The opinions here are strictly my own and do not reflect the policies or
opinions of my employers....

I am replying to the message that said:

"The concept of a redefinition of the term "museum" is an important one
to consider.  Disney, whether or not you feel they represent the
antichrist of museums, markets their Club Disney (for children and
fammilies) alternately as a children's museum or a science center,
depending on the research data on potential audiences. Disney may not be
preserving truth and history - but society has begun to accept this
definition of "museum", and will continue to do so in growing numbers.

We can beat them at their own game with real collections and
intellectual content, or we can stand by our horses, damning the first
wave of cars coming down the road.

D. Neil Bremer
****************************************

a) If you have a horse, either be proud of your horse or sell it and get
a car; don't think you should put wheels on it any more than you should
damn the cars.  I think it is a bad analogy anyway, since you are
talking about how cars replaced horses as transportation - but I don't
see edutainment replacing education (and that is what you are talking
about with Disney here); it can be a fair supplemental tool, in my
opinion, and that is all.  I guess in my mind those places you refer to
are more like camels than cars if museums are horses - a good contrast,
a good reminder that there is more than one way to do things, and maybe
an efficient vehicle in some areas where horses are impractical.  Maybe
the horse can learn a little from hanging out with the camel, but it
will never become one, and shouldn't try.  You hit the nail on the head
with "real collections and intellectual content", anyway, that's what
counts in museums.

b) Disney does have collections of art, and some of us are doing real
museum-type work - just for the record!

Tim