While it is quite fun reading the myriad of flame mail to Bob Vila that has
been put on this list over that past week, enough is enough!
We must remember that he is not a museum professional and is not versed
in safe handling techniques that museums employ.  And lets be realistic,
what museum visitor actually follows the do not touch signs?  I must
admit that as a museum professional-to-be, I too have touched museum pieces
without my white cotton gloves at various times in my life.  Haven't any of you?
Further, in Bob Vila's profession, he looks at objects in terms of how to
fix them and make them better, more sturdy, and usable.  That is very
different from our plan of keeping objects as they are in perpetuity.  If
you are not a museum professional, then chances are you don't know how we
do things or why.  Most museum visitors don't know why they aren't
allowed to touch artifacts or photograph them so often they regard that
as a lame rule and ignore it.
We say do not touch, but perhaps we should explain the importance of that
to our visitors.  Give them a clue to the importance of not touching
objects rather than saying 'not to touch that because I said so'.
Vila is just a musuem visitor.  He  does deal with antiques, but in a much
different way, and in his profession, what he did was acceptable.