Small museums can, if they want, develop and maintain a decent web presence
without more than the cost of the software & the time needed for someone on
staff (in my case, myself) to learn how to design and upload.

One of the most user-friendly is Microsoft Publisher (around $100) which
also does our camera-ready print work and lots of other goodies.  A low-end
scanner to make use of photos can cost under $100 or a better one, $300.

Our local provider charges nothing for hosting the site.  It takes me 15
minutes a week to update & upload changes.   It is a nice distraction from
directing the museum, raising money, managing the staff, keeping the Board
on track, and organizing the socials.

Your own provider can show you how to obtain CuteFTP, an easy uploading
software.  The upload system with Microsoft products isn't that simple.   If
you are without the funds, don't invest in servers and all the other jazz,
including dedicated lines.  Your desktop PC will work just fine.  Don't
expect to have a "hit box," chat forum, message center, or establish on-line
museum shop sales, however.

We'll win no awards, but ours has become a source of lively interest in the
museum in our region, as well as from a distance.  The links our tiny staff
and our volunteers suggest, help add value to our site.  We get feedback
from lots of people who've passed through southwestern Virginia and missed
us, those interested in learning more (we then sell books by snail mail) and
visitors who've found us on the internet.

The biggest problem is getting a site listed on the big search engines, e.g.
Yahoo and Webcrawler.  It takes time, and if you're patient, it will happen
some months after you've figured out how to contact those businesses and
make the request.   For dollars, you can also get a firm to do it for you,
but we didn't have the dollars.

http://www.netscope.net/~histcrab

Ross Weeks Jr.
Historic Crab Orchard Museum & Pioneer Park
Tazewell Va.


-----Original Message-----
From: John Chadwick <[log in to unmask]>


>At 9:24 AM -0400 8/20/98, Roger Wulff wrote:
>>Dear Robert and Listers:
>>
>>I agree that the establishment of a web site is a very cost effective
>>method for a small museum to reach it's public.  In fact, a web site is
>>a very effective method for a new or "start-up" museum to communicate
>>its proposed concept and programs - and even to solicit funds
>>"On-Line."  A web site is a great "leveler of the playing field" for any
>>museum.
>>
>>The one piece of advice I would give - to a large or small museum - is
>>not to invest in your own server system.  There are many firms and
>>organizations out there who will provide all of the services you require
>>at very little initial outlay of funds.  Your server does not have to be
>>in the same city, state, or indeed, the same country.
>>
>>Take a look at our web site, and if you are interested in costs,
>>services, etc., E Mail me and I will be happy to provide them.
>>
>>Kind Regards
>>
>>Roger Wulff
>>
>Roger,
>
>I couldn't agree with you more on the first paragraph. A Web site is an
>excellent way to reach local visitors, people who may be planning a visit,
>and others who are interested in the topic of the museum, i.e., natural
>history, fine art, local history, etc. A well designed Web site can reach
>many people and meet the needs of a diverse audience.
>
>As for the second paragraph though, I would have to disagree somewhat. Yes,
>a smaller museum might be better served by contracting to a company to
>provide Web server. However, the cost of a dedicated line to the Internet
>becomes cheaper than a bank of modem lines for people to connect to the
>Internet. Although the cost varies, a 56KBS dedicated circuit costs about
>$88/month. A T1 line runs about $500/month (with all the administrative
>costs tacked on by the agency that maintains the circuits). Of course, if
>you calculate 10 business lines for dialup access, then a T1 becomes very
>cost effective. The dedicated lines can handle all e-mail and online
>research that a museum may engage in beyond serving information on the Web.
>There are other options such as ISDN or DSL that can provide fractional T1
>service for some organizations for less than $200/month, depending upon
>what part of the country you are in. If you have an internal computer
>network going already, then maintaining Web services in house is a
>relatively small additional cost. Leasing rather than purchasing can shift
>the cost to operations rather than capital outlay.
>
>Personnel costs are the biggest consideration. Web sites need to be
>maintained and updated on a regular basis. Maintaining servers is the
>biggest expense, although servers are much easier to set up and maintain
>than they were even three years ago. Still, it takes someone who
>understands the principles of networking to make things work.
>
>There are questions that need to be asked and answered. The answers will
>vary from institution to institution. A Macintosh makes one of the best Web
>servers at a fraction of the cost of a large Unix-based system. Generally
>speaking, a larger institution with some internal computer networking may
>benefit from hosting their own Web server, and smaller.
>
>Once again, whether you contract for Web services or do it inhouse, the
>real issue is maintaining the site, just like you maintain and change your
>exhibits.
>
>john
>
>=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
>John Chadwick, Ed.D. Network Administrator and Web Administrator
>New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science
>1801 Mountain Road NW
>Albuquerque, NM 87104
>[log in to unmask],     http://museums.state.nm.us/nmmnh/
>phone: (505) 841-2843 FAX (505) 841-2866 Cellular (505) 264-4460
>=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=