On Wed, 21 Feb 1996, Kathrine L Walker wrote:

> I'll add a story.  We worked with a Multicultural Magnet School in
> Southeastern Connecticut.  As part of our in-depth program, we had the
> students in and out of the museum constantly and even mounted semi-annual
> exhibitions of their work in response to the the programs developed
> around our collection.
>
> At our first Parents' Night - the opening for the student exhibitions -
> we had nearly 600 people!  A good number of these were people who had
> probably never been to the Museum.  Our guards were in shock because they
> did not know the proper museum behavior and complained to me that we
> shouldn't allow these people into our museum!  Sensitivity training
> ensued, needless to say!
>
> For our next parents night, we had a session with the kids beforehand;
> They became responsible for explaining to their parents that paint flakes
> off canvas, that the oils on your hands damages objects, etc.

[snip]

        The problem goes even deeper.  There are other bioeffluents
besides oils from hands damaging objects.  People breathe and people
fart, thus increasing carbon dioxide and methane levels in our carefully
controlled environments.

        The solution is to encase every visitor in a sort of hermetically
sealed space suit umbilically attached to an environment completely
separate from the one for the objects.

                                Ken Heard
                                Consultant Museologist
                                Bass and Elder, Ottawa Men's Chorus
                                Swimmer, Rideau Speedeaus Swim Team
                                Gay Games IV Gold Medalist
                                Coordinator
                                Technology and Transport Museums Sector
                                Canadian Museums Association
                                E-Mail: [log in to unmask]