The Logan Museum of Anthropology at Beloit College went to open storage.
 What they did was to create a cube, which functions as a work area.
The collections are stored all the way around the cube, where they
remain behind glass but can be openly viewed by visitors waliking around
the outside.  THe idea was also that visitors would be able to see the
museum staff working inside the cube.  This glass cube forms the
center of the space, while around the perimeter, more interpretive
exhibits have been implemented.

The idead of interpretation is always tricky with open storage.  There
is the concern of misinterpretation by an uninformed audience.
At Beloit, one of the reasons for going to open storage was to give the
students and faculty who were not associated with the museum or museum
studies program an opportunity to see (enjoy)the bulk of the collection.
 By putting it on display, it was hoped that students, faculty, and
visitor would draw inspiration from it for their daily and scholarly
lives.  I personally feel it  was a good move at Beloit and I believe it
was well received.


Jill Brush
Beloit College alum
Curator of History
Johnson County Museum
Shawnee, KS


On Mon, 8 Feb 1999, Bethany Thomas wrote:

>      I'd also be interested to learn more about open storage systems as a
>      means of getting more collections visible.
>
>      Bethany Thomas
>      St. Louis Science Center
>      [log in to unmask]
>
>
> ______________________________ Reply Separator _________________________________
> Subject: Re: Open storage
> Author:  Museum discussion list <[log in to unmask]> at INTERNET
> Date:    2/8/99 9:28 AM
>
>
> Hi everyone . . . please discuss this issue of open storage on the list . .
> . we're interested in hearing current opinions, especially from those who
> went that route several years ago.  I really love the storage systems at
> the Wallace gallery in Col. Williamsburg . . . would be interested in how
> it's working on a daily basis.
>
> Can we start a dialogue?!  Thanks, Lee :)
>
> Lee Langston-Harrison
> Director of Curatorial Operations
> Montpelier, Home of James & Dolley Madison
> Montpelier Station, VA 22957
> (540) 672-0007
> [log in to unmask]
>
> ----------
> From: Sally Shelton <[log in to unmask]>
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Open storage
> Date: Monday, February 08, 1999 9:20 AM
>
> Hi, MUSEUM-L people. I received the following request for info from a
> colleague and thought I'd post it for your input and comments. Thanks in
> advance for your help and expertise.
>
> Cheers, Sally Shelton
> National Museum of Natural History
> <[log in to unmask]>
>
>
> We at the Peab. are interested in exploring open viewing storage systems
> that allow the public to see more of the collection than normally they
> would encounter in an exhibition.  This idea of course is developed
> differently by different institutions according to their collections
> needs.  "Open storage" was in vogue some years ago and seems to be making
> a comeback (if I read trends correctly).  Anyhow, what I would like is
> titles of references that might come to mind on the subject.  Can you
> think of any you have seen?  Thanks in advance.
>
> Larry
>
>
> -----------------------
> Lawrence J. Flynn
> Assistant Director
> Peabody Museum of Archaeology & Ethnology
> (617) 496-3945
> ----------
>