Ross Weeks <[log in to unmask]> wrote in article :

>         Your article-in-preparation, about overly optimistic
visitation/revenue
> forecasts and how boards may be using rose-colored glasses in projecting
> expenditures, could lead to a broadening in scope.  Solid museum leaders
> often get hurt in the process of a board's reacting to financial
stresses.
>
>         An eminently successful fundraiser and museologist, Dr. Rupert
Cutler,
>  was ousted as director of Roanoke's Explore Park not long ago, and a
career
> motel general manager is now its new director.

Interesting that you should offer these two paragraphs back-to-back....

As ex-Education Director of Explore Park, I'm afraid I have a differing
perspective on this troubled project.  It has been going through rough
times PRECISELY because of "overly optimistic visitation/revenue forecasts
and... using rose-colored glasses in projecting expenditures...lead[ing] to
a broadening in scope." The only difference is that it was not merely the
Board's fault, but equally the professional staff's (Executive Director &
General Manager) failure to do the job that museum people must do that lead
them to this place.

Originally conceived of as something far different from a museum entity
("amusement park" springs to mind after seeing the original concept
documents) it became one only after the failure of the both the board and
professional leadership to fund implementation of its original vision
(scheme).  I'd note for the record that Dr. Cutler, while a very charming
and personable member of the Roanoke community IMNSHO owes his ouster to
the fact that he wasn't a museologist....or a good fundraiser.  He was a
nationally well-connected environmentalist....but that was a dubious asset
for leading an outdoor historical museum. While I can't fault his interest
or desire to learn, his lack of background or training in museology left
him ill-equipt to lead an already troubled project.  He came to lead the
organization as executive director because of ouster/failure of the
previous board appointed leadership to implement either board vision,
promoting him internally instead of conducting a sound executive search
process.  He spent his years w/ the organization saying "yes" to various
people....but he seemed to confuse raising money for a institutional
mission, with accepting any money offered.... even if it came with strings
that expanded the institutional mission and required matching money
(sometime on the order of 10-20 TIMES!) that the park did not have to
implement these worthy but grandiose schemes.

With the failure of the board to set a vision or provide oversight.....and
the failure of the professional staff to maintain and impliment this
vision, or exercise its professional duties to advise the board of the
pitfalls which lay ahead givin its course of [in]action, it is little
wonder that this project is in trouble.

In general, I'd say that rose-colored management both from boards and
professionals have hurt the museum profession more than any other factor.


--
Mark L. Shanks
[log in to unmask]
"Clio Eternum, Vita Brevis"