Interview with Laurie Siblock (Part Two)

Laurie Siblock
Special Events & Community Liasion
Lang Pioneer Village Museum

THE INSIDE SCOOP allows me the opportunity to really obtain insight and get the answers to perhaps question you too have wondered! I got to ask Laurie what helped make Lang Pioneer Village so special and different. Laure says …“I think it’s the “living” aspect of the Village that makes it so engaging for guests when they visit Lang Pioneer Village. Having interpreters in costume demonstrating 19th-century living creates a vibrancy and energy in the Village that you just wouldn’t get with static displays or digital interactive units. We consistently hear from visitors that the interpreters were “so welcoming” and “informative” and “friendly”. It is one of the things that keep’s people coming back”. What Laurie hears from the visitors is that “they get to reflect on simpler times, (not that these times were simple) and they learn to appreciate what they do have themselves today”. Laurie says “people get a sense of peace when they visit the village. It’s a time when families get to connect, stop and reflect!” With visitors coming back to the Village to re-visit from time to time, I wondered what Lang does to keep things fresh for these visitors? Where does Laurie get additional ideas and information from? She tells me “I think the most important thing I do in my job to keep things “fresh” at Lang Pioneer Village is to listen. My coworkers and the volunteers at Lang Pioneer Village have lots of great ideas and when they pass them on I’m grateful. Even if I’m not able to bring an idea to fruition right away, I always write it down in my resources and ideas spreadsheet so it’s there to pick up on later. The other thing I do is to constantly keep my eyes and ears open for performers, demonstrators, collectors, potential partnerships, craft activities - in a sense I’m always on the job as I seek out these things wherever I go. It’s also important to keep in touch with what is happening at other museums and events. To stay in touch with that I surf the web but also attend conferences and workshops to network with other event and museum professionals”.
(To be continued)