On Sun, 9 Aug 1998, Rebecca Conner wrote:
> Someone made a joke at AAM last year that I found amusing then,
> but becomes more disturbing all the time.  The jist is that the
> *ideal* museum employee has 15+ years of experience with
> research, conservation, exhibit design, visitor relations,
> education, NAGPRA compliance, grant-writing and management, 2
> PhD's and a MBA and is willing to work 80 hour weeks (including
> weekends of course) for $10,000 and no benefits.

This is a point of interest.  Clearly what must be done is a complete
business process re-engineering for the museum field as a whole.  Perhaps
non-profit isn't the ideal mode of operation?  Perhaps whole new levels of
technology must be adopted?  The question is, what exactly can be done? It
seems self-sufficiency and earned income are the lynch-pins in this
quandry.  I often think perhaps museums should attempt to capitalize on
the virtual as well as the phsyical.  Are there any museums with
significant earned-income derived from on-line transactions?  Indeed, are
there any museums that have made a real effort on the web?

                                        Alexander Passmoore
                                        http:/passmoore.com