Here at the Ohio Historical Society in Columbus, we offer wedding
packages involving the church that's part of the Ohio Village, with
reception possibilities in the Colonel Crawford Inn (also part of the
Village), or in the Historical Center Museum. Sherri Serino, at
[log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask]>  or call (614)
297-2620, is our full-time coordinator of those (and other) events. It's my
understanding we only open our site to weddings after regular hours, so as
not to interfere with paying visitors, which works well (though not without
the occasional difficulty).

        The biggest concern is that, for some, it seems the Museum and
Village have merely become an annoying addition to the preference of using
the site as a Reception Hall. It's a thin line to walk between the
money-making opportunity of renting the site for private functions, and
sticking to the mission and providing a great experience to the museum
visitor. Our biggest scheduling problems occur when the site is being rented
or used for private events when the entire facility is supposed to be open
to the public. As a whole, we try to avoid those sort of conflicts, but
occasionally dollar signs do obscure some associate's vision. Finding out
the organization has decided to schedule a luncheon fund-raising event for
an inordinate amount of society people for the exact time and place when
hundreds of schoolchildren will be touring through certainly brings out the
creative planning skills in everyone. . . and the stress.

        Has anyone else experienced a similar conflict of interest? How were
you able to resolve it? Or is it just one of the ongoing things we have to
accept?



        another question....I was owndering if museums/living history sites
have
        developed wedding programmes at the museum as a means of fund
raising
        (i.e. $50 fee to use property, etc) and, if so, how effective have
people
        found it and what are soem of the problems with it.  Any info would
be
        appreciated

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