This is forwarded from H-WEST.  All opinions are the author's.  Don't blame
the messenger, I didn't write it.  It deserves a response.  Have at it,
folks.  They've been warned.  Reply to H-West for the best effect:
[log in to unmask]

Cheers,
HBC

>Date: Fri, 28 Jun 1996 13:32:58 +0000 (CST6CDT)
>From: "G. L. Seligmann (AcadCore, x3399)" <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Re: how to visit a museum
>Sender: H-Net Western History List <[log in to unmask]>
>To: Multiple recipients of list H-WEST <[log in to unmask]>
>Reply-to: H-Net Western History List <[log in to unmask]>
>Organization: University of North Texas
>Comments: To: [log in to unmask]
>
>        You took the thoughts right off my keyboard.  gls
>
>
>From:           [log in to unmask] (Kathleen Mero)
>
>
>
>
>I love museums, I hate museums.  Does anyone else feel this way?  The
>reasons why I love museums is obvious.  Why I also hate them is more of
>a problem...here are a few peeves......museum galleries are so large
>that any discussion being held echoes throughout, thus discouraging my
>occasional debates with spouse over the fate of the buffalo or
>whatever.  I often feel like an intruder not a seeker of knowledge in
>these immense rooms.  There is no where to sit and think about things,
>art galleries usually offer some sitting spaces but not the artifact
>rooms.  Stopping for a snack is a joke, I have yet to find a museum
>that didn't feel it had a mission to charge the highest price possible
>for a cup of coffee and a bagel.  If you take one or two children you
>can easily run up a lunch bill of $20 for a couple of hot dogs and soft
>drinks and maybe an ice cream or jello, what do the poor people do?  I
>know that museums have wonderful educated scholars on their payrolls,
>called curators.  How come I never see them?  If I go to a National or
>State Park I can find a naturalist or a geologist or some other
>knowledgeable person who will actually talk to me, answer questions and
>other wise enrich my visit.  In most museums the only official person
>in any gallery is the rent-a-cop.  The rest rooms are either in the
>basement or up on the 3rd floor.  School kids get lots of attention in
>Museums, this is a good thing, but why is it that the same attention
>isn't available for those of us old enough to pay the taxes and buy the
>memberships?  Why can't I go to a museum and know that everyday at 1:30
>the Curator of Native American Blankets will be in the gallery to lead
>a discussion, and impart her knowledge?  I know her day is busy with
>all that blanket curating, but shouldn't part of that day include time
>with the people she is curating for?  Of course she will be available
>at the 'Friends' Reception and Gala Opening of the latest exhibit, but
>that is hardly the place to pull her aside and raid her brain for info
>on that red blanket with the swastikas on it you just inherited from
>Uncle Doc.  Well, all this pent up emotion sort of surprised even me.
>Please, all the wonderful curators out there, don't misunderstand, I
>love you all, but occasionally it might be a good idea for all of us to
>look at what we love and what we hate about museums.  But we must never
>consider living without them!  Kathleen J. Mero
>

****************************************
Henry B. Crawford        Curator of History
[log in to unmask]     Museum of Texas Tech University
806/742-2442           Box 43191
FAX 742-1136             Lubbock, TX  79409-3191
***** "Rosencrantz and Gildenstern are dead!!" *****