>Greg commented that it was common for historical societies, local and
>other history museums to turn away researchers and the public.
 
Greg,
 
        I don't know of too many history museums where researchers are
turned away when they come to research property, ancestors or artifacts. In
fact, at all of the museums I have worked at the public came first. We
regard what libraries call "public reference work" as a priority. True, we
would not interrupt a staff meeting, and often we would not spend much time
with those intent only upon "what's it worth?," but they received some
degree of help.
 
        I AM familiar with instances where this has happened at academic
institutions when the public has not understood the difference between a
PUBLIC museum and a RESEARCH institution. Perhaps this is one reason the
term History CENTER is replacing History MUSEUM - to differentiate between
"research/type specimen warehouse" institutions and public
"edutainment"/service facilities." A few scholars who don't realize that
their salaries come from public tax dollars can be brusque at times, but
this is fading as dollars become harder to find.
 
        No matter what type of institution we find ourselves in, we are
educators entrusted for the short span of a career with the legacy of
others. The preservation and transmission of this legacy is the only reason
we are here.
 
Byron A. Johnson, Exec. Dir.
Tampa Bay History Center
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