Timothy,

This past year I actually starting working with a paranormal team - one of
the most respected ones on the West Coast (Pasadena Paranormal) - as their
researcher / historian.

Since I have years and years of experience in museums and historic sites one
of my goals is to formulate standards, as part of an educational program /
lectures, that will form a set of guidelines for such investigations in
historic sites and museums.. I recently wrote a pamphlet on guidelines for
doing proper research (I am happy to send out a PDF  by request OFF the
list).

My point of view on this is that a paranormal group should be under the
guidelines that would apply to any group within your grounds and buildings.
This means that a staff monitor should be present. That the furnishings and
architectural surfaces not be touched or have things duct taped to them.
That no food or drinks be allowed within areas that contain collections. And
any trash or other things that they bring be brought out when they leave.
The key word is RESPECT.

On your part you should do due diligence to ask for references from any
group and take the time to talk to other clients and sites where they have
been. Many groups post reports on their sites or they may be able to provide
you one on request. This will give you an excellent idea of how professional
the group may be and what their investigations involve. There are basic
guidelines that most professional paranormal groups work from these days.
First, they should provide you with a report and any evidence collected
within a reasonable time after their investigation. They must respect client
privacy and confidentiality - so no information or evidence can be released
publically without your permission or without prior approval. However, they
own the copyright of their own photographs, video, and audio - so you cannot
use that material without their permission. You cannot control the
intellectual content of their report but you can request that it be kept
confidential. But a group may produce a report you would be proud of - and I
always strive to turn up research that will add something that you may not
already have.

I actually would have more confidence in a group that does not do TV than
one that does. Actually, when we are contacted by clients who ask if we are
bringing the TV cameras or "those Ghost Hunter Guys" their requests usually
automatically get tossed in the circular file. Our team is out there to help
people who have serious concerns and not out there for publicity or to
promote someone else's business.

Many places have stories about ghosts or paranormal activity and many these
days use it as a very real marketing / program for their sites and
institutions. The reality in all of this is that the serious professional
investigators spend hours and hours on-site and in the review of evidence
and results can be sometimes nonexistent, but also sometimes profuse. It
reminds me when I was an archaeologist - far more hours in moving dirt than
in amazing finds. So you are not liable to catch a "skeleton" on just one
visit - but there may be value in finding the source of the cold spots, or
why a fragrance appears in a room, why shadows are seen, or why staff and
visitors get the "creeps" in a specific room or location. A professional
paranormal group will look for every rational explanation first - and they
should leave the rest as "unexplained" unless there is something so striking
and compelling that they have documented where the "H" word might be used.

I personally think that the interest by the public is great because it
provides such a wonderful avenue and opportunity to engage their interest in
history. I also think that it would be great to see an historic site working
with a local paranormal group to offer a ghosthunting 101 program, and you
can create your own "ghost" stories / folklore programs as well. I see
nothing wrong in capitalizing on this to bring folks there - just as many
sites and museums have concerts or other events for the public.

You will be successful if you are able to integrate this as part of the
larger picture and mission of your site and institution.

Cheers!
Dave

David Harvey
Conservator
Los Angeles, CA

On Wed, Jan 21, 2009 at 1:08 PM, Timothy Abel <
[log in to unmask]> wrote:

>  Hi,
>
> I'm looking for advice or if perhaps someone has some experience in dealing
> with this type of facility use.  I've been "tolerating" this use of our
> facility because it seems to bring people through the doors.  Rumors have
> circulated for eons about our facility being haunted, and we have some
> interesting stories that have been related (and I've begun to compile).  We
> have used them in Halloween programs especially with a lot of success.  Its
> amazing how many people will pay to hear a good ghost story, whether they
> believe it or not!  With the attention, though, have come requests from
> paranormal groups who want to do their own investigations.  We've had two so
> far, both pretty hokey if you ask me, but they've generated some fodder for
> exhibits at Halloween and they also have fueled some very successful bus
> tour visitations.  Neither by the way have had comparable results.  And
> neither managed to find the real skeletons tucked away (they've since been
> repatriated).  So, now, with all of this interest, I'm wondering 1) what
> should we be getting out of this besides the spin-off visitation, and 2)
> should we be looking to control the intellectual rights to their results?
> Should we want to control what they put up on their websites about us?
>
>
>
> Thanks
>
> Tim
>
>
>
> Timothy J. Abel, PhD
>
> Director
>
> Jefferson County Historical Society
>
> 228 Washington St.
>
> Watertown, NY 13601
>
> (315) 782-3491
>
> [log in to unmask]
>
>
>  ========================================================= Important
> Subscriber Information:
>
> The Museum-L FAQ file is located at
> http://www.finalchapter.com/museum-l-faq/ . You may obtain detailed
> information about the listserv commands by sending a one line e-mail message
> to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read
> "help" (without the quotes).
>
> If you decide to leave Museum-L, please send a one line e-mail message to
> [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read
> "Signoff Museum-L" (without the quotes).
>

=========================================================
Important Subscriber Information:

The Museum-L FAQ file is located at http://www.finalchapter.com/museum-l-faq/ . You may obtain detailed information about the listserv commands by sending a one line e-mail message to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read "help" (without the quotes).

If you decide to leave Museum-L, please send a one line e-mail message to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read "Signoff Museum-L" (without the quotes).