BCMA Prepares for Spring Semester Classes

While the Museum is closed to the public at this time, we remain an important site for innovative object-based teaching and learning for the Bowdoin campus. During the fall the Museum of Art successfully implemented a number of new models for synchronous and asynchronous remote learning with our collections. As we begin the spring semester, we look forward to welcoming you, both in-person and through remote visits.

In coordination with Sean Burrus, the Andrew W. Mellon Postdoctoral Curatorial Fellow, faculty participating in Bowdoin’s COVID-19 testing protocol may visit the museum to conduct virtual instruction or film presentations at the BCMA when the campus color code is orange. Masks must be worn and social distancing observed during these sessions.

New pathways developed for remotely engaging and accessing museum objects include:

• ePackets for sharing and exploring collections of objects curated for classes, suitable synchronous and asynchronous learning and student research
• 3d scanning of BCMA collections to support object-based learning and research online
• Pre-recorded videos for asynchronous lessons, including "gallery talks," brief image-based lectures, and object-focused video briefs
• Livestream class-sessions from the Museum, for faculty members and museum staff to share exhibitions and objects with students live during virtual visits conducted over Zoom 
• Support for innovative class projects including virtual exhibitions, podcasts, 3D modelling, and more
• (recent examples include: Spectacle in Antiquity and Beyond, and Presence of the Past: Art from Central and West Africa)

 In-person instruction may take place at the BCMA only when the campus color status is yellow. On these occasions, all participants must adhere to the following rules: 

• 10-person maximum, including students, instructor, and BCMA staff. (Please note that access is limited to 7 people in the Markell Gallery.)
• 6’ physical distancing must be maintained at all times.
• Appropriate PPE must be worn at all times.
• Everyone must sanitize their hands upon arrival at the BCMA.
• No class activity will last longer than an hour in a single gallery. 
• Further modifications may be made to these rules to meet instructor’s comfort level.

Sean P. Burrus
Andrew W. Mellon Postdoctoral Curatorial Fellow
Bowdoin College Museum of Art