We have been asked to investigate the possibility of touring some major
exhibitions to European venues, and would like feedback from European
colleagues on the following:

1) One show we are considering is a large (1000-1500 sq. meters)
popular culture exhibition requiring high security.  It is an artifact show
that would include costumes on mannequins, models, drawings, media,
etc.  Are art museums a viable venue for a show of this sort in Europe, or
should we be looking at another kind of institution?  (And if so, what?)

2) Our supposition is that a European tour of this exhibition would go most
smoothly by putting together a consortium of museums to share transport
costs and work together with us to make tour plans.   Do you agree with
this idea?  Is this a normal process among European museums?  Or
should we be working with an independent party (a shipping company
perhaps?) to coordinate a tour?

3) We see this show as a "blockbuster" and anticipate charging a fee in
excess of $100,000 USD per museum.  Thoughts?

4) The exhibition might be available to travel beginning within two years.
Will museums have time in their schedules that soon?  In three years?  In
four years?

Thanks for any responses you can give us.  We're particularly interested
in hearing from European colleagues, but would also appreciate
information from others who have had experiences in this area.  Please
either post your answers to this bulletin board, or send them to:

 [log in to unmask]

[Sorry to be mysterious about the actual subject matter--all agreements
are not yet in place for this project so we are unable to announce it yet.
We'll be happy to provide more details about the proposed exhibition's
subject matter and content to potential host institutions as they become
available--just note your interest in your e-mail response.  Thanks!]

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[Posted by Lawrence Hyman for Anna Cohn and Betty
Teller--Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service]
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