On Thu, 18 Apr 1996, Henry B. Crawford wrote:

> Exhibit vs. Exhibition
>
> My whole take on this question has to do with the interpretive nature of
> the presentation.  Exhibits are interpretive, and usually focus on a
> cultural (in the anthropological sense) historic, or scientific theme and
> content.  The more interdisciplinary, the better.  Exhibitions show
> artistic collections and are not particularly interpretive.  Just read
> almost any art exhibition label.  They don't tell you much beyond the
> artist's name, date, dimensions, and medium.  There's not much
> interpretation going on there.
>
> I try to avoid the word "display."  IMHO, displays are for department stores.

      And I have seen department-store displays that were more attractive,
entertaining and informative than some big-bucks museum exhibitions. You
can call a thing an exhibition or you can call a thing a display, but you
will not change the nature of the thing. All the nuspeak in the world will
not actually alter the world.

      Hank Burchard * <[log in to unmask]> * Washington DC