Mike Silvers curates engaging educational experiences
Earlier this year, MIM welcomed Mike Silvers, PhD, as our new curator of education. Silvers received his doctorate in ethnomusicology from the University of California, Los Angeles. For more than a decade, Silvers was a professor of ethnomusicology at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, where he served as chair of the musicology department. He is a two-time Fulbright awardee, a fellow of the American Council of Learned Societies, and a recipient of the Andrew Carnegie Fellowship.
MIM curator of education Mike Silvers
Silvers was born and raised in Tucson, and he is happy to be back in his home state.
“I see my role as working with and serving my home community,” he says. “It’s also gratifying to reach learners of all ages from around the globe and share this world-class museum with them.”
Silvers works closely with MIM’s education team to develop engaging experiences for every age group.
“I’m excited about this year’s Junior Museum Guides program, which will culminate during MIM’s ’Tis the Season Signature Event with students leading a museum tour they’ve developed,” he says. “The theme is bells in the galleries, and they are learning to play and teach ‘Carol of the Bells’ on handbells.”
Silvers brings a holistic view of music to his role at MIM.
“As an ethnomusicologist, I think about music as it relates to other domains of the human experience,” he says. “My Music and Nature series, which I recently presented to a group from Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Arizona State University, is based on that. MIM is also working hard on professional development sessions for teachers, including a series on STEM education through music. Music really is relevant to every part of our lives.”
Mike Silvers discusses MIM’s Indonesia exhibit during volunteer museum guide training.
The Junior Museum Guides program is supported by the Hao and Michelle Wang Foundation.
STEM professional development is supported by the Donald W. Collier Charitable Trust II.
