> In the frenzy to present themselves as
>"educators," some museum professionals forget their fundamental status
>as stewards or guardians of knowledge--in the form of objects which
>are
>documents and residues of the past.


Many of the discussions, like the above, concerning accreditation seem to
view museum professionals only as those who work for collecting museums.
As a professional who has worked for science and industry museums and
children's museums, I certainly view my fundamental status as an
educator.  I worry about accreditation because of the variety of museums
in AAM.  Would we have separate accreditations for children's museum
professional, natural history professional, science and industry
professional, history professional, living history/historic home
professional (I'm sure there are many other categories which I have left
out, but you get the idea)?  Most of the people concerned about
accreditation seem to only view it in context of a collecting museum.  Am
I less of a professional because I work for a hands-on institution
without permanent collections?  Are science and industry museums not
"real" museums?  Are live theatre directors in museums not museum
professionals?  If we do consider accreditation we must look at the broad
scope of museums and museum professionals that AAM now serves.

Laura A.B. Dell
Science Exhibits Coordinator
Children's Museum at Cincinnati Museum Center
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