PLease read my message carefully.  I didn't advocate locating shops in
"out of the way" places, I merely advocated that they be "off to the
side" instead of forcing all exhibit visitors to walk through a gift shop.
There is a big difference there. Also, the issue I raised was not fear
of "embarrassing someone", but rather one of trying to make the museum a
more inclusive, welcoming place for people of all incomes...including
those who cannot afford the merchandise in the gift shops.  While I am not
denying the business necessities of museums in an era of shrinking
funding, to me, we also need to be sensitive and attentive to the broader,
more economically diverse audiences museums are currently trying to
embrace.

George Bauer ([log in to unmask]) wrote:
: This is one of the most ridiculous reasons I have ever heard for deciding
: where to locate a gift shop!  Do businesses put themselves in
: out-of-the=-way places because somebody might be embarrassed if it were out
: in front???

: george