While the idea of designated seating or a special private or family area may sound like a good idea, as at least two list members have mentioned, check your state's legislation on this subject carefully.

Having worked in at least one state where women have the right to breast feed in anywhere in public, you can not ask them to move, regardless of if your institution has set aside a specific area for this activity.  To do so, under such circumstances not only opens you up to protests, but to potential law suits for violating the rights.

Just my thoughts on Saturday.
Keni Sturgeon
Jensen Arctic Museum
Monmouth, OR

----- Original Message -----
  this way a guard can simply ask that the
> mom move
> over to the designated seating in the gallery.  you accomodate the
> sensitiveneed for a very basic human activity, while still
> protecting the art.  as
> humans we have the distinct ability to understand fine lines
> between food in
> galleries and milk laden breasts in galleries.  and bottles can
> and do leak
> or spill.  the danger there is greater than the danger of breast milk
> leaking.  make the fine line for the sake of humanity.  how many
> documentedinstances of breast milk landing on  paintings are there
> anyway...?  i am
> inspired to find out what our museums policy is on this matter.
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Steven Allison-Bunnell" <[log in to unmask]>
> To: <[log in to unmask]>
> Sent: Friday, June 27, 2003 11:06 AM
> Subject: Re: Visitor conduct, sensitive issues...
>
>
> > I can't help but add my support for allowing breastfeeding in the
> galleries.
> > As the father of a breastfed child, I can say that the breast
> has been the
> > only thing that could calm our son down on many occasions. In
> terms of
> > disruption to other gallery visitors, a fussing baby is far more
> bothersome
> > than a woman discretely breastfeeding. In our family, a
> breastfeeding ban
> > would certainly not engender good will toward the museum. If you
> want to
> be
> > a family-friendly place, you will not ban breastfeeding in the
> galleries.>
> > There is no rational public health, hygienic, preservation,
> conservation,> etc. reason for banning breastfeeding in the galleries.
> >
> >
> > On 6/27/03 8:05 AM, "Gibson, Cecelia" <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> >
> > > I have two questions for the list.  One is a rather sensitive
> issue for
> all
> > > of you to ponder.  We are currently developing guidelines for
> visitor> > conduct in exhibition galleries.  The guidelines would
> be posted in each
> > > gallery and would be used by our Gallery Representatives as a
> means of
> > > enabling them to act when they see behaviors that are
> inappropriate in
> the
> > > gallery.  One of the first items listed would, of course, be
> no food or
> > > drinks allowed.  We would like to include breast-feeding in this
> category as
> > > it is technically a food source.
> >
> > -----------------------------------------------------------------
> ---------
> --
> > Steven Allison-Bunnell, PhD
> > Senior Producer & Writer ~ Educational Web Adventures
> > [log in to unmask] ~ http://www.eduweb.com
> > -----------------------------------------------------------------
> --------
> >
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