance with online purchases. This isn’t to say there wasn’t anyone to help in the last year. It was just a matter of bouncing around e-mail and involving too many people.

Let us know if there are more ways we can improve our site in order to better serve the needs of the online visitor.

@uplandindy kept the beer (and conversation) flowing all night long.

@kylehodges1 aka DJ TwinPeaks manned the turntables.

IMA’s Top Blogger, Katie Neville graced us with her presence.

iPads in circulation. Always a people pleaser.

We’ve got a few ideas up our sleeve for the next BlogAnon. Until then, see you on the internets.

White flowers.

White lightning.

White weddings.

White sport coats (with pink carnations of course).

White lies.

It is also a color, or the absence of color. Let’s not get all philosophical about that. For today it’s a color.

Let’s get back to those white flowers. White, the color of purity. White, the color of angel’s wings. White, the color of Styrofoam. White, the color of boring. I’m just not a big fan of white. Not that there is anything wrong with it. It looks great…….. in your garden. I tend to avoid it like the plague. Really it’s the white flowering herbaceous stuff I can get bored with quickly. Not everything mind you. I have sung the praises of Echinacea ‘Milkshake’ and Hosta plantaginea ‘Grandiflora’ right here in this very blog. But white flowering annuals? Ooooo, I don’t think so Martha. Nasty. And yet, I seem to like many of the white flowering trees and shrubs. I can’t explain why. Or at least I’m not willing to sit and spend much time trying to figure it out. I like them and that will have to suffice.

I have liked Viburnums since I first learned of them in college. This large diverse group of shrubs provides us with some of the great workhorses of horticulture. A particular favorite is Viburnum plicatum var. tomentosum. The common name is doublefile viburnum because the flowers and fruit are in perfectly matched double rows along the stems. This plant gets big over time, several feet tall and wide. I think you could trim it to create a very nice small tree. Many cultivars exist but it is still hard to beat the species. The group planted below the Interurban bridge is exceptional.

That siting, so you can look down over the plants was inspired. This viburnum has great structure with its layered horizontal branching. The lacey white flowers will be followed by red berries that turn black and then quickly devoured by birds. In fall the foliage turns deep burgundy before dropping. Here’s a shot in the Southwest Border Garden that gives and idea of how large they can get.

Blooming at the 42^nd Street gate is Syringa reticulata, Japanese tree lilac. The large creamy white clusters are fragrant for sure. Whether it is good or bad fragrance is up to the individual nose. These have been used as a small street tree in recent years which speaks to their toughness. I think this plant draping over the brick wall is just lovely.

A great small shrub is Deutzia gracilis, slender deutzia. Here it is creating a fountain in front of the Northeast Border Garden.

Here’s a close-up of the flowers.

These were planted 13 years ago by Chuck Gleaves (our Director of Horticulture at that time), now at The Kingwood Center. They are still under four feet tall.

One of my very favorite trees is Chionanthus virginicus, whitefringe tree. This southeast US native is very happy here in the Midwest. These in the Southwest Border Garden are probably over 80 years old. They are just a few days shy of full bloom in these shots.

And now a tree that bloomed in our gardens for the very first time this week, Magnolia asheii. This is sometimes grouped with Magnolia macrophylla and is famous for blooming early. Charles Tubesing of the Holden Arboretum introduced this plant to me about 20 years ago. I can still see that slide of a three foot tall plant with a huge white flower right at the very tip. I almost missed ours in the Garden for Everyone. I had to use my iPhone.

I could go on but there is only so much time. Just come to the gardens regularly and look around. You really need to anyway. Once a week at the very least.

It’s Friday. And it’s been a long week. I think I’ll have another sip of that white lightening. It’s medicinal you know.

]]> http://www.imamuseum.org/blog/2010/05/21/white/feed/ 5 white flowers Indianapolis Museum of art 2 3 Indianapolis museum of art flowers garden and grounds Indianapolis museum of art flowers garden and grounds 6 Indianapolis museum of art flowers garden and grounds Indianapolis museum of art flowers garden and grounds Indianapolis museum of art flowers garden and grounds http://www.imamuseum.org/blog/2010/03/31/tap-into-it/ http://www.imamuseum.org/blog/2010/03/31/tap-into-it/#comments Wed, 31 Mar 2010 15:32:04 +0000 Kate http://www.imamuseum.org/blog/?p=11660 In a few short days, you’ll have the chance to experience Tara Donovan: Untitled at the IMA and take the TAP tour along with it. Opening this weekend, it’s been a mad dash to finalize this exhibition experience that features audio commentary, polls, videos and high-res imagery, all accessible on an iPod Touch. Oh, and if you’re an IMA member, TAP is free to you.

This is the second TAP tour we’ve done for an exhibition, and another major accomplishment for the Nugget Factory. NF FTW! As with any project, the second go-around always seems a little smoother. We certainly couldn’t have done it without the collaborative spirit of the contemporary department. Also, big ups to our applications team for some slick interface modifications to the TAP software. Did I mention the entire software development, content production and implementation was done entirely in-house?

Another difference you’ll notice if you took the Sacred Spain tour last winter is that this tour focuses more on the visitor’s interpretation and experience and offers many different perspectives.

You’ll hear voices from curatorial, design, education, and conservation at the IMA. One of those voices is IMA’s Phil Lynam, Manager of Art and Design Education. We hope this sample stop will entice you to TAP into Tara Donovan:Untitled at the IMA. Listen below:

Stay tuned for more exciting news about TAP!

This weather has so many horticultural events happening it feels like I could blog every other hour on something new. Today I first want to talk about a little “Blue Sunshine”.

What do I mean? Well, what I am actually talking about are some so-called minor bulbs with blue flowers. They just make me happy like spring sunshine. Only they’re blue.

Anemone blanda (Grecian windflower) has beautiful daisy shaped blossoms. They come in white, pink (more or less) and of course, blue. These come from strange little corms (bulbs) you plant in the fall. It’s kind of hard to tell which end is up so plant them sideways, like putting a quarter in the slot machine (Oh yeah, I know your dirty little secret). Soak ‘em for a few hours or overnight too. In a location where they are really happy they will self sow. Like most spring blooming bulbs the foliage dies away so you want to plant them with other perennials or a groundcover.

The Iris histrioides, I. reticulata (reticulate iris), and their hybrids are early bloomers also, mostly in shades of blue plus purples. It’s hard to tell the different species or hybrids apart really so they all go by the common name of reticulate iris. I’ll show you some pictures of ‘Harmony’, a lovely hybrid blue cultivar blooming in the Overlook.

The markings on the petals actually guide bees to the pollen and nectar so the plants are more easily pollinated.

And here’s a bee hard at work.

Now for the freak show.

We grow Petasites japonica for its huge leaves which can get over 2 feet across. Okay, we also grow it because the common name is butterbur. Anyway, in ideal soil and light, very moist organic soil and dappled shade, it can get a little aggressive so may need to whack some parts off every year. And there is a lovely yellow variegated selection called of all things, ‘Variegata’. The stems are also eaten as a vegetable (fuki). I have not tried them. But this time of year I love it for the bizarre flowers that appear out of nowhere. They belong in what I call “My Star Trek Collection”. These are blooms that in my opinion are so freaky it would be natural to see them in a pot or vase on the Starship Enterprise or even on one of the worlds they visit. Some Petasites are right along the road in Hosta Curve. Don’t park in the road to view it. You make me crazy when you do that. Park in the main lot or the greenhouse lot and take a walk. There are a million other things for you to see anyway between your car and these plants. Take the time to see them. Plus you have sat around enough this winter. Get some exercise.

Here’s a bud shortly after emerging from underground.

Here it has opened some. See the individual flowers?

Here is one even farther along. Freaky.

Don’t cha wish your plant was a freak like Petasites? Don’t cha?

Here‘s a fun blog post that Matt just sent to me. (And boy, we sure do love our gummi candy ’round here.) I wonder if we could install a Gummi Bear Chandelier?

Browsing headlines this morning, I came across a few museum-related articles I thought I might share with you:

Museum Attendance Up: The American Association of Museums released a report Friday that said, “A majority of American museums report an increase in attendance 2009, in many cases despite a significant decline in funding.”

Modern Art Collector Ernst Beyeler Dies: Ernst Beyeler, 88, whose early eye for undervalued Picassos and Impressionists helped him assemble one of Europe’s most famous art collections, died Feb. 25 at his home near Basel, Switzerland. No cause of death was reported.

Sex Club Opens at Vienna Art Museum: In the name of art, an Austrian landmark is encouraging visitors to confront their sexual inhibitions by having them walk through a swingers club to reach one of Gustav Klimt‘s masterpieces.

Any headlines catch your eye over the weekend? Please share!

If I want to become part of the IMA’s blogging team (and I do), I’m supposed to write something about myself and the best anecdote or experience I had at the museum.

What is best? Best for you to read or best for me to have? I don’t know. It’s all been good. So I’ll just give you my top five experiences and let you decide what’s best. Let’s save the boring bio stuff for the end. I’ll try not to make it too boring, yet totally true. Have you noticed how easily people brag/exaggerate in their online bios? Everybody is a guru of something. Not me. But we’ll talk about that later.

My top five IMA experiences

#1. My husband and I were standing in the lobby of the IMA at a kickoff party for a big opening. A woman came up to me and said I looked exactly like Annette Bening. I have to admit, that was a few years ago and she may have had a few drinks when she said it. But still. There’s not a menopausal woman anywhere who wouldn’t savor that compliment. Call me shallow. I don’t remember the exhibit opening but I do remember being compared to one of my favorite movie stars.

#2. I took a drawing class at the IMA once and learned that I don’t have an artistic bone in my body. No latent talent just waiting to be developed. The instructor’s approach was simple: draw the shapes of a canvas in the gallery and fill in the space with the basic proportions of the objects within–not the details, just the proportions. “Oh, please!” I thought. “Anyone can do that.” Wrong. But, hey, at least I can remove learning to draw from my bucket list and get on to other more realistic things like growing my own vegetables.

#3. Sometimes I take a book to the IMA and read in the comfy leather chairs scattered throughout the galleries. I don’t even look at the art. I know. That’s what libraries are for. Here’s the problem. I work in a library two days a week. Trust me. You don’t want to read or study at a public library unless they have washable leather or vinyl seating. I’ll let you figure that one out for yourself. Check out your books and read them at home or at the IMA. People are usually quiet when looking at great art. And you can sit down without worrying about well, as I said, I’ll let you figure that one out.

#4. The IMA is a great place to go after a disagreement with your spouse or significant other. One summer day, after my husband said or did something I found atrociously thoughtless, I jumped in the car and headed to the museum for a walk. After nearly 30 minutes of stomping around the grounds in a rage, I started to notice that everything was in full bloom. I found myself in front of Robert Indiana’s LOVE sculpture. It reminded me that my petty little fight didn’t amount to much in the scheme of things. I remembered that my marriage (sort of like that LOVE sculpture) was permanent. It was a what-would-Jackie-do moment for me. I got in my car, headed home and made lunch for my husband.

#5. I’m a big fan of the one-hour IMA visit. Let’s face it. For the average Jane (that’s me) who doesn’t know much about art, the prospect of slogging your way through a complete exhibit, reading every line is like asking a first grader to read Moby Dick. Whether they can read it or not, they most certainly won’t be able to connect all the dots. Not enough experience. I don’t pretend to be something I’m not. But I don’t deprive myself just because I’m a little ignorant. If there’s an interesting exhibit, I go for an hour. I pick out one piece that really appeals to me. I try to learn all I can about that piece while I’m there. Then I leave. If I have time, I try to learn more afterwards. I may decide to go again for another hour. This is the only way I know to have an experience that sticks. I probably miss some important stuff with this technique, but I look forward to going back because I know I’m not going to make myself bored and tired. Good art deserves our best attention. I believe in giving it all I’ve got, an hour at a time. But that’s just me. Everyone should do it their way.

Now for the boring, but totally true bio stuff I promised. Once upon a time, I was a corporate writer paid to write things for big business. It’s the only kind of writing I ever found where you can make enough money to support yourself. After doing that for about 11 years, I started to connect with what one of my colleagues said about our work: “I’m really tired of writing pink champagne and having some attorney rewrite it until it becomes like distilled water.” I’m not saying I’m a pink champagne kind of writer. But I did have a few moments of greatness along the way, especially while I was working for a company I truly believed in.

Gradually I worked up my courage to swap that life for one that now includes all my loves–books, kids, writing, yoga and more time for golf and family. (I know that last part sounds trite, but it’s true.) In 2004, I finished a master’s in library science, which allowed me to enter the library profession at a wage that keeps me above the poverty level. I knew it wouldn’t pay as well, but I get to do and say what I want. It’s hard to put a price on that. When I’m not working part-time at the library, teaching yoga, or helping my husband in a small, family-owned business, I write a blog, Leading Reads. It’s mostly devoted to inspiring books, ideas, and people plus an occasional golf or yoga story.

Why vote for me? I write well, enjoy art enough that I visited Italy for an art and architecture tour a few years ago, and live just a few miles from the IMA. I can be there in a heartbeat. I don’t know enough to be snooty about things, so I can promise you I won’t have a highbrow complex if you give me this pleasure of blogging. A crown was promised with this position, but it’s not necessary. If someone would occasionally tell me I look like Annette Bening that would be nice.

Tell Us A Little About Yourself:

Well, hello!  My name is Jessica Hancock and you’ve asked me to tell you a little about myself.  This is always a struggle as it’s easier to do in person, but the point of a “blogger” is to be as electronically-concise and as catchy as possible.  So, here goes…

I was born and raised in an Indianapolis suburb boasting mansions and cornfields, which did suit me well until I realized the world was a bigger place. Yep, it really is.  I convinced myself to pick up and study abroad in Londontown where my cultural education was based solely on gallery-hopping, pint-gulping and boarding cheap airlines to other countries, all while scraping the bottom of my bank account to mere pennies. ‘Twas a time! Fast forward through college, I am now a fundraiser by occupational trade and love being involved in the local community.  I’m stoked to say that, at the ripe age of 27, I proudly serve on two local Boards – Bicycle Indiana and more recently, I was invited to serve on the Earth House Collective Board.  How do I spend my time, you ask?  Easy. Picture me attending a smattering of as many live concerts as possible, traveling traveling traveling, monthly volunteering at the IMA, drinking copious amounts of black tea with cream & sugar, riding my bikes aimlessly through the streets of Indy and dallying about my new house.  I became a home owner this summer!  I count my blessings daily and never have forgotten where I came from [ahem, the sticks of Boone County].

Tell Us a Story:

My very first visit to the IMA was an embarrassing one, complete with a blushing red face and an uneasy stomach. In the third grade, my teacher took our class to the art museum.  Yay.  Upon arrival, I learned that my adorably-retired Grandma was to be our docent for the day.  This wouldn’t have been anything other than awesome, except I was in the midst of trying to woo a particularly cute male classmate of mine, and that day, I was disgustingly close to giving him the “circle yes or no” do-you-like-me note.  I had my plan all mapped out – I would slip him the note in the European art gallery, right under a Gauguin.  To make a painfully long story short, my Grandma whisked us through the American art galleries like a pro, and as soon as we entered into the Asian art gallery, she made a comment about how close I had been standing to a certain boy all day – out loud, so that all could hear. “Who is this boy, Jessie?” Thanks, Grandma.  The rest of the visit to the museum was spent in a mental fog, with at least a 75-foot distance between me and the boy.  Needless to say, I needed a second visit to become acquainted with the European galleries.  That day, I realized that I loved the IMA more than I loved my classmate.

Why should you be an IMA blogger?

I should be a blogger for the IMA not only because I am enjoyably familiar with the IMA galleries and activities, but also because I have been a megaphone for the museum this past year.

In 2009, I’ve seen many ups and downs of the museum.  This should not be overshadowed by the fact that I’ve also seen an increase in quality of exhibits, events and community awareness around Indy.  I would be honored to be apart of spreading the good word out through this blog opportunity, bridging that gap in person’s cerebellum contemplating “Hm. Should I go to the IMA today?  Or no.  Is it worth my time and money?”  This city is really coming around in terms of it’s artful offerings.  Sacred Spain was remarkable and free (?!!?!).  I hope that the whole darn city knew that and took advantage.  I’ll make it my personal duty to exemplify through words, my experiences, opinions and quirky thoughts on all-things IMA.  Pick me, pick me!

This is a crown, but not the actual crown that the winning blogger will receive.

And the Nominees Are…

• Jessica Hancock
• Katie Neville
• Crystal Hammon
• Jenni Clarkson
• Heather McAllister
  

So What Happens Next?

Every Wednesday for the next 5 weeks we will post the submission of each of the finalists listed above. On March 3 we will then take it to a public vote in order to let our blog readers decide the individual who gets to be the IMA’s next blogger.

What’s at stake?

For the winning blogger – You will get a free membership to the IMA as well as complimentary tickets to select public programs and events. In addition, you will receive the opportunity to blog on a monthly basis through the end of 2010. As and added bonus, I will also fashion a special crown for whoever wins.* AND as a super special added bonus – The Social Media Committee of Excellence will buy you lunch at Nourish Cafe to celebrate your success.

For our blog readers – You will receive the opportunity to pick the voice that you want to hear throughout 2010. Who makes you laugh? Who intrigues you? Who has a point of view that is unique and relevant? It’s up to you to decide. Choose wisely.

Good luck to our finalists, cheers to our future voters, and let the best blogger win!

Oh, oh. And one last thing…If you aren’t following the IMA on Twitter, I think you should.

*Wearing the crown is completely optional. However, if the winner decides to not wear the crown, I will (obviously) be required to wear it myself.

In case you haven’t heard yet, we’re searching for a blogger. (See instructions for submission.) So far, we’ve received nearly 20 submissions and each is pretty darn good. It’s going to be a difficult process of narrowing down the field. However, I believe that the IMA’s Social Media Committee of Excellence is up for the task, and we hope that our blog readers will in turn be up for the challenge of voting for their favorite in the coming weeks.

Blogging isn’t easy. At least not for me. I’ve been doing it for nearly 3 years (see my first blog) – since the beginning of the IMA blog (read the first post ever) – and honestly, every post is a challenge. Finding a topic and a point of view  is time consuming and hard.

If you’re thinking about blogging for yourself or for the IMA, here are some great tips that I’ve found online:

• Write a Blog You’d Want to Read
• Ten Tips for Writing a Blog Post
• Ten Secrets for Writing Good Blog Posts