This is a great subject for us at the NY Botanical Garden.
          I don't think that we'd be shy of any application that would
          engage people in what we do.
 
          BUT: It can't be shoddy and cheap. It must engage people in
          an active way, not a passive "TV" way. ie.  sitting in an
          environment, no matter how engaging, and watching a video
          presentation, is not on for us for both of these reasons.
 
          We are working hard on developing environments and exhibits
          that work in a garden, are engaging, and are entertaining.
          To grow our audience, we do alot of performing arts stuff
          that isn't all that garden related, but gets the people
          here, and let's them use the place more or less as a park.
 
          This is something I'm interested in changing. I want to do
          things here that are entertaining, convey information person
          to person, and also incorporate the content we have to
          offer.
 
          One idea that we have had is a kind of ongoing "commedia
          dell' arte", roving theatre group which does performances
          about flowers and people, about native american use of the
          landscape (we have a 40 acre first growth forest right here
          in the Bronx). The 19th C. use of the land (we have a 19th
          century landmarked snuff mill). About plant exploration, and
          the creation of strategies for sustainable development (we
          are one of the most active centers for economic botany in
          the world.)
 
          These would be small scale, without much in the way of
          props etc. Ideally, they would incorporate local talent in
          by using junior high and high school kids. We are creating
          little staging areas.
 
          Stay in touch, I don't think your intro posting was
          inapproporiate.
 
          Eric Siegel