- Date Of Death: March 11, 2013
- State: Massachusetts
Belchertown—Janet Anne Kamien, of Belchertown, age 64, passed away on March 11th 2013 at home after a battle with bone cancer. She was an internationally recognized consultant and coach for museum planning and exhibit development. She grew up in Chicago, graduated from Boston University with a BFA in Theatre, earned two Master’s degrees from Lesley College, taught and mentored at Tufts University, Lesley College and the University of Arts in Philadelphia. She became a Fullbright Scholar in 2010 to coach museums in Buenos Aires,Argentina, about exhibit development.
During her distinguished career with museums she developed amazing and award winning exhibits including a Massachusetts Psychological Assoc. Special Recognition Award and an appearance on ABC’s Nightline for her work at the Boston Children’s Museum, a Muse Award from the American Assoc. of Museums for her work at the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago , numerous national grants from the National Science Foundation, the National Endowment for the Humanities and others, and in January was honored by the National Assoc. of Museum Exhibitors with their first ever Lifetime Achievement Award. She worked with museums all across the US, consulting for the US Holocaust Museum in Washington DC, developing concepts for the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia, advising on accessibility for the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, interpretive education planning for Old Sturbridge Village and the Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Greenway Conservancy in Boston, as well as lecturing or coaching in countries such as Egypt, the Soviet Union, Bermuda and the Netherlands.
Janet loved reading and gardening, as well as watching the ducks and birds, her favorite being the Cedar Waxwings, along the Swift River. She was an excellent domino player. She met the love of her life in 1994 and married Anibal Cicardi, an Argentinian ceramic artist and painter. She is also survived by her dear stepsons, Aldo and Dario, who live in Mexico City.
