David Haberstich wrote (with a major snip taken out):

> Ironically, just as museums are flooding their public with longer and
>longer texts and more layers of "context" (translation: MORE text),

I guess I would argue that there are many effective means to establish
context which do not necessarily involve text.  I've seen extremely
effective presentations in various historic house museums and in historic
villages which involved absolutely no text as such.  In some instances,
assuming a brief orientation at the gate, visitors are able to construct a
fair sense of context simply by observing the juxtaposition of artifacts.
I don't think multiplication of text panels is necessary to deveop contexts
for understanding.

Chris Geist
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Christopher D. Geist                        Phone: (419)372-2981
Chair, Department of Popular Culture        FAX:   (419)372-2577
Bowling Green State University
Bowling Green, OH  43403                    E-Mail:  [log in to unmask]

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