Institutional Mission
Ser una institución cultural relevante, útil y cercana a las personas para que puedan crear, compartir y conectar los contenidos de las exhibiciones, programas de actividades del Museo de la Ciudad con otras personas.
A relevant and useful cultural institution, where people can create, share and connect with its exhibits, programs and activities. The Panama City Museum (known henceforth as MuCPa) was created to safeguard and share the rich history of our nation's capital, while providing a space for reflection and dialogue for its residents and visitors. Its inauguration has been timed to coincide with the city´s 500-year anniversary in 2019.
MuCPa diverges from the traditional museum experience, as it does not have a physical building or collections. Its exhibits and public programs will be presented in Panama´s public areas, allowing visitors to learn, interact and enjoy experiences in freely accessed cultural hubs. |
Project Description
One of MuCPa´s initial exhibits will showcase the January 1964 flag incidents that signaled the beginning of the end of the United States´ presence in Panama. Plans include three audio guides, a live guided tour to an iconic local building and several physical exhibits located in the areas where history happened.
However, curatorial research for the project revealed that Panama lacks primary source records of these historical events. Information is also laced in many cases with rumors, hoaxes, and hearsay. This project seeks to address these issues by creating a standards’ based web publishing platform for storing and sharing a reliable archive of the January 1964 events. As MuCPa´s resources are limited, the host platform needs to be free, open-source, and require no coding knowledge to develop it. The site will adhere to open content standards using a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License that will require attribution and will not allow for commercial redistribution*.
MuCPa includes a strong co authorship component in its strategic planning; as a result, the January 1964 site will also incorporate a oral history project. The development team aims to involve the public as creators and contributors, as "knowledge is reinforced when it is expressed and shared" (Morrissey and Worts, 1998, p. 158). We must act soon and create this repository as soon as possible, as these incidents happened 54 years ago and its protagonists are at the end of their life span. If we do not respond swiftly, we are in danger of losing vital testimonies and photographic evidence of a pivotal episode of Panamanian history.
Social media will be key to provide outreach and engagement opportunities to promote the January 1964 micro site once it is launched, coupled with promotion via traditional media outlets and relationships with local partners. The website will also include donor prompts to provide it with operating funds; financial reports will be provided onsite to assure transparency and accountability. Lastly, it is hoped the site inspires a visit to the January 1964 physical exhibits that will be strategically placed in Panama City.
*For more about open content, please see https://opencontent.org/blog/archives/1123
However, curatorial research for the project revealed that Panama lacks primary source records of these historical events. Information is also laced in many cases with rumors, hoaxes, and hearsay. This project seeks to address these issues by creating a standards’ based web publishing platform for storing and sharing a reliable archive of the January 1964 events. As MuCPa´s resources are limited, the host platform needs to be free, open-source, and require no coding knowledge to develop it. The site will adhere to open content standards using a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License that will require attribution and will not allow for commercial redistribution*.
MuCPa includes a strong co authorship component in its strategic planning; as a result, the January 1964 site will also incorporate a oral history project. The development team aims to involve the public as creators and contributors, as "knowledge is reinforced when it is expressed and shared" (Morrissey and Worts, 1998, p. 158). We must act soon and create this repository as soon as possible, as these incidents happened 54 years ago and its protagonists are at the end of their life span. If we do not respond swiftly, we are in danger of losing vital testimonies and photographic evidence of a pivotal episode of Panamanian history.
Social media will be key to provide outreach and engagement opportunities to promote the January 1964 micro site once it is launched, coupled with promotion via traditional media outlets and relationships with local partners. The website will also include donor prompts to provide it with operating funds; financial reports will be provided onsite to assure transparency and accountability. Lastly, it is hoped the site inspires a visit to the January 1964 physical exhibits that will be strategically placed in Panama City.
*For more about open content, please see https://opencontent.org/blog/archives/1123
Goals
- Create a "one-stop shop" of reliable historical resources of the January 1964 events.
- Build a mobile first, standards-based repository website that loads fast and is simple to use.
- Showcase the personal stories and photographs of Panamanians and Zonians, who are Americans that lived in the US-governed Canal Zone.
- Teach people how to record, collect, and publish their families, friends, and own stories.
- Generate revenue to fund a sustainable website.
- Provide visitors with up-to-date information regarding MuCPa's January 1964 physical exhibits to visit and and participate in its public programs.
Target Audience
This website development plan will take into account audience research to develop a coherent strategy based on their needs. |
Stakeholders
MuCPa is an initiative of Panama City’s Mayor´s Office and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). It is based on 17 Sustainable Development Goals, a global call to action to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure that all people enjoy peace and prosperity. The goals are interconnected – often the key to success on one will involve tackling issues more commonly associated with another. This connection is also a major part of MuCPa´s strategic plans.
Employment information for this museum has not been made public. This is not unusual in Panama. It seems to have a limited staff supported by subcontracted consultants. MuCPa is currently managed by a general coordinator with an archaeology background coupled with practical museum experience based on audience needs..
A cursory website analysis shows that MuCPa is a project of the city´s 500-Year Anniversary Commission known as Panama500. It is presided by the City´s Major, and as such the museum is partly funded by it. Its board includes a host of public organizations and the local history and anthropology association.
According to its dossier, MuCPa will include a volunteer program, a “friends of the museum” association and an education component based on mediation and interpretation. The dossier also presents in broad terms how individuals and organizations can financially contribute to the institution.
Some key stakeholders: Mayor´s Office * UNDP * Board of Directors of MuCPa * Panamanians in general, with an emphasis on high school/university students and teachers * Local and international scholars * US Zonians * Local associations such as Asociación de Héroes Eméritos del 9 de enero de 1964, Asociación Instituto Nacional Generación 1964, Fundación Pro Instittuto Nacional (Fuproin), Asociación Centinelas del Canal.
Employment information for this museum has not been made public. This is not unusual in Panama. It seems to have a limited staff supported by subcontracted consultants. MuCPa is currently managed by a general coordinator with an archaeology background coupled with practical museum experience based on audience needs..
A cursory website analysis shows that MuCPa is a project of the city´s 500-Year Anniversary Commission known as Panama500. It is presided by the City´s Major, and as such the museum is partly funded by it. Its board includes a host of public organizations and the local history and anthropology association.
According to its dossier, MuCPa will include a volunteer program, a “friends of the museum” association and an education component based on mediation and interpretation. The dossier also presents in broad terms how individuals and organizations can financially contribute to the institution.
Some key stakeholders: Mayor´s Office * UNDP * Board of Directors of MuCPa * Panamanians in general, with an emphasis on high school/university students and teachers * Local and international scholars * US Zonians * Local associations such as Asociación de Héroes Eméritos del 9 de enero de 1964, Asociación Instituto Nacional Generación 1964, Fundación Pro Instittuto Nacional (Fuproin), Asociación Centinelas del Canal.
Constraints
- Budgetary and personnel issues can easily thwart this website development. Resources are limited for this and most Panamanian cultural endeavors. According to the museum´s director, the budget currently allotted for the entire January 1964 exhibit is 50 thousand US dollars.
- A difficulty of convincing others of the imperative of creating an online repository of record that is innately immaterial; that is, you cannot physically interact with it. Cultural offerings in Panama tend to be driven by “stuff”, be it a building, an object or an event.
- This website will allow people to upload their stories and photographs directly, which will be then reviewed to ward against inappropriate content. As such, this is a ground breaking project in Panama. Non believers are to be expected.
- Lastly, this project can easily be subjected to political interference and electoral whims.
Success Metrics
- Users will be able to locate, download and share all documents and audiovisual materials with no copyright restrictions that resulted from researching the January 1964 incidents.
- Users will contribute 200 stories, videos, or photographs in the first 6 months of the project.
- Contributors will report feeling a sense of connection to their Panamanian heritage and report a desire to continue engaging with MuCPa.
- 80% of mobile visitors will report being able to find information about visiting the programs/exhibits in no more than 3 clicks.
- Raise $5000 in one year to help support the project.