We do not allow eating and drinking either.  Our concern, besides the ones you have listed, is that spilling food and drinks can and will attract pests such as mice and cockroaches (and where there is one there are 100s of 1000s of their kin lurking throughout the building).  When you look at the cost (upwards of $10,000+) for professional extermination of those pests, it far outweighs the benefit of permitting food and drink in galleries.

Lana Newhart-Kellen

>>> [log in to unmask] 06/18/02 11:49AM >>>
My Gala Ball committee doesn't understand why I do not want to permit eating
and drinking in the permanent and temporary galleries of our new museum
opening this Fall.  I have told them that this is against museum standard
practice and that if we allowed it, may hurt our chances for accreditation,
Smithsonian affiliateship, and traveling exhibitions.  Their response to me
is that if The Downtown Chicago Museums can do it, why can't we?

Does anybody have any other suggestions as to how I can convince them that
this is not the route to go.

Susan English
Joliet Area Historical Museum

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