On Tue, 15 May 2001 15:09:04 -0700, Ellen B. Cutler <[log in to unmask]>
wrote:

>It is an enormously complicated problem, but I think Michael is asking the
>right questions.
>
>The City Life Museums fiasco was a dreadful thing all the way around.
There
>was enormous historical importance to the group, as it reached back to the
>first museum, the Peale Museum, founded in this country.  It filled a key
>role in the Baltimore City schools' offerings.  It may well have been a
>victim in part of regional negativism toward Baltimore City itself.
>
>It could have been worse, I suppose.  The collections went mostly to the
>Maryland Historical Society and are therefore still intact and in the city.
>Some of the projected uses for the buildings are culturally focused and
>morally and socially admirable.  Historical status for the primary building
>with its re-used cast-iron front is a step in the right direction.
>
>Philadelphia has faced similar crises recently with historical museums and
>archives.  So have other cities.
>
>I myself feel dubious about the explosion of museum-esque non-profits.
Many
>new art museums (in particular) seem to be more about the donors ego than
>the quality of the art and the community's access to it.  Museum-type
>structures that are 40% or more entertainment venues seem to undermine the
>very notion that traditional museums are engaged (and must continue to be
>engaged) with the very unentertaining aspects of collecting, conservation
>and research.
>
>Yet the soul-searching as to mission and goals, what can be achieved and
how
>those achievements can/should be measured, is very good stuff.  If the
>survival of our cultural institutions/museum organizations is an ultimate
>good, then perhaps we should be talking more about whether the
manifestation
>that we have grown used to -- the building, a certain staff structure, a
>certain kind of programming -- is or is not itself the "museum that we are
>committed to saving."
>
>By the way, Ellie -- what happened to the City Life Museums was, in my
>opinion, a disaster and the treatment afforded all the staff was
>inexcusable.  It was a case-study ignorance and opportunism, and I am so
>sorry that you are your colleagues became victims.
>
>Ellen B. Cutler
>LNB Associates: writing, editing, research services
>Aberdeen, MD  21001
>410 / 272-1905
>[log in to unmask]
>
>----- Original Message -----
>From: Roark Michael <[log in to unmask]>
>To: <[log in to unmask]>
>Sent: Tuesday, May 15, 2001 10:45 AM
>Subject: Earned Income, Risk and Museum Employment
>
>
>> The world museum community has seen unprecedented growth in the last
>twenty
>> years.  Both employment and total expenditures have never been higher.
>But
>> much of that growth has been spurred by the aggressive pursuit of earned
>> income (admissions, shops, cafes, etc.)  Winning that earned income
>requires
>> museums to compete in the broader marketplace and that by definition
>brings
>> uncertainty and risk.
>>
>> My prediction:  the number of people employed in museums will continue to
>> grow over the next decade but the number of museums may shrink.  I think
>> this will happen for two reasons: 1) gambles taken and lost and 2) the
>> benefits of size.
>>
>> I think we will be seeing a lot more situations like the Baltimore City
>Life
>> Museums.  As I interpret Ellie Elgin's telling of the story (and I have
no
>> knowledge of this situation), the leadership took a risk (assuming 100K
>> mostly-paying? attendees lured away from other pursuits) and failed, and
>the
>> eventual consequence of that failure was closure. Any organization that
>> competes runs the risk of losing.  The response from the museum community
>> should be to hone our ability to identify smart risks not haul the museum
>> trustees to jail.  Again, I am talking generally for I know none of the
>> specifics from Baltimore.
>>
>> [As is the case in most organizations, the risks and the benefits are not
>> equally shared by leadership and employees.  While the Board members may
>> have felt few effects of their decision to shut the museums down, Ellie
>> certainly has.]
>>
>> I also think when competing for earned income, size does matter.  Larger
>> museums will increasingly gain the lion's share of earned income.  It is
>> cheaper to run larger museums than smaller museums because advertising,
>> computer systems, insurance, security, benefits, public programs, public
>> affairs, recruiting, multi-media, purchasing, etc. are all scale
>sensitive.
>> Small museums that rely heavily on earned income will have to both use
the
>> size of a parent organizations (local government, etc.) to reduce the
>> disadvantages of their size AND find a museum market niche they can
>defend.
>>
>> I think the question to the museum community is should we fight to keep
>> every earned-income dependent organization running, irrespective of
>success?
>> Should we fight for the laws that David Haberstich mentions that might
>jail
>> board members if they choose a course other than the failing status quo?
>> What will our donors (public and private) think about organizations that
>by
>> law are not allowed to fail and reorganize in more efficient systems?
>>
>> I think the alternative to our current mode of operating is to slow down
>the
>> creator of growth in museums (earned income), reduce risk and reduce
>> employment in the museum community.  We would have fewer, but safer,
>museums
>> jobs.
>>
>>
>> Michael
>>
>> Michael Roark
>> The Boston Consulting Group
>> Washington, DC
>> +1-301-664-7416 phone
>> [log in to unmask]
>>
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Museum-L" (without the quotes).

I am glad that my remarks about the closing of museums is opening a
dialogue on Museum-L.  It was very sad what happened to us at City Life and
it did affect us.  Many of us still think fondly of our City Life Days.  We
all learned a great deal during our tenure.

The MHS not only inherited the collections, but also hired on many former
City Lifers.  MD Historical Society's collections,exhibition and education
opporturnities grew, thereby saving the collection for the Museum going
public.

The staff has moved on to different museums and we have taken many of the
concepts that we learned at City Life with us.  This has been a gain for
other Museums in the area.  We have been able to take the best of what was
City Life and bring that with us to our new sites.  Currently, I am the
Director of Education at the Baltimore Museum of Industry. It is a very
hands-on museum, much life City Life, which is ideal for school groups.
This is our largest group of visitors.  Next largest draw is special
programs for scouts and families.  I feel very fortunate to be able to
share what I learned as a City Lifer.  Also, that BMI Board and Ex. Dir.
are supportive of the staff and have realistic goals for the growth of this
wonderful site.

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