I'm going to stick my neck out here and say that the lack of response on
visitor charters seems to reflect the fact that few museums have them,
presumably because they think they don't need them.  I don't want to
denigrate this idea at all: if I were a museum director and someone proposed
a visitor charter concept to me, I would certainly consider it thoughtfully.
But I think I would avoid convening a committee to come up with one--someone
would first have to convince me that it was a serious issue or that our lack
of such a charter was a problem.  I would also need to be convinced that my
museum needed a unique one that was specific to my institution or
circumstances.  Perhaps I'm being unimaginative here, but why wouldn't  a
generic AAM-type visitor charter or bill of rights be applicable to most
museums?

A short, pithy, visitor-oriented motto or slogan might be satisfactory--but
sometimes slogans sound like advertising jingles.  Fine; we'll have one
that's dignified and not too cute.  A charter implies something more
extensive, however.  But what would you do with it?  If it's just something
more for visitors to read, in a brochure or handout, I'm not sure how
important it is.   I think the thing that bothers me is that the idea of a
charter or bill of rights strikes me as pretentious.  I think I would prefer
to see a letter or introduction from, say, the museum director, embodying all
the points that one might put into such a charter, and explaining what
benefits the museum is seeking to provide for the visitor.  Such a letter
could be placed in the museum guide or introductory pamphlet.

The original request in this thread occurred so long ago, and the response
has been so intermittent that I may have lost the thread.  I'm just not sure
what the fuss is about.  Perhaps someone can tell me what I'm missing.

David Haberstich

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