At 09:57 AM 7/21/97 -0300, Eric wrote:

>I'd be curious to hear the rationale behind setting up a museum for what
>appear mostly to be textual and 2D artifacts.  Seems more like a library
>collection to me.  Ideally, these things would be searchable and accessible
>in various ways.  The museum experience suggests a very different way of
>using these documents.  Or, maybe a WWW site would be most appropriate.
>Could be done for 1/1000 the cost of a museum, attract more users, and be
>more appropriately accessible.
>
>Seriously, I would be glad to hear: why a museum vs. a library collection
>(perhaps part of a university library) or a WWW site?
>
>Eric Siegel
>[log in to unmask]

I'm surprised that the Arents Collection (New York Public Library) has not
been cited in this thread.  This, I understand, is one of the premier
collections on tobacco and tobacco history.  I wonder if they also collect
tobacco related objects.

r.baron