In article <[log in to unmask]>, [log in to unmask] (Claudia
Nicholson) writes:

>Subject:       Talking with donors . . . before
>From:  [log in to unmask] (Claudia Nicholson)
>Date:  28 Jun 1996 18:56:16 GMT
>
>
>I am suffering from a small string of failures with donors over the issue
>of permanent exhibition of the gift.  The most recent centers around a
>gift transmitted to the museum by the brother of the actual donor, who
>had been deputized to negotiate on donor's behalf.  We talked about a lot
>of things before we left with the object, but the issue of exhibition
>never came up.  I find out now (a year later) that both the donor and his
>brother expected the object to be permanently exhibited in our museum.
>
>I told the brother (still my only link to the donor) that no
professionally-
>managed museum promises a donor permanent exhibition.  And our gift
>agreement, which the donor signed, states quite baldly that the gift is
>absolute and irrevocable.  I am developing a brochure that explains to
>prospective donors what our museum collects, why we collect, and what
will
>happen to their donation once they sign the form.  I have also toyed with
>the idea of having the prospective donor sign a form that says they have
>read, and understood, what was in the brochure.  Will this work?
>
>Although I take personal responsibility for the failures I have suffered,
>I cannot help but wonder if it is not part of a larger museum-wide
problem.
>Most members of the public who do not work in museums or know intimately
>someone who does have no idea what we do or why.  When they walk into a
>museum, they see the exhibits.  They then assume that this is all the
>museum has in its collection, and if they donate something, it, too, will
>be permanently enshrined.
>
>I have felt for a long time that we do a poor job at best explaining
>ourselves.  When national museum day comes around next year, couldn't we
>do something more?  I have found that when prospective donors visit our
>facility, take a tour (including storage) and talk with me at length, we
>have no problem understanding each other.  Unfortunately, that does not
>occur with all donations.
>
>While behind-the-scenes tours are not practical on a regular basis--at
least
>for the institutions with which I am familiar, couldn't someboy develop
>a series of PSAs that might better explain the museum biz?
>
>We talk to ourselves a lot.  How much do we talk to the public?
>
>Any thoughts?
>
>Claudia
>
>

Claudia,
     I agree with you.  I am not too experienced in the art world yet, but
I do have opinions.  It is amazing what people's opinions are regarding a
museum's collection.  To this day, when I bring someone into a museum,
they are disappointed and surprised that a painting they wanted to see was
not there.  Where could it have gone? they ask.  While it may have
negative effects on security and time to allow the general public to view
the storage areas, I believe it is necessary to show these to donors.  I
don't know much about the donor process, but perhaps it should be written
into some legal form so the donor knows what will happen.  It will save
the musuem from difficult situations later from that person as well as the
public eye.  It should be universally known that collections must be
rotated from time to time.  Even I was surprised to hear that the Museum
Of Modern Art in New York City has 95% of its collection in storage.
However, that's another issue to deal with.

Arthur Fleischmann
Intern, Wadsworth Atheneum
Hartford, CT
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