Want be a pioneer in the ranks of museum futurists? Read on.

CFM has on its to-do list starting a Museum Forecasting Network. The Network will draw on the experience of a diverse group of museum practitioners to preview trends within museums. To accomplish this, we need to train a cadre already conversant with museums in basic principles of futurism. Such training will benefit the field as a whole, as well as being immensely useful to the organizations in which these individuals work.

In the long run, it is my hope that CFM will be able to sponsor professional development opportunities on futurism specifically for museum folk. For now, though, we will take advantage of existing training programs. So I am very excited that the University of Houston’s Futures Studies Program is offering museum professionals affiliated with CFM a 25% discount on their week-long certificate course in Strategic Foresight to be held Jan 11–15, 2010. (The discounted tuition is $1500.) This program is run by Dr. Peter Bishop, who is one of the founding members of the CFM Council. The project-based workshop will “teach participants to anticipate disruptive change and work towards the creation of transformational change in order to influence the future of their organizations, companies and communities.” (The course offers 4 CEUs for attendance and a certificate upon completion of a project after the workshop.)

Wouldn’t it be great to get critical mass of museum folk at the seminar, resulting in a creative collision between the fields of museums and futurism? Think of the follow-up projects it could spawn! I’m game, and will be sending myself—how about joining me? We could become the legendary class of ’10, founders of museum futurism…

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Write me at futureofmuseums@aam-us.org to tell me you are interested. Call staff of the University at (713) 743-1060 for more information or to register for the course at the CFM discount price of $1500.