In a message dated 96-05-28 19:00:01 EDT, [log in to unmask] (David
Haberstich) writes:

> work in a "free" museum, but seldom see young local visitors who have
>freely chosen to come on their own; they're usually part of a school
>field trip. Most of them would rather be someplace else. Many value
>entertainment, not education, and they would rather pay for something
>they enjoy than spend time engaged in something free that they don't
>consider relevant to their lives.

This is my point. It seems to me that exhibits should have as their goal to
be entertaining and educational (Disney's edutainment - which, sorry, WORKS).
There is no reason that exhibits, while being educational cannot be
entertaining! And I am not talking about an entirely interactive museum,
either. If you get one exhibit that works for kids (pick your age and social,
economic and/or regional range, etc. - one is not going to appeal to everyone
under 18), you can get them in the door and as shopping mall department
stores have known for years, get them in the door and they will wander. One
museum that I was suprised to find no teenagers in when I visited was the
Mutter Museum in Philly, PA. Talk about great disgusting stuff!! Now, I did
not talk about that aspect of the collection with the curator, but seems to
me I'd draw kids in working on their love of "gross stuff and the body" and
hit them with some medical facts while I had their attention. I have two
"guinea pigs" of my own named Heidi and Wendy. When I met the girls they were
5 & 6. I would talk to them about my research in cross cultural body
mutilation (tattooing, footbinding, genital mutilation, etc.). I started them
out with the "gross" stuff - labrets, footbinding, cranial deformation and
dental mutilations  and now that they are 11 & 12, they are very culturally
aware. When I explained genital mutilation to them, Wendy looked at me with
no doubt and said, "I sure am glad I don't live where they do that!" The
point being is that it isn't "gross" for "gross' sake" anymore, it turned
into education! So, what I am saying is, when it comes to those under 18 -
exhibits should be edutaining or else we are not doing our job. Museums have
a bad rep, but I think it is changing. IMHO, of course ;-)

- Adrienne