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Date: | Fri, 31 May 1996 09:35:32 EST |
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Maybe, David, the question is of scale: how many kids do we hope
really to affect in some sort of radical way, and how many do we hope
to merely provide a hint that there are other worlds besides the
immediate ones they experience.
I think that the kid who is going to be dramatically transformed by
any museum experience is very rare. But they do exist, and we should
cherish them and assure that they get the full blast of pure air. I'm
one, and I would be willing to bet that the majority of people on this
list have been shaped by museum experiences. When I was so excited
about museums, it wasn't because of any advanced display or
interpretive techniques, or any kind of real educational effort on the
part of the museums that I learned to love. They just sort of put the
stuff out there and left me alone (thinking of the Met in particular).
On the other hand, there are the vast majority who will just more or
less shine the museum experience on. What to do about all of these
visitors? A comfortable atmosphere, interactive exhibits, welcoming
infrastructure, a good cafe, nice shop, empathetic and well-informed
guards and guides, in no particular order, would be my system. But
most of all, I wouldn't spend *any* time or energy kvetching about
their lack of interest or apparent superficiality.
Eric Siegel
[log in to unmask]
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