While I find the crowds of "blockbuster" shows irritating now, I loved
the first one I ever saw, which was the King Tut in San Francisco.  I
was in the fourth grade, and while I remember waiting in an interminable
line, I remember the objects inside much more vividly.  (Perhaps the
crowd that day was inclined to let a little kid up to the front, I don't
know.)  I was so fascinated that, once back at home, I read several
books about the exhibition and about the Egyptians.  While it would
probably be fair to classify my experience as superficial, I still did
get quite a bit out of it.  So these big shows sometimes can be a
positive experience.

Amanda Meeker

> ----------
> From:         Rax[SMTP:[log in to unmask]]
> Reply To:     Museum discussion list
> Sent:         Thursday, January 14, 1999 2:42 AM
> To:   [log in to unmask]
> Subject:      Re: Blockbuster discussion
>
> Meriah wrote:
>
> >When I was a 8 we went to see King Tut at the Met.  I had wanted to
> see
> >this so badly that we treked across the country and stayed with
> >relatives to do so.  Most of what I can remember is my parents
> hoisting
> >me up, again and again, onto their shoulders to look over a sea of
> >people's heads at the artifacts.  It was exciting and still magical
> for
> >an 8 year old kid, but not at all what I had expected.  I was
> >disappointed to not be able to see the works up close.
> >
>
> Back in the '70 I worked in the conservation deptartment at the MMA. I
> designed and built the mounts and installed the Tut exhibit at each of
> the
> museums in the US tour, but never actually went throught it when it
> was
> open to the public until the final stop back at the MMA. After
> spending
> considerable "contemplative time" with the objects over the previous
> months, I was appalled at the density of the crowds and wondered how
> many
> of those people really saw the exhibit on any but the most superficial
> level.
>
> That has been my general take on blockbuster shows ever since. They
> offer
> the public a superficial experience and the opportunity to buy
> souvenirs
> and tell their friends that they've been to a trendy popular event.
> For the
> museum administration, they draw crowds, make money and attract
> benefactors. Of course, the fact that blockbuster shows are also a
> pain for
> the staff and take time away from the daily operations is irrelevant
> in the
> context of the museum as a corporation.
>
> On the other hand, they often bring together related works from
> wide-ranging sources and give us the opportunity to see a
> comprehensive
> collection that would be otherwise impossible.
>
> R.
>
> --
>
>
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