On 2/21/07, museum chanteuse <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

> It will display and use art and artifacts but not collect and care for their
> own at this time.
>
> There are a number of non-collecting institutions that call themselves
> museums, but I feel strongly that part of the definition of a museum is an
> institution that collects and preserves art, artifacts, specimens, etc.,  in
> the public trust for perpetuity.

So what alternate name would you suggest? Cultural center? Art
gallery? Display house?

To me, this sounds like what we would call a "roadhouse" in theater.
These theaters generally do not put on their own productions but host
touring shows. They are still theaters even though they don't have a
resident company.

Your "museum" sounds like it is doing its part to collect and preserve
art, artifacts, specimens in the public trust for perpetuity; they
just aren't housing them. By hosting exhibitions and doing public
programs, you are insuring that these artifacts will have a home to go
back to and will be well taken care of.

Personally, I think the essence of a "museum" is to display and
interpret art and artifacts. Art galleries traditionally display art,
they generally don't interpret it. (Just a generalization people, I
understand there are some interactive and interpretive art galleries
out there so no need to start a diatribe on the subject. ;) Contrast
this with the "children's museum" or "hands on" model where there are
few collections but many opportunities to "play" and "explore"
history, science, art, etc.

The "museum as a repository for collections" is a very old model and
one that is being rewritten every day. Traditionally museums were what
I call "stuff-size wars" where countries or collectors could show off
their "loot" and the scientific elite could come and do research. Now
there is a broad range of "museums" from the traditional, static
displays to the completely interactive. So I think the true
"definition" of a museum needs to expand to include the new paradigms.

Deb

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