My response is a bit long, but I feel a very important point is raised here.
I agree with both Robin and Bethany. Here is why.
It is my personal, and professional, opinion that explaining to the public
why we exist is one area that museums have fallen down in. We can no longer
assume that the public understands what we are about (if they ever did in
the USA; we may have been deluding ourselves in the era of greater
government and private support). Such efforts are increasingly necessary for
our survival.
While such tours are understandably unpopular with staff, I urge staff to
look at them in a new light, as an opportunity to cultivate public and
private support. That might sound like "management speak", but consider
this, if you like your job (low-paying though it is) and want to keep it, we
can no longer afford to be viewed by the public as residing in ivory towers
isolated from them. Why should they bother to support us, with either tax or
private dollars, if they perceive us as isolated from them, something they
don't understand, and a luxury?
In the mid-1980s when I was Curator of Collections at the Public Museum of
Grand Rapids, Michigan, we offered on one occasion that I remember, a
"behind-the-scenes" tour of collections storage (primarily a storage
building for material culture artifacts).
Initially I was opposed, for the usual curatorial & security reasons, and
for the amount of extra work entailed for at very small staff (two
professionals, at that time, myself and the registrar).
However, I found that such a tour does have its own educational aspects,
even if not formalized as in an exhibit. It does show the public (and other
staff!) in a visceral way that words and photos never can, the need to
lessen overcrowded storage space, for clean space, proper light, temperature
& humidity control; gives a chance to explain why we collect more than one
example of something, that what's on exhibit is the tip of the iceberg, and
more. Plus, some people just love to see tons of "stuff" that museum's
collect, or to have a privileged look behind the scenes.
Yes, security is always an issue, however, hopefully storage is a secured
area and security is better there than what can be achieved for artifacts on
exhibit. And tours should be arranged to minimize inconveniencing staff (who
are always overworked), but if used judiciously, these can serve an
excellent purpose on behalf of the museum.
Here is a creative solution one museum found. The Hershey Museum in Hershey,
Pennsylvania, within the last couple of years added a unique, new exhibit
feature.
They literally added a window to a wall that separated an exhibit area from
collections storage. It only looks in on a static storage room with subdued
lighting, and metal shelving filled with rows of gray acid-free boxes. It is
not a work area. They placed an explanatory label on the wall next to the
window. The public finds it fascinating. Maybe it appeals to the voyeur in
human kind (I'm reminded of cartoons showing fences around construction
areas with a "window" in the fence so people can view the construction).
Their solution must be as low tech and inexpensive as can be, yet it offers
a great educational opportunity for museums to explain part of why they
exist, and what they do, to the public, with no expense of staff time.
Obviously, not every museum will have the happenstance of a collections
storage area next to an exhibit area, but the example might spark creative
solutions for others.
Nancy Powell
Executive Director
Ebenezer Maxwell Mansion
Philadelphia, PA
-----Original Message-----
From: bethany rutledge <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]>
Date: Thursday, February 01, 2001 9:12 AM
Subject: Re: Subject: Re: behind-the-scenes tours
>Well said, Robin! I also think that behind-the-scenes
>tours can benefit art and history museums the same
>way.
>
>Orienting new Board members - who may have no idea
>what resources are in the wings - is also critical,
>and a behind-the-scenes tour may be just the way to
>get this done.
>
>Bethany Rutledge
>Director of Collections and Exhibits
>Thornton W. Burgess Society
>E. Sandwich, MA 02537
>
>--- "Panza, Robin" <[log in to unmask]> wrote
>>
>> In addition to that, the vast majority of the public
>> don't even know that
>> specimens are kept for research purposes--they think
>> either that all the
>> material is on exhibit or that whatever's not on
>> exhibit is merely "spare"
>> material for replacing what's on exhibit. Time and
>> time again people walk
>> away from a tour with a new wonder and understanding
>> of what a (natural
>> history) museum is all about. I think this is
>> crucial to our survival in
>> this time of budget crunches. We need to make the
>> public aware of *all* the
>> ways museums are important, and behind-the-scenes
>> tours are a valuable tool
>> for accomplishing this.
>>
>> Robin
>>
>> Robin K Panza
>> [log in to unmask]
>> Collection Manager, Section of Birds ph:
>> 412-622-3255
>> Carnegie Museum of Natural History fax:
>> 412-622-8837
>> 4400 Forbes Ave.
>> Pittsburgh PA 15213-4008 USA
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