Let's be reasonable, what sponsor wants to associate its name with
anything, especially an exhibit that is critical of the sponsor or
discusses the sponsor in a less than flattering light? As long as
museums mounted exhibits that displayed positive stories and showed
the progression from the past to the present with the present placed
in the spotlight as the best with even greater hope for the future
sponsors did not have to be concerned about the messages presented
by exhibits. Sponsors could take credit for backing the present and
the future and making everyone feel good about themselves after
seeing the exhibit. It is no accident that the most heavily funded
exhibits are art exhibits which present "beauty" and don't pretend to
make social statements (at least in the labels). Exhibits have long
thrived on presenting a neutral or even bland view of the objects they
contain. The reputation of the Smithsonian was built on showcasing
the nation's treasures, such as the Hope Diamond, George Washington's
dentures (actually owned by Baltimore College of Dental Surgery of
the University of Maryland Dental School), the first ladies gowns,
spectacular natural history items like fossils, skeletons, etc. and
of, course paintings, sculpture, etc. With these objects captions
hardly mattered. Each is its own justification for being on exhibit.

However when exhibits began to be organized around themes and
historical questions which included making critical statements and
questioning the behavior of past heroes and heroines, then public
reaction naturally ensued. The WW II veterans could not stand by and
see their triumph over Japan which they believed depended on dropping
"the bomb" questioned and negated, especially during a special
anniversary year. How should a curator have treated this topic? What
would you have done? How do you tell a veteran that what he
experienced and believed in was wrong? I am no supporter of war and
feel very guilty that the U.S. dropped an atom bomb during my
lifetime, but then I never had to make any decisions about the war,
serve in it or take any blame or credit for it.

Curators must learn to discuss with the public far more than they
ever have. To develop meaningful exhibits and take critical stances
far more dialogs with many groups of people need to take place well
before an exhibit takes shape. The best exhibits grow out of
interests of the society in which they are mounted and take much
nurturing on the part of all concerned. The sponsor's needs and views
are only part of a very complex equation.