After explaining this "do not touch" concept with school children, I then
explain to them that this means that their teachers can't touch either
and ask for them to "help" me watch their teachers to make sure they
don't touch.  This, then, "puts them on my side" designated to "assist"
me in protecting the artifacts from the grownups.   They love it and will
actually tell their teachers not to touch.  It empowers someone who
normally has none in those situations.  Just another technique. . .

Delecia Huitt
Division of State Parks
Festus, MO 63028
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 -----Original Message-----
From: Kathrine L Walker
Sent: Thursday, October 15, 1998 11:04 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: "please do not touch"

We begin many tours, especially school tours, with a conversation about
what a museum does - collect, care for and educate.  We discuss the no
touching rule then, explaining or asking the children to give us reasons
why they shouldn't touch the art. (this also works well with college
students1)
 We feel that treating our visitors
with respect and explaining the reasons to them is more polite than stark
rules. They then become equals with the staff in taking care of the art.
With children, a discussion which involves their participation is
a better way of getting them to remember and follow the rules.
Kathrine Walker Schlageck
Beach Museum of Art
Kansas State University
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