Shelburne and Rokeby, along with other regional museums that focus on bygone days, are reaching out to artists for inspiration as they plan for meeting the future interests and needs of museum visitors. Collaborations, such as the two I recently took part in, give me hope that small, locally supported museums, like those that raised my awareness as a kid about the world around me, will continue to thrive. Their welcoming openness to new ideas is commendable.