Linda Ellis wrote:
>
> I find the recent discussion on "museums without collections" rather
> disturbing.  The oft repeated comment on Museum-L that such trends or
> institutions are "evil" is highly inappropriate and most uncollegial to
> the many fine professionals and institutions who are working to the
> betterment of public education. Rather than taking such extreme positions,
> might we just take a broader, more humanistic and inclusive view of our
> museum profession?
>
> The museum as an institution is continuously evolving--many fine,
> collecting institutions which we consider museums today would have been
> inconceivable in the 1800s. If one goes back even farther into museum
> history, to the Mouseion of Alexandria, which many consider the first
> museum and the institution from which we have taken the word "museum", we
> would find the most basic function of a museum in operation: Education.
> The Mouseion had 4 resident scholars, each of whom was expected to deliver
> lectures to the public--at least one of whom represented a field without
> objects, mathematics. I think that this informal, public education is the
> most fundamental and most eloquent duty which we have inherited from this
> ancient tradition. Today, there are many ways in which informal education
> can take place--collecting and interpreting collections and through
> exhibitions (with or without objects).
>
> I prefer to take a broader view of the meaning of objects:
> Objects represent knowledge or the evidence of knowledge. If objects are
> taken out of context (i.e., looted) or otherwise have irretrievably lost
> their information, then they are worthless as "collections".  But objects
> with associated knowledge are not only one way in which knowledge can be
> transmitted. Our evolving profession basically is seeing a more
> comprehensive view of the role of the exhibition as a medium for
> communication--and this is, I think, the underlying issue to many of
> the comments on Museum-L.
>
> But if one takes a broader view of "what is a museum" then maybe we can
> reach a more inclusive definition:  Why not think of a  "museum" as a
> family of non-profit organizations, whose main role is informal education
> through the collection and interpretation of collections or through the
> exhibition medium.  No definition should be cast in bronze--ready to
> defend at all costs. But this type of suggested, working definition brings
> together seemingly disparate organizations--planetaria, historic houses,
> art museums, science centers, zoos, etc.--all of whom are working in one
> way or another towards the preservation and dissemination of knowledge to
> the general public through informal (i.e., non-classroom) environment.
> This way we respect the hard work of other like-minded professionals
> around the world, as well as honoring what the Mouseion of Alexandria was
> trying to accomplish.
>
> ****************************************************
> Dr. Linda Ellis
> Director, Museum Studies Program
> Professor, Dept. of Classics & Classical Archaeology
> San Francisco State University
>
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>                                         San Francisco, CA   94132
>
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Great response!  Very thoughtful. Enjoyed reading it. Hanna

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