At 12:00 AM 5/11/03 -0400, you wrote:
>Date:    Sat, 10 May 2003 09:53:27 -0400
>From:    Carol Kocian <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: touching things in reenactment vs. museums
>MIME-Version: 1.0
>Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" ; format="flowed"
>
>Hello,
>
>      I'm on some reenactment lists, and occasionally discussion comes
>up about visitors coming through a camp and handling our possessions
>and sometimes us without permission.  People (adults as well as
>children) will pick up an object or sometimes grab someone's clothing
>or even attempt to lift their skirts!  Often reenactors will say that
>people know better than to do this in museums, although I know this
>is not completely true.

In fact, a good part of the museum educator's job at the Higgins is to roam
the Great Hall telling visitors not to stuff the objects that aren't in
cases. And we tell school groups this at least twice during the course of a
tour -- that is, there are two predetermined points at which we say "don't
touch anything please" and then we often have to repeat that. Ask me about
the wedding in the Great Hall where one guest tried to remove an entire arm
defense and another tried to punch a breastplate. Better yet, don't.


>      When visiting Pompeii, my sister-in-law said everything was
>there for touching, something I don't agree with.  It was sad to see
>frescoes with the bottom half rubbed away from people touching it.

Just because it's not under glass doesn't mean you can/should touch it.

>      Does anyone have comments on this, and suggestions on how to
>maintain more control over the visitors while still providing the
>experience?

Perhaps a little sign saying "For your safety and ours, please don't touch
our stuff."?

Also, mentioning it in your talks to visitors is a good way to do it as
people can ignore signs. Telling them directly and in person that it's off
limits -- in a nice way -- is the best way to do it. But it won't eliminate
the problem, just greatly reduce the frequency.

PS Carol,

We're always looking for good medieval and Renaissance reenactment groups
to do presentations on the weekend at the museum. If you know of any, they
should contact the Ed Director at the museum. Currently we have The Company
of the Wolfe Argent and some folks from Czarniecki's Division, for example.


--- Amy West
Museum Educator
Higgins Armory Museum
100 Barber Ave.
Worcester, MA 01606

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