In 1993 I visited a small museum in Chester, England. I can't recall the
name of the place, but they had a small room/gallery devoted entirely to
explaining what goes on behind the scenes of the museum. They had a
caricature of a china pig, which progressed right through the workings of
the museum, from acquisition, registration, conservation, curatorial study,
and eventually to display. Each section detailed what happened and why. I
would have to say it is the best explanation to the public of how a museum
should work, that I've seen, and many of the large and famous museums, both
here and abroad, could learn something from it.

George Bailey
Objects Conservator
Australian War Memorial
Treloar Centre for Conservation
4 Callan St, Mitchell, A.C.T. 2911
Australia
Phone: +61 6 241 6122
fax:   +61 6 241 7998
email: [log in to unmask]