We also have had food problems.  We have signs that are posted and
security and staff have aproached people who have somehow made it past
the entrance desk with food and escorted them to a trash can to dispose
of their food items.

As for breastfeeding, we have had similar instances.  I would be
careful with saying "no breastfeeding allowed".  You may open yourself
up to problems you don't need.  There have been pro breastfeeding
groups who have staged protests (meaning they all go and sit and breast
feed their child in your facility) or you may alienate a whole class of
visitor.  With breastfeeding becoming more common, we must adapt.
Employers are required to allow mothers a place and time to
breastfeed.  While you may not want to see it in your exhibits, how
would you address these people?  Do you offer an alternative space
where mothers can breastfeed?  What specific reasons will you give them
for "banning" breastfeeding in the exhibits?

On the lighter side--our naturalist once said we should set up a
breastfeeding area as a live interp in our Hall of Mammals! ;-)

Christina
Christina M. Myatt
Theatrical Programming Coordinator
Putnam Museum
1717 West 12th Street
Davenport IA 52804
563.324.1054 ext. 207 (phone)
[log in to unmask]


-----Original Message-----
From: "Gibson, Cecelia" <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask]
Date: Fri, 27 Jun 2003 10:05:37 -0400
Subject: Visitor conduct, sensitive issues...

> I have two questions for the list.  One is a rather sensitive issue
> for all
> of you to ponder.  We are currently developing guidelines for visitor
> conduct in exhibition galleries.  The guidelines would be posted in
> each
> gallery and would be used by our Gallery Representatives as a means
> of
> enabling them to act when they see behaviors that are inappropriate
> in the
> gallery.  One of the first items listed would, of course, be no food
> or
> drinks allowed.  We would like to include breast-feeding in this
> category as
> it is technically a food source.  Recently, we had an incident where
> a young
> mother needed to feed her infant and decided that, since seating was
> provided in the gallery, to stay in the exhibition space to
> breast-feed.  My
> question to the list is, do you allow breast-feeding in your
> exhibition
> spaces, and if so, why?  If not, how do you approach the situation
> without
> offending the visitor?
>
> The second question is, what other guidelines would you include in
> this
> document?
>
> Thank you for your time and consideration.
>
> Sincerely,
> Cecelia Gibson
> Exhibitions Registrar
> National Building Museum
> 202-272-2448 x3900
> [log in to unmask]
>
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