I would contend that all these museums do have something in common: they all
teach with objects. Regardless of whether or not a particular museum
collects, it does use a physical thing (be it a historical object,
reproduction, recreation, display, or living matter, such as fish or plants)
to teach about ideas, points of views, experiences, or phenomena. We are all
using physical objects to express abstract concepts. I believe this is the
whole reasoning behind the term "object-based learning."

I would hope that every museum would consider the most effective manner of
teaching about these concepts. Perhaps history and art museums collect
partly because that is the most effective way for them to teach about the
past. It seems to me that children's museums and science museums have very
different policies because they are tackling different subjects or audiences
than traditional museums. They (and all museums) should design their various
functions with their audiences in mind.

I have personally experienced museums that collect because they think they
have to. Yet, the collection is not valued nor used in any effective manner.
Is it worth it for a museum to have a collection when it isn't cared for or
used? I would rather have a museum opt to not have a collection, after
weighing the pros and cons, rather than collect just for the sake of being a
museum.

I am not ready to kick children's museums and science centres out of the
field. In fact, I think that they are breaking new ground and challenging
traditional museums to consider new approaches, technologies, etc. I also
don't think that the most traditional approach, meaning the "way we have
always done it," is necessarily the best approach. I think museums should
continue to push the envelope and question their definition and boundaries.

Celeste DeWald
Curator of Education
National Steinbeck Center
(831) 775-4730

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