Byron Johnson wrote:
>If 90% of the museum audience visits for
>educational leisure time activities (i.e. exhibits and programs), then
>collecting will be co-equal or of secondary imnportance. Completing
>taxonomic series or series from given cultures or manufacturers will be
>secondary to exhibits or programs.

While the team approach to exhibit development is a valuable innovation and
has produced some fascinating and effective exhibits (at our museum as
well), as a Collections Manager I must take exception to this line of
thought regarding the importance of collections.  While the interpretation
activities at museums are critical to our goal of education, they are not
the sole purpose for the existence of museums.  The other purpose that
museums came into existence was the preservation of artifacts, biological
specimens, artwork, and yes, even ideas.  If we are all borrowing things in
order to put together our exhibits, who will be the keeper of these things?
The stakes are very high and I believe that while much of the public may
be focused on "edutainment," we as museum professionals must maintain the
focus of museums on collections.  Without widespread collecting efforts on
the part of our institutions, large and small, museums will cease to be the
institutions we know today and much information will be lost.  I do not
mean to say that collecting activities are more important than
interpretation, but that they are certainly of equal importance.
Interpretation is meaningless, to me anyway, without something to
interpret!

Cris Wolf

Collections Manager
UIHC Medical Museum
8024A JCP/200 Hawkins Dr.
Iowa City, IA 52242
(319) 356-8475  FAX (319) 356-3862

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