Greetings,
        I don't have alot of museum experience, but I do have a ton of computer
experience. YES! THE PEOPLE WILL PLAY WITH THE KNOBS AND BREAK THEM!! Now
that that is out of my system...The best way to do this is to use a kiosk
system. These are systems that are made for high traffic areas, i.e. malls
etc, everything is locked up except for a very durable keyboard or
trackball, and ventalation for the monitor is built in. There are companies
that rent these, and since they are just PCs in a fancy box, any software
you were planning to run should be fine. Some have a touch screen monitor,
which means that nothing is exposed. The ads in the back of most decent PC
magazines should point the way.
Hope it helps.
Reid

Heidi Anderson <[log in to unmask]> wrote in article
<[log in to unmask]>...
> Hello all museum-l'ers out there.  I have a question for y'all.
> I am currently helping to plan an exhibit that will use a variety of
> interactive displays, one of which will be the use of computers.  My
question
> is:  How should the computers be displayed?  Would it be ok for the
monitors
> and trackballs to sit on a table with the CPU's locked up in a cabinet
close by
> or should the monitors be housed?  Personally I think they should be
enclosed
> in some kind of case so that visitors can't play with dials and buttons
visible
> on the front of the monitors, but to save expense, the exhibit designer
thinks
> they will be ok alone on the table.  What do y'all think?
> Thanks for your help
> Heidi
>
>
> Heidi L. Anderson
> The Carnegie Museum of Natural History, Collections Assistant
> [log in to unmask]
>