To Elizabeth Punsalan:

   I would say that the "hypothesis of this thesis" as you describe it,
   is in the first sentence of your thesis statement, that museums are
   somehow dysfunctional now.  Then your secondary hypothesis is the
   reason for this "dysfunction" viz, the conflict between managerial and
   aesthetic values.

   I hope that you are willing to test the initial hypothesis as well as
   the putative reason behind the "dysfunction."

   Is there a point of reference or comparison for this dysfunction (I
   personally am not convinced by this spelling...)?  Was there less of
   this problem 20 years ago, 30, 40?  When attendance at museums was
   1/50th of what it is now, and when there were so many fewer and less
   diverse institutions?

   As you can tell, I am unconvinced of your initial hypothesis.  As far
   as I can see, all around the major cities, new museums, newly
   invigorated, with new audiences, new outreach programs, and an
   incredible diversity of exhibition programs, from blockbuster to
   modest, are making museums healthier than they have been in my
   lifetime (40 years).

   At least one reason for this is the professionalism of the management
   function (integrating serious financial and strategic planning into
   the previous adhocracy), and the increased capability for raising
   funds,

   I hope that you don't only search out professionals who agree with
   your negative first principal (the dysfunction of museums), but also
   talk to those who are more positive about these trends.  This is the
   golden age of museums, IMHO.

   Eric Siegel
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