After working for museums of all kinds for nearly fifteen years,
I, for one, think Jim Swanson's right.  The research literature supports this,
as well.  Therefore, don't just talk to those who visit your museums to
measure their centrality and value to the larger community; talk to those
who _DON'T_ visit -- this is a much larger number!  To most people (Americans,
anyway, although Pierre Bourdieu provides similar research for European art
museums' audiences) our museums are not the first place that most people
think of for filling their leisure time, or even for getting information.
We are beat out by television, malls, libraries, schools and a host of other
social sites.  Overall, museums are highly respected as sources of
information and enlightenment, but they are marginalized whenever questions
of allocations of resources (time or money -- either personal, corporate or
governmental) come into question.
 
        I do believe that there are immediate benefits for audience
members and the larger community by our programs, and there are longterm
benefits in the collections created and managed for future reference.
I am, however, highly dubious of any claim of public recognition of museums
as important.  Sorry, Teresa E. -- I choose to work in museums only because
it's what my hand turns to, and it's because of the programs and the people
that I appreciate; but I don't expect to get the applause of my neighbors
and other taxpayers because I'm serving the larger good in such an important
way!
 
 
 
 
On Fri, 24 Jun 1994, Teresa E. wrote:
 
> Re: Jim Swanson's comments about museums not being truly significant: buddy,
> you're in the wrong line of work or else you are badly in need of a vacation,
> if this is how you feel!
>
> Attitudes like yours are the last thing those of us in the museum field need,
> being already underpaid, overworked and generally harassed.  In spite of the
> drawbacks, I don't feel the history of museums justifies your negativism.
> Museums have and continue to play an important role in the history and
> evolution of culture, and serve as a forum for ideas that affect many lives
> in  positive ways.  Just ask the visitors who walk through your doors!
>
> Teresa Ebie
> Roswell Museum and Art Center, New Mexico
>