What an interesting and relevant thread.  In reading a few of the postings I am struck by the all too real blurring between "real" objects and props, "real" people and actors which has inundated much of the museum world in the past twenty years.  Much of this can be attributed, of course, to the incessant demand of popular culture for entertainment - it seems that the public wants our culture objects to wear tap shoes and sequins too!   

Many museums that had formerly been scholarly and philanthropically oriented have become increasingly dependent on popularity and corporate funding. This has increased public access by orders of magnitude and yet, as many museum professionals decry, it has also seemed to dilute the truth of our representations of the objects of art and peoples of the past.  A similar cultural parallel has happened to both the print and television news media in which august and respected organizations have had to slip into stories and modes of communication which were formerly solely the province of tabloids and yellow journalism.  Much of this shifting of professional standards seems to have also occurred due to intense competition for ratings and dollars - what was once generally non-profit has become profit-driven.

The question for all of us is just how far we are prepared to let this process snowball - even through a few minor instances of compromise.  Do we select the best attributes of modern multi-media tools to achieve better understanding and appreciation of original artistic and historic objects or do allow the media to become the predominant message? 

I think that a middle-ground can be achieved which is inclusive of both objects and people.  Many of the best recent exhibitions have admirably achieved this.  Almost any scholarly topic can simultaneously challenge, educate, and entertain the public if an institution is supportive of its curator and education staffs.  Institutions can take a dangerous turn when the message is dominated by advertising and public relations directors whom are solely focused on catchy titles and the latest gee-whiz techno-tools.  I, for one, am tired of hearing various administrators decry that we must compete with Disney.  If that is so, we all should get ready to sell off our collections and get fitted for Mouse ears and tap shoes.

Cheers!
Dave

PS-  These are, of course, my personal opinions


David Harvey
Associate Conservator,
Metals & Arms
The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation
P.O. Box 1776
Williamsburg, Virginia  23187-1776  USA
Phone:     757-220-7039
E-Mail:     [log in to unmask]