Okay, may I'm missing something here.  The whole issue is that while someone
was walking through your museum they were not watching were they were going
and fell over a stroller who was doing nothing wrong.  Because of this the
stroller was banned?    That person could have just as easily backed up over
a person with a walker would they have then been banned?

It is illogical to ban the person with the stroller just because they were
there.  Additionally, it is illogical to hold the museum responsible for
that kind of accident.  How would eliminating strollers have prevented that
accident?  The man could have backed over a child standing behind him also
and the child would be just as hurt.  Why not eliminate back up in the
museum, that is what caused the initial accident in the first place?
Because it is also illogical.  You can't just get rid of everything that
might cause an accident, because if you do you won't have any visitors.

If there is room for a wheelchair then there is room for a stroller.  We
should not think of strollers as a connivance because they are not.  They
are an extension of the family who is visiting.  Just as what happened in
this experience, you can not know why someone is using a stroller and
therefore you should allow them.  Also, what are you going to do if a single
parent comes in with 2 to 3 small children?  Are they expected to carry them
all?  Right!  Or are you going to tell them they are not welcome in your
museum?

As far as "strollers being for the connivance of the parents"  that is
bologna.  Yes  parents are using strollers so they don't have to carry their
child constantly but strollers are rarely convenient.  They are bulky, heavy
and cumbersome, but when you think about carrying a child for several hours,
they are worth it.  Also, from a parents point of view, you can strap a
child into a stroller and not have to worry about them touching everything
plus you can provide entertainment for them in their own space.

I agree that if your museum has limited mobile space (and is a relatively
short experience) you could post that Strollers are only allowed in special
circumstances, but in this case that was finally allowed to her humiliation.
She was "escorted" through the museum like she was a criminal or something.
Have we given any thought to how she felt about being "escorted?"  She was
not able to look at her own connivance, she was made to feel like she
couldn't be trusted, and that she was pulling someone away from other
duties.  Of course, she was offended at being escorted.  How would you fee.?

I guess I have ranted enough.
Thanks for considering these thoughts
Tracie

Tracie Evans, Curator of Collections
Stonefield Historic Site, SHSW
PO Box 125
Cassville WI 53806
608-725-5210
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