At 05:12 PM 5/23/97 -0400, you wrote:

>I'm interested in knowing what kind of research most curators do for
>exhibits.

Christine,

The answer to your question would depend not only on the type of curator you
asked, but what institution s/he worked for, what type of exhibit was being
developed, and what the intended audience was.  Exhibits here at The Field
Museum cross the spectrum, from exhibits that concentrate on expressing
basic concepts of science and culture to more focused exhibits aimed at an
academic audience.  But I believe that each successful exhibit provides
information through a variety of means, allowing the visitor to choose how
deeply s/he wants to engage the subject.

And regarding your question about the value of a "thesis" for an exhibit, I
don't think that any exhibit can survive the development stage without it.

Cheers,

Peter B. Stevenson
Exhibit Developer
Field Museum/Chicago
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"Everywhere is walking distance if you have the time."
                                        --Steven Wright