Definitions and classifications should not be a matter of personal
(dis)likes, of (not)preferred developments, of the tastes of the public.
We can handle the problem on two different levels:
a)
Make sound (scientific) definitions and classifications of the objects -
what is a museum, an exhibition, a center, a collection, a gallery, a
collected object, an exhibition object, an exhibit etc. with all the
qualities of definitions: can be proven, singles out, classifies, does not
mix different objects etc. These definitions would have a practical impact:
The audience - and the professionals - would know what to expects, before
they visit it.
In the world of museums and exhibitions and science centres and zoos etc.
we have too few definitions. There are "object-driven" museums, which place
the objects in the foreground, there are "theme" museums, which try to
display and teach a theme (e.g. French art in 19th century, evolution of
frogs, my hometown during the Civil War). We have no accepted definitions
for these different approaches.
This shows that Museology is not a grown-up science, because science starts
(as Adam did) with giving names to the objects of the field, making
abstractions and classifications. Only with names (definitions) for the
objects to be observed, science can study how the objects behave and
function with each other.
b)
Make a survey and ask what the people, what the professionals like, what
they do not like, what they really visit and what names they give these
institutions.
I would prefer the approach (a), but Elizabeth A. Moore thinks differently.
So, why not take both approaches and we will see the difference. I hope
there is somebody out there and conducting the research plus the survey.
Greetings from Skopje, Makedonija
Peter, the defining Rebernik
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-----Original Message-----
From: Elizabeth A. Moore [SMTP:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: aoi?iee, 01 ?oie 1999 19:13
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: museums without collections
I have to agree with Elizabeth Hanson; I think a move away from collections
based museums is very unfortunate. Do visitors really prefer the
high-tech,
hands-on stuff though? Our exhibit department tells us so but I haven't
seen any visitor survey results or published research that supports that
statement. If anybody knows of any pubs I would appreciate the reference -
whichever way it supports (collections or non-collections). In addition, I
would think that the object intensive biodiversity exhibit at AMNH has
proven so popular and successful that we could argue from that exhibit that
people DO like to see objects, and lots of them.
Dr. Elizabeth A. Moore, Curator
Virginia Museum of Natural History
1001 Douglas Avenue
Martinsville, VA 24112
[log in to unmask]
-----Original Message-----
From: Elizabeth Hanson <[log in to unmask]>
Newsgroups: bit.listserv.museum-l
To: [log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]>
Date: Wednesday, May 26, 1999 12:10 PM
Subject: Re: museums without collections
>Since I am trained as a material culture historian I too am dismayed with
>the increased number of collectionless exhibits/museums. Has your paper
>explored why this is occurring? I think one factor involved is the
>increased competition of mass media and technology. Audiences
increasingly
>expect exhibits to be flashy and high tech. More and more exhibits are
>going up with less objects and more blown up images, sound, and computers.
>In other words audiences want a show. On the one hand I am appalled. On
>the other hand one of the reasons museum collect objects is to present
them
>to the public. I think museums are capable of finding a balance between
>the two. If museums don't change with the times than no one will visit,
>less interest will be generated and funding will wane. We can't be
afraid
>of technology and it can be use to our advantage. What do the rest of
you
>think?
>
>E
>
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