Exhibitsmith

08/06/2025

A new month means a new conversation on the pod! For this episode I welcomed Nathan Kemler, Director of Galleries and Collections at the Grand Valley State University Art Museum, to chat about Why Museums Matter (and why they still matter). We talked about how museums in the 21st century can't just open their doors and expect people to visit like they could in the past. Today's museum visitors have different reasons for visiting - or not visiting - museums, and Nathan shares some of the creative, unique, and inspiring ways that he and his staff reach out to both the university community and the general public to make everyone feel invited, welcome, and seen.

You're not going to want to miss this one. Find Exhibitsmith the podcast on your favorite platform and at exhibitsmith.com.

Listen now! https://exhibitsmith.podbean.com/

08/05/2025

Last night I (finally!) debuted my Saving Your Clothing and Textiles program. I’ve been wanting to debut this *new and improved* program for a year now and I finally had the opportunity to do so at the Edison Public Library’s Clara Barton Branch. I didn’t have a chance to take a photo of the room like I usually do, but if you zoom in you can see my program being advertised on the screen. 😊

I had a small but *very* engaged group. And since it was a small group, during the Q&A I even pulled up my Saving Your Family Photos presentation & gave them some tips from my Downsizing Heirlooms & Collectibles talk to help them along!

I’ve been so busy with other things that I haven’t been actively trying to book more talks and I only have *two* more on my calendar! 😭 I would love to speak to your group, either in person or online. I’m located outside Philadelphia but am happy to travel! Let’s connect. I absolutely love doing events like these!

08/04/2025

Art Museum Director Nathan Kemler joined me on the podcast to talk about why museums matter and how museums can be leaders in community engagement. We discuss the inspiring ways Nathan and his staff make their collection accessible to throughout the Grand Valley State University campus, as well as how they collaborate with the community at large to fulfill their mission.
I hope you enjoy the episode!
Nathan is the Director of Galleries and Collections at the Grand Valley State University Art Museum, a role he has held since 2020. Nathan joined the Museum staff in 2008, and before being named Director, he served as the Museum’s collections manager, curator of collections management, and the assistant director of galleries and collections. Nathan recently received the President's Award from the Michigan Museums Association for his services to the Michigan museum community.

Please note:
The views and opinions expressed by the guests on this podcast do not reflect the views of their respective employers.

07/21/2025

Exhibitsmith the Podcast is back! I'm working behind the scenes to bring new voices to the podcast, to have engaging discussions about the roles museums, archives, and libraries play in our world. We talk about how and why these institutions matter, and how everyone can do their part to both support them and benefit from them. Please subscribe to the podcast on your favorite platform so you don't miss an exciting new episode.
Today I am relaunching the second episode, which is a personal story that I feature in my Downsizing Heirlooms and Collectibles program. I hope you enjoy it.
[This episode originally aired on March 1, 2024.]
You have permission to get rid of things the easy way. If you need a sign from the universe to do it, here it is! I recently purged some old things that were taking up space, but the processed proved to be harder than I had anticipated. Listen to my story to find out how I kept my spring cleaning stress free.

07/14/2025

I just googled "common photography formats 20th century" and thanks now I feel 100 years old.

07/07/2025

New Episode just dropped! Exhibitsmith the podcast is available at Exhibitsmith.com and all major podcast platforms.

Archivist Dave Hofer joined me on the pod to talk about his mid-life career change, the transferable skills he didn’t realize he had, and how to leverage yourself to reach your career goals. We also chat about digitization and recording technology and how things have changed in the archives over the past 20+ years.

I hope you enjoy the episode!

https://exhibitsmith.podbean.com

Dave is an Access and Reference Archivist at the Art Institute of Chicago. This episode was recorded in the Spring of 2024, before he assumed that role.

Dave is an Archivist and Librarian with experience at the Art Institute of Chicago, Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago History Museum, WTTW/WFMT, and Cook County Jail. His work includes arranging and processing archival collections, creating metadata for digital collections, and all of the day-to-day tasks including properly housing materials, organizing flat file contents, and hauling around boxes of . . . stuff.


Please note:
The views and opinions expressed by the guests on this podcast do not reflect the views of their respective employers.

07/07/2025

Archivist Dave Hofer joined me on the podcast to talk about his mid-life career change, the transferable skills he didn't realize he had, and how to leverage yourself to reach your career goals. We also chat about digitization and recording technology and how things have changed in the archives over the past 20+ years.
I hope you enjoy the episode!
Dave Hofer is an Archivist and Librarian with experience at the Art Institute of Chicago, Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago History Museum, WTTW/WFMT, and Cook County Jail. His work includes arranging and processing archival collections, creating metadata for digital collections, and all of the day-to-day tasks including properly housing materials, organizing flat file contents, and hauling around boxes of . . . stuff.
Dave is an Access and Reference Archivist at the Art Institute of Chicago. This episode was recorded in the Spring of 2024, before he assumed that role.

Please note:
The views and opinions expressed by the guests on this podcast do not reflect the views of their respective employers.

07/01/2025

Surprise - the podcast is back and it's better than ever. We have some fantastic interviews to share, from colleagues who work in museums, archives, and libraries. We'll talk about why these jobs - and institutions - are important, how to deal with family heirlooms and "stuff", how to leverage yourself for career success, and so much more. We will also be re-releasing our episodes from Season One and I'll be adding a few more episodes on my own, too. Our first interview drops on July 7th, so please subscribe today!

06/23/2025

Exhibitsmith the Podcast is back! Or at least it will be soon. I'm working behind the scenes to bring new voices to the podcast, to have engaging discussions about the roles museums, archives, and libraries play in our world. We talk about how and why these institutions matter, and how everyone can do their part to both support them and benefit from them. Please subscribe to the podcast on your favorite platform so you don't miss an exciting new episode.
Today I am relaunching the first episode, which is a personal story that I feature in my Downsizing Heirlooms and Collectibles program. I hope you enjoy it.
[This episode originally aired on March 1, 2024.]
Today I’m digging deep into my personal memories to share a story about how an otherwise ordinary object at my grandmother's house became surprisingly important to me at a very young age. I’m curious whether you’ll be able to relate. I hope you enjoy today’s episode and I invite you to share your stories, too.

06/19/2025

Who’s ready for another From the Archives? Well I have something for you. Check out these funky, mid-century window decals. Would you use them?

Subscribe to Exhibitsmith on You Tube for more From the Archives videos!

06/07/2025

My friend and colleague Kate is open for business! If you've ever been curious about your family history but don't know where to start, Kate just announced a fantastic genealogy kickstart package.

Don't hesitate to contact her - and get ready to share what she finds at your next family reunion! Feel free to tell her I sent you. :)

Send a message to learn more