The Milwaukee Public Museum has Smedley the Dinosaur. He appears periodically at various family-related events (all on-site)and there is pure delight whenever anyone sees him. He has been around so long that no one remembers how he got his name or how it was chosen. Several years ago we tried to use him as a brand and had his image on small items but to say the least, it was unsuccessful. 

Consideration:
It is a full costume, head to feet to tail so there has to be someone with him at all times since it is rather cumbersome and does not provide good vision. Also, because of the size of the costume, you have to find someone with a height within a specific range. The costume is also very stuffy so the character has to take breaks every 20 minutes to remove headgear and drink water.

Dawn Scher Thomae
Milwaukee Public Museum

-----Original Message-----
From: Museum discussion list [mailto:[log in to unmask]]On
Behalf Of Jensen Joyce E NRNW
Sent: Wednesday, September 06, 2006 5:13 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Museum Mascots


Does anyone have experience with museum mascots? I have checked the archives
and don't find much. I am particularly interested in how you introduced the
character to your visitors.  Did you  have a naming contest?  What types of
events does the character appear at?  Any other pointers?  

Joyce E. Jensen
Director of Education
Naval Undersea Museum
Navy Region Northwest
1103 Hunley Road
Silverdale, WA 98315-1103
(360) 396-5547 
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