Featured Projects

In this Section:
Applied Learning Projects
Featured Projects
Archived Projects

» Featured Projects

Michelle Boockoff-Bajdek Marsha Minasian '04 MCM
Excerpt from Marsha Minasian's Applied Learning Project

The Mashantucket Pequot Museum: A Descriptive Study

Introduction

A little over a year ago, my husband and I decided to take a drive on a rainy Saturday afternoon to the Foxwoods Casino in Connecticut. It was a chilly weekend in February and we were looking for a new place to explore—indoors! After a few hours at Foxwoods, the novelty of the slot machines wore off and we decided to stop by the Native America museum near the casino before heading home. Within minutes of arriving, we realized that the museum offered far more than we had assumed. It was clear to us that extensive resources had been marshaled to produce a very comprehensive look at Pequot history and culture. That ‘brief stop’ turned into a few hours, and when we left at closing time, we resolved to return for a day trip at a later date.

As we work full-time and also take classes, the museum had remained on our list of things to do when we had real leisure time available. When it was time to select a topic for my ALP, it occurred to met that the museum would make a terrific subject as it is a wonderful example of “communications management”. I began my initial research in February by looking for articles that had been written about the museum. I found many brief items that were essentially reviews of it as a tourist attraction, or as an example of museum architecture, or just acknowledgements that it had opened and existed. I wanted to obtain a “behind the scenes” understanding of the museum, with insight into its operations and how it came to be built. I realized quickly that, to obtain the kind of information that I was seeking, the best approach would be to do primary research in the form of interviews with staff.

Methodology

Methodology consisted of interviews and discussions with museum staff in several functional areas [such as public relations, membership, administration, volunteers, group sales, and marketing & development].

I begin with brief background information of the time leading up to the Pequot Massacre, to provide a context for understanding why a museum was a goal for the Tribe. This is followed by an overview of the museum obtained in my discussion with Aaron [Public Relations Specialist]. Next, I describe the museum experience: what the visitor encounters, along with my own impressions. I follow this with details of the discussions with Wendy [Manager—Group Sales and Marketing & Development], Geri-Anne [Manager of Membership], Terry [Executive Director], and Denise [Director of Administration and Volunteers], which focus on the successes they’ve achieved and the challenges they face.

In this descriptive study, my interest is in describing the Mashantucket Pequot Museum and the efforts to make it a success. A further area of study that would be intriguing would be a comparison of this museum with other small museums, according to the challenges faced and solutions identified.