Conference Theme: Breaking Down Barriers—Building Bridges
The Texas museum community includes hundreds of quality museums located all over the state, each with something special to offer. All of them share the goal of providing the best possible services to their communities, their patrons and their visitors. All of them strive to make the most of limited staff, volunteer, and financial resources.

Yet there are important differences among these museums. They have different missions, collections, policies and operating standards. Their funding derives from differing sources—public, private, endowments, admission fees. Their target audiences are different. Perhaps most important, they may reflect different cultural paradigms. These differences can be perceived as “barriers.” They may be seen as reasons to avoid communication and cooperation. Indeed, they may serve to foster increased competition.

The 2009 TAM Annual Meeting will explore ways that Texas museums can identify and break down these “barriers” and cooperate with each other to better serve their audiences and their communities. By bridging the social, economic, political and ideological borders that appear to divide them, and forging new partnerships based on the sharing of resources, Texas museums can strengthen their abilities to inspire understanding and thus provide meaningful benefits for all.

Get ready to come to El Paso in March 2009! This unique bicultural high-desert oasis, on the Rio Grande’s pass between the Sierra Madres and the southern Rocky Mountains, lies at the junction of three states (Texas, New Mexico, and Chihuahua) and two nations (the U.S. and Mexico). Activities and sightseeing opportunities abound throughout the region, the weather should be warm and sunny (360 days of sunshine every year!), and the meeting program will offer something for everyone. See you there!

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Welcome

El Paso, Texas, and Ciudad Juárez, Mexico comprise one of the largest binational urban environments in the world, with a combined population of over two million. Situated in the Chihuahuan Desert at the foothills of the Franklin Mountains (the southern end of the Rockies), El Paso offers year-round sunshine. Cultural amenities are also abundant, with some forty museums, historic sites, and special outdoor spots such as Franklin Mountains State Park. El Pasoans also enjoy a symphony, an opera, a chamber music festival, as well as jazz and other music events, including mariachi and other regional specialties. Downtown revitalization is underway, the cornerstones being the newly restored Plaza Theatre and the museum district, which includes the El Paso Museum of Art, El Paso Museum of History, Insights El Paso Science Museum, and the El Paso Holocaust Museum and Study Center. The nearby Union Plaza entertainment district offers a range of night spots. Enjoy the only city in Texas where you can see ancient rock paintings at world-famous Hueco Tanks in the morning, visit museums in the afternoon, and have dinner in Mexico in the evening.

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Activities for Children

For TAM participants traveling with their families, the El Paso Museum of Art and Lynx Exhibits will offer special day-camps for school-age children.

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Registration Policy
TAM offers a “Complete Package” registration option. The "Complete Package" includes Annual Meeting registration, three luncheons, and three evening events. Registration cannot be shared. Each person must register separately. Spouses/guests are welcome to register for evening events only, but if they wish to attend any other portion of the conference, they must pay the appropriate registration fee. Day tickets are available for persons attending a single day of the conference. Participants may not purchase two-day tickets in lieu of the full registration fee. If attending any portion of a second day, the participant must purchase a full registration. All museum professionals who are presenting at the meeting must register and pay the appropriate fee.

Register today!

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Air and Ground Transportation
American, Continental, US Airways, Delta, Frontier, Southwest, United, and New Mexico airlines service the El Paso International Airport. The airport offers nonstop service to 18 cities including: Albuquerque, Austin, Chicago O'Hare, Dallas Love Field, Dallas/ Fort Worth, Houston Hobby, Houston Intercontinental, Lubbock, Midland/Odessa, Phoenix, and San Antonio.

Just 15 minutes from the airport, the Camino Real offers complimentary airport transportation. Call the hotel upon arrival (915-534-300) to request the hotel shuttle. Courtesy phones are available in the baggage area of the airport.

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Hotel Information
Most annual meeting sessions and activities will take place in the Camino Real Hotel. Some will take place off-site in environments designed to enhance the session.
Off-site location is clearly marked in the program.

Established in 1912, this landmark in the heart of El Paso has brought together the elegance that characterizes the Camino Real name and all the warmth and tradition of Southern hospitality. Listed in the National Historical Register, the Camino Real offers the grandeur you would expect from this hotel gem, beginning from the most photographed grand staircase in the Southwest, to the exquisite crystal chandeliers in the lobby and ballrooms, to the marble crafted by skilled Italian craftsmen almost a hundred years ago. Savor the exquisite taste of regional Mexican cuisine in Azulejos, indulge your senses in the Dome Restaurant, or join friends and colleagues for late night conversations in the world–famous Dome Bar. For those who need to unwind or de-stress, the hotel includes a fully equipped gym and outdoor swimming pool.

Why stay at the conference hotel? It benefits TAM to stay at the Camino Real Hotel in El Paso -- and you deserve it! If TAM members fill the room block, the hotel will allow us to use its conference rooms for free. If not, TAM will have to pay room rentals (that run in the $1000s). By staying in the hotel, you are treated to the comfort and convenience of a great hotel (in a great location) and you support TAM. Win-win! And, at just $103 + tax per night (Single/Double), it’s a great deal.

Reservations at the conference rate will be honored only until the room block is full. Reserve early to ensure a room. After cutoff dates, any requests for accommodations will be subject to availability of rooms and may be subject to a higher rate.

The Camino Real Hotel will hold the guaranteed room rate ($103 Single/Double; $118 Triple; $133 Quad per night, plus applicable taxes) until Monday, February 23, 2009. Reservations must be guaranteed with a credit card or first night’s deposit before the reservation can be confirmed. Reservations and deposits received after Monday, February 23, 2009, or exceeding the contracted room block, will be confirmed on a space available basis only.

Room reservations must be made by corresponding directly with the Camino Real Hotel reservations at 800-769-4300 (toll-free) or 915/534-3099. To receive the guaranteed room rate, please tell the hotel desk that you will be attending the Texas Association of Museums Annual Meeting.

Cancellations: A charge equal to the first night’s room revenue will be assessed for any cancellation received by the hotel within forty-eight (48) hours prior to scheduled arrival.

Parking: The Camino Real provides underground, secured parking at the rate of $5.00 per car, per day, with in-and-out privileges based on space availability.

The Camino Real is located at 101 S. El Paso Street in downtown El Paso, Texas.

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Exhibit Hall
Museum service firms and suppliers will showcase their products and services in the Mezzanine of the Camino Real Hotel. The TAM Exhibit Hall opens on Tuesday, March 17, with a gala opening reception hosted by the exhibitors from 4:30–6:30 p.m. The Exhibit Hall will then be open Wednesday, March 18 from 10:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m. and Thursday, March 19, from 10:00 a.m.–3:30 p.m.

Complete list of TAM 2009 Exhibitors

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Professional Development Certificate Program
The TAM Professional Development Certificate Program provides an incentive for Texas museum professionals to enhance their expertise by attending a series of educational programs in one of six areas of focus. Certificates reward participants' dedication to improve their skills and enhance their knowledge of current museum practice. Program participants will be awarded a TAM Professional Development Certificate for completion of a workshop and five (5) annual meeting sessions relating to one focus area. Sessions and workshops in the six focus areas will be labeled as follows:

The cost to participate is $25 per certificate sought. Only current TAM individual members are eligible for the program. Candidates register for the program as part of registering for the TAM Annual Meeting. Please choose a track from one of the six focus areas and check the appropriate box on the Annual Meeting Registration Form. Pre-registration is advised.

For more detailed information on the TAM Professional Development Certificate Program go to http://www.io.com/~tam/ContEd/pdcprogram.html

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