I also read the article about AMNH with some interest, as
          the New York Botanical Garden and AMNH are, in many ways,
          analagous institutions. Both from the same era, both with
          significant research collections and research programs in
          addition to their public programs. We are also embarked on a
          major expansion and rebuilding initiative, almost twice the
          size of what AMNH announced. The major difference, and this
          struck me forcefully, is that all of the announced
          improvements to the Museum are focused on the public
          experience, not their research or collections.
 
          It is a wonderful museum, one that I've known and visited
          all my life, and they are really doing their level best to
          bring it into the 21st century. Exhibition by exhibition,
          they have replaced "dreary" rooms with the latest in
          information-age displays. It is entirely possible to have
          mixed feelings about all of these changes, but my personal
          reaction has been that, so far, they've all been for the
          best.
 
          I have a feeling that "dreary" was used by the Times
          reporter based upon AMNH staff descriptions. I've heard that
          word used by AMNH staffers as the ultimate adjective to be
          avoided.
 
          Eric Siegel
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