I don't think an exhibit has to be problematic or controversial or even particularly creative to be unforgettable. It will depend on the audience. Despite what museum professionals want the audience to learn or experience, what the visitor remembers will be those things and ideas that had a personal impact on them--like my almost spiritual connection with the Mask of King Tutakhnkamun, or my favorite artifact at the Valentine Museum in Richmond, VA--the ram's head humidor (not in display, it's in the collections storage) or the dollhouse at the NMAH or the Chess Sets exhibit at the Metropolitan (1990?) or Renoir's Little Girl with the Watering Can...Or Tim Reed's fascination with the Smithsonian Elephant or the village at the Cahokia Historic Site.. I was at a Museum Education Roundtable discussion once in the mid 90's when a discussion was taking place about trying to do more with educational exhibits in Fine Arts museums and I had to agree with the guy from the National Gallery (sorry I can't remember his name) who said that at the Gallery people came because there were certain icons that they wanted to see--they didn't necessarily want to be educated (and I know some of that has to do with its being a "National" museum). While there is a place for ideals, stirring up dialogue and educating audiences about the various disciplines and missions our museums represent, we can't forget that museums started as "cabinets of curiousity" because objects and art touch something unameable within us and inform and uplift us sometimes just because they are there. >what makes an exhibit unforgettable? if it's problematic? creative? > >ces >[log in to unmask] > >========================================================= >Important Subscriber Information: > >The Museum-L FAQ file is located at >http://www.finalchapter.com/museum-l-faq/ . You may obtain detailed >information about the listserv commands by sending a one line e-mail >message to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should >read "help" (without the quotes). > >If you decide to leave Museum-L, please send a one line e-mail message to >[log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read >"Signoff Museum-L" (without the quotes). Shirley Kathryn Woods <>< Associate University Registrar The University of the South Sewanee, TN 37383 TEL 931-598-1731 FAX 931-598-1894 ========================================================= Important Subscriber Information: The Museum-L FAQ file is located at http://www.finalchapter.com/museum-l-faq/ . You may obtain detailed information about the listserv commands by sending a one line e-mail message to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read "help" (without the quotes). If you decide to leave Museum-L, please send a one line e-mail message to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read "Signoff Museum-L" (without the quotes).