Richard Fields wrote:

>         I would like some suggestions on age appropraiteness.  We
> conduct a
> Civil War Candle Light tour at our site, which involves scenes acted out
> by reenactors.  One of my staff has traditionally discouraged children
> from attending, but I am of the opinion that it except for small
> children, it shouldn't be a problem.  Can you share your opinions on
> children at events like this, or in museums in general.  With the
> exception of the Holocaust Museum, I have never seen a museum exhibit I
> have found to harsh for children.  Any thoughts?  Oh, safety is not a
> problem.

We are a World War II museum and although we don't have any graphic carnage,
we've found that children under about 12 years of age can't quite grasp the
messages we are currently presenting.  We don't discourage their attendance,
except for certain school groups.  That said, we had an elementary school
class in that used the B-17 (which we display) as a class project.  Each
student took a different crew position and learned all about it.  We are
looking at means of involving younger children in our programs, but that's a
ways off.

Bottom line, I suppose, is that if the children are able to grasp some of
what is being presented, and don't take away from the experience of other
participants, we should be encouraging them to take part in our programs
because education is what it's all about.

SF Gray
Executive Director
390th Memorial Museum Foundation
www.390th.org