I have to agree with Elizabeth Hanson; I think a move away from collections
based museums is very unfortunate.  Do visitors really prefer the high-tech,
hands-on stuff though?  Our exhibit department tells us so but I haven't
seen any visitor survey results or published research that supports that
statement.  If anybody knows of any pubs I would appreciate the reference -
whichever way it supports (collections or non-collections).  In addition, I
would think that the object intensive biodiversity exhibit at AMNH has
proven so popular and successful that we could argue from that exhibit that
people DO like to see objects, and lots of them.

Dr. Elizabeth A. Moore, Curator
Virginia Museum of Natural History
1001 Douglas Avenue
Martinsville, VA  24112
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-----Original Message-----
From: Elizabeth Hanson <[log in to unmask]>
Newsgroups: bit.listserv.museum-l
To: [log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]>
Date: Wednesday, May 26, 1999 12:10 PM
Subject: Re: museums without collections


>Since I am trained as a material culture historian I too am dismayed with
>the increased number of collectionless exhibits/museums.  Has your paper
>explored why this is occurring?  I think one factor involved is the
>increased competition of mass media and technology.  Audiences increasingly
>expect exhibits to be flashy and high tech.  More and more exhibits are
>going up with less objects and more blown up images, sound, and computers.
>In other words audiences want a show.  On the one hand I am appalled.  On
>the other hand one of the reasons museum collect objects is to present them
>to the public.   I think museums are capable of finding a balance between
>the two.  If museums don't change with the times than no one will visit,
>less interest will be generated and funding will wane.   We can't be afraid
>of technology and it can be use to our advantage.   What do the rest of you
>think?
>
>E
>
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