While I don't mean to speak for Diane, I did not interpret her statement 
about community colleges to be a slight in any way.

What I took it to mean was that, for many people (including the ones she 
encountered while teaching at a community college), museum going isn't 
really a priority.  People are consumed and overwhelmed with all of the 
pressures of life--such as finding an affordable way to obtain an education 
or additional professional skills.

I also think it's unfair to try to make a generalization specific.  Does 
this have to be explained?  The idea of "Joe Public" does not refer to every 
person and their specific interests but rather refers generally to the 
average person that museums are trying to reach.


Regards,
Shana O'Hara

>From: unlisted <[log in to unmask]>
>Reply-To: Museum discussion list <[log in to unmask]>
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: Re: Who goes to Museums anyway?
>Date: Fri, 1 Apr 2005 15:15:21 -0500
>
>And what does this mean?
>
>It turns out that Joe Public doesn't go to museums.
>Joe Public goes to Community Colleges...
>...in between jobs and kids and rents and car payments and bill 
>collectors...
>...as s/he tries to better her/his own life options and employability.
>
>It is clear that many of on this list are the person above. Prior to 
>university I attended a community college (as well lectured at an 
>outstanding one for years.) There are many intellectual, and highly 
>sophisticated (if not economically smart) people going to community 
>colleges and saving thousands in the process. And it was during my time 
>there that we attended many museum exhibitions. Am I missing something with 
>the statement clipped above? because that line to me seems entirely out of 
>line.
>
>
>   ----- Original Message -----
>   From: Janice Klein
>   To: [log in to unmask]
>   Sent: Friday, April 01, 2005 2:15 PM
>   Subject: Re: [MUSEUM-L] Who goes to Museums anyway?
>
>
>   I'm going to add my $.02 by suggesting that the best way to get Joe 
>Public (or in our case the Public family) in to museums is to offer a 
>regular wide range of programs.   We do at least two public programs a 
>month (free with museum admission), as well as a monthly Book Club and a 
>twice monthly Saturday Kids Craft Morning (which converts to three weekday 
>mornings during July and August).   We offer a small honorarium for each 
>outside speaker or demonstrator  ($150 flat fee).  The Craft mornings are 
>done by staff and volunteers.  Our state Humanities Council offers 
>"mini-grants" of $2,000 which we have drawn on several times over the last 
>few years to cover the cost of up to 10 programs based on a single theme -- 
>often related to our temporary exhibit (two a year, created in-house).  We 
>also have a Craft Room which has materials for basic crafts (beaded 
>necklaces or key chains, dreamcatchers and gods eyes) are out all the time 
>(funding for this comes from a few small donations from area service 
>organizations, like Kiwanis).
>
>   I'd be interested to hear others opinions on the value of programming vs 
>exhibits/education/entertainment to get the Publics in the door.
>
>   janice
>
>   Janice Klein
>   Director, Mitchell Museum of the American Indian
>   [log in to unmask]
>   www.mitchellmuseum.org
>
>     -----Original Message-----
>     From: Museum discussion list [mailto:[log in to unmask]]On 
>Behalf Of Diane Peapus
>     Sent: Friday, April 01, 2005 12:10 PM
>     To: [log in to unmask]
>     Subject: Who goes to Museums anyway?... Was: One can get a job
>
>
>
>     Claudia wrote:
>     >During my museum â?oehiatusâ? I worked as a supermarket cashier (we 
>still had to eat),
>     > and I can tell you that I no longer believe museums (many) reach all 
>of the public.
>
>     You bring up a good point.
>
>     After leaving the Museum of the Earth, I've been adjunct teaching at a 
>variety of
>     community and non-research 4 year colleges. My degree allowed me to 
>avoid
>     the supermarket check-out and introduce some non-traditional 
>experiential-based
>     museum pedagogy to the classroom.
>
>     But I've gotten a lesson in "Joe Public" during this work.
>
>     (Which makes me a far superior candidate for your Dir of Edu position 
>if any
>     of you out there want to hire me!! ;-) )
>
>     It turns out that Joe Public doesn't go to museums.
>     Joe Public goes to Community Colleges...
>     ...in between jobs and kids and rents and car payments and bill 
>collectors...
>     ...as s/he tries to better her/his own life options and employability.
>
>     When I do get back into a museum... I'll certainly have a whole 
>'nother line of
>     thinking about how to get Joe Public in the doors.
>
>     have fun
>     diane
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