For the record, the museum at Penn State is a beauty -- building is still
quite new!  The collections are uneven and don't know much about the
exhibitions schedule (State College being a bit of a hike from here) but
with the superior art and education departments they have, I'd expect that
the shows are pretty good.

Ellen Cutler
Aberdeen, MD

----- Original Message -----
From: Ross Weeks <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Monday, December 04, 2000 10:53 AM
Subject: Re: Help defining professional museum standards


> There must be a university museum at Penn State whose staff could help.
The
> last time I visited this museum, years ago, it was more of a curiosity
> although I am sure it has developed further.
> Ross Weeks Jr.
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Daniel Uncles" <[log in to unmask]>
> To: <[log in to unmask]>
> Sent: Thursday, November 30, 2000 6:45 PM
> Subject: Help defining professional museum standards
>
>
> > My Name is Daniel Uncles.  I am a senior majoring in American Studies at
> > Penn State University.
> > Currently I am interning at the Boal Mansion Museum and Columbus Chapel
in
> > Boalsburg Pa.  I am trying to define professional museum standards and
see
> > how our museum measures up to these standards.  My first question is:
Are
> > there widely accepted museum standards? IF so how do you follow them?
> > Let me tell you about our museum.  The home was built in the 1790's and
> > added onto in the 1890's.  The museum includes a home; three outside
> exhibit
> > rooms, and the Columbus family Chapel.  The Chapel contents come form
the
> > Columbus Castle in Asturias, Spain and were inherited in 1908 through a
> > Columbus family connection.  Among the contents of the chapel are an
> > Admiral's Desk, which belonged to Christopher Columbus, European oil
> > paintings and statues from the 14th through 17th centuries and two
pieces
> of
> > the True Cross, which were given to the Columbus family in 1817 by the
> > Bishop of Leon in Spain.
> > The Museum contains the original furnishings, papers, portraits, tools
and
> > weapons of nine generations of the Boal Family, who were instrumental in
> > building and shaping the central Pennsylvania region.  We have many
needs
> > spanning form preservation to presentation.  Every aspect of how our
> museum
> > is run must be reviewed and reconsider, from docent training and the
tour
> > script, to displays and security.  If you have a historic house museum
do
> > you run programs at your site?  Do you let people sit on the furniture?
> Do
> > you have a strict tour script, or do you have several scripts for
varying
> > groups?  Do you have items that have been removed from display when
their
> > monetary or research value outweighs their display value? (Especially if
> > they are not "shown" on the tour)  Do museums keep rare books on
> > bookshelves, or do they lend them to the local archives?  How can you
best
> > cope with climate control and security when you have almost no budget?
> How
> > can you better approach fundraising?  If anyone can help that would be
> > greatly appreciated, even if you recommend a book we should purchase.
> > Please respond to the list or personally at [log in to unmask]
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >                                   Thank You
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >                                   Daniel Uncles
> >
> > =========================================================
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