Indigo - I too am disturbed by the apparent gluttony of people who seem to
have entered a field devoted to education and public access despite their
clear intention to avoid serving the public or responding to the
community's needs.

Stephen Weill once wrote, "Museum-going is neither a tidy nor a predictable
activity."

...yet some people clearly need to review Excellence and Equity (AAM).

We must relate to the visitor.  We exist to provoke, disseminate, moderate
and educate (not just to collect and preserve).  We must engage and
interact.  Or, as Weill put it (better), we must "provide."

You should never risk alienating anyone.  You certainly should not
discourage a mother from bringing her child(ren) to a museum!  And, maybe
I'm crazy, but for other children to see a mother breastfeeding could
certainly be as educational an experience as anything else in the gallery.
Nevertheless, most public institutions today should be striving to provide
a private, sanitary location for mothers who require/request them.

As a father, I try to turn most things into life lessons that can be built
upon.  If people find breastfeeding "distracting," how would they react to
those with social, psychological, or biological disorders who may be prone
to sudden outbursts, loss of body control or disruption?  Should they be
left at home too?    I would simply tell my son that we're all different,
we're all unique and we're all beautiful.  Those differences make our
country, our world a wonderful place to share.

Touchy-feely?  Yes.  But those who scorn or scoff do so out of ignorance
and fear.  And those who believe that museums are for adults-only ought to
find another profession ...instead of sullying ours.

Jeremy T. Chrabascz
Indiana State Museum & Historic Sites

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