Contact: Melisa McChesney, 307-630-2573; melisa.mcchesney@wyo.gov 

Participate in the Wyoming State Museum's Social Impact Study

CHEYENNE, Wyo. — February 3, 2025 — The Wyoming State Museum is participating in the Museum Social Impact in Practice (MSIIP) study, a national initiative led by the American Alliance of Museums and funded by the Institute of Museum and Library Services. After a competitive application process, the Wyoming State Museum was selected alongside 39 museums representing 25 states, Washington, DC, and Puerto Rico.

Previous studies have demonstrated the role museums play as economic engines in their communities and as educational resources for students. The MSIIP study will measure the impact museums have on visitors across a number of metrics, including the ability to engage in lifelong learning, increased connection with friends and family, and even improved health outcomes.

The study will use the Measurement of Museum Social Impact toolkit, validated through pilot projects completed in 2023, to provide innovative methods to measure and communicate museums' vital social role in their communities. To succeed, the State Museum is calling on 100 individuals to participate!

To sign up, visit bit.ly/ImpactWSM.

If selected, participants will visit the museum with at least one friend or family member three different times between March 3 and August 30, 2025. Participants will then complete a 30-minute survey to share how their experiences at the museum impacted various outcomes. 

Participants who complete the study will receive:

• 25% off at the museum store during each of their three visits. 
• An invitation to attend a behind-the-scenes tour of the museum collection to be scheduled in the Fall of 2025. 
• A gift bag including museum swag and a free taco coupon from Taco Johns.
• Early access to tickets for the April 19 "Taps & Traps: A Mountain Man Survival Night."

Additionally, each visit during the study period will earn participants one raffle ticket towards a number of exciting prizes, including an annual State Parks pass, gift cards to Black Tooth Brewing, Sanfords, Westby's, and SCHEELS, beer tickets for Blue Raven Brewery, and tickets to the Cheyenne Depot Museum.

Don't miss the chance to help the Wyoming State Museum understand the significant value it brings to the community. Visit bit.ly/ImpactWSM or scan the QR code to sign up before Friday, February 21, 2025.

Contact: Larry Goodwin, 307-766-2765; Lgoodwi2@uwyo.edu

Wyoming State Museum to Host Healthy U Workshop Series

CHEYENNE, Wyo. — January 23, 2025 —    The Wyoming State Museum is proud to host a six-week Healthy U workshop series brought to you by the Wyoming Center on Aging (WyCOA). The series will be offered in the museum classroom on Saturdays from 1:00 to 3:30 p.m. from February 8 through March 22. This evidence-based program, developed by Stanford University, improves symptoms related to a wide variety of chronic conditions, builds confidence in managing health conditions, and increases physical activity.

"Now is the perfect time to take charge of your health, and Healthy U can help you do that! Healthy U will be offered virtually on a rolling basis, as well as in-person workshops around the state," says Larry Goodwin, project coordinator for WyCOA. "By attending Healthy U workshops, you can learn new ways to better manage your health."

Chronic conditions include anything that affects someone on a day-to-day basis, such as diabetes, arthritis, high blood pressure, depression, heart disease, chronic pain, anxiety, multiple sclerosis, and fibromyalgia.

During the workshop, participants receive support from trained leaders and other workshop participants, learn practical ways to manage their pain and fatigue, understand nutrition and exercise options, explore new treatment choices, and discover better ways to communicate about their conditions with doctors and family members. The workshop aims to help people better manage their health conditions and deal with the frustration, fatigue, and pain that can accompany a chronic disease.

In addition to the in-person program at the Wyoming State Museum, the Wyoming Center on Aging at the University of Wyoming will offer virtual options. WyCOA's next online Healthy U workshop will be on Wednesdays from 4:00 to 6:30 p.m. from February 5 to March 12. Virtual workshops are open to any Wyoming resident and enable participants to learn skills and receive support from the comfort of their homes. Participants can connect using a smartphone, tablet, or computer. One-on-one technical assistance will be provided.

Register online for free at bit.ly/WyoHealthyU.

Learn more about the University of Wyoming's Center on Aging programs at uwyo.edu/healthierwyo.