I would suggest you start following the situation with the Barnes Foundation near Philadelphia, PA.  It is a fascinating organization about which there is a substantial bibliography, and over the last ten years or so the place has become the center of a firestorm of accusations about racism, legacies, misappropriation of funds, and the relationship (or lack thereof) between a "museum" and an 'educational institution."

Best place to start is the archives of the Philadelphia Inquirer going back to the death of Violette de Mazia, the last of Albert Barnes' original crew, in 1988 or 1989.  There was a large op-ed piece in the Sunday Inquirer with editor Jane Eisner taking a position advocating moving the Foundation from it's current location to the museums area in the city, and there was an update in today's paper about court challenges the neighbor's have made in reference to two "fundraisers" that they (the neighbor's claim) were prohibited "rent-the-hall" events.

It's a heck of a case study:  deals with problematic wills and trusts, financial disaster,  racial politics, the works.  And all of this and some of the greatest masterworks of modern art, too.

Ellen B. Cutler
LNB Associates: Writing, Editing, Proofreading, Research services
Aberdeen, MD  21001  
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Enza Sansone 
  To: [log in to unmask] 
  Sent: Monday, March 19, 2001 7:21 AM
  Subject: Museum crisis management


  I wuold like to receive some information about Museum Crisis Management.
  At the moment, I'm studying different ways which can force museum directors to declare crisis status.
  I'm interested in publications, essays, web sites, personal experiences about management and cost crisis in museums. 

  Thank you for your attention,


  Enza Sansone