Robin Shtulman and Ed Cope <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

>I have a query to ponder for all you folks out there who work in museums =
>that also maintain gift shops.

>I recently visited a small county museum in which there was a special =
>exhibit on Spanish shipwrecks and underwater archaeology.  The exhibit =
>focused on the technology of underwater archaeology, was full of gizmos, =
>and appeared to be appreciated by the other visitors.  They looked at =
>the artifacts on display, and I overheard more than one conversation =
>about what life must have been like for the people on board.  In this =
>element, I consider the exhibit to be a success.

>In the museum gift shop, majolica potsherds and silver coin pendants =
>made from silver salvaged from shipwreck sites were on sale.  There also =
>were some whole ceramic vessels "of the types found on the ships" for =
>sale.  The store managers had used the exhibit as a tie-in for the =
>merchandise display, and emphasized their authenticity. =20

>Now, the potsherds were fragmentary and unprovenienced,

>everything was =
>collected legally and with the proper permits.

Why are these statements non-sequiters????????

>However, I had some =
>question about the message being given the interested public.  I had an =
>interesting chat with the director of the museum.  I asked whether he =
>thought that the sale of such items might be confusing for visitors, and =
>if, perhaps, a small informational notecard might be placed in the gift =
>shop, stating the museum's stance on artifacts for sale, pothunters, and =
>why this merchandise was okay to sell.  It could be done in three or =
>four sentences, providing the museum staff had a unified stance.  His =
>response was that you can never know where the items come from, heck, =
>even the t-shirts for sale could have been stolen off the back of a =
>truck last night, he wasn't an archaeologist, he didn't know, didn't =
>care, and, anyway, the museum's "friends of" group ran the store, and it =
>wasn't his responsibility.  (Really, he said this.)

Why do I smell a Mel Fisher here?????????

NIce, the Director doesn't run the museum.....

>Never having been the one to manage a museum store or make policy =
>decisions, I am curious to hear responses from those of you who have =
>these responsibilities.  Is there an acknowledged connection between the =
>messages presented in your exhibits and the types of merchandise offered =
>for sale in your store?

We run a railroad museum located at a shop complex built in the
1850's.  We have a policy of NOT selling ANY artifacts.  Even a bent
spike.  We do sell things made by our blacksmith in the old blacksmith
shop, but these are new objects made from steel we bought. We're not a
member of the AAM, but I believe the AAM shares this view.

Legal or not, I don't believe it's ethical, and I think it encourages
looting.

 Do you consider the shop to be a part of the =
>educational component of your museum?  I haven't much exprertise on =
>this, but am very interested to hear what others think.

The shop exists to make money, not to educate.  That's where we take
admissions money anyway, and visitors always want souvineers.


>Thanks.

>Robin Shtulman
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