Damme, David, you take all the fun out of an argument! Harry "It is impossible to enjoy idling thoroughly unless one has plenty of work to do." - Jerome K. Jerome (1859-1927) Harry Needham, M.A., CFE, etc. President Harry Needham Consulting Services Inc. Training & consulting services for heritage institutions - and others! 74 Abbeyhill Drive Kanata, Ontario K2L 1H1 Canada email: [log in to unmask] (Voice) +1.613.831-1068 (Fax) +1.613.831-9412 ----- Original Message ----- From: David E. Haberstich <[log in to unmask]> To: <[log in to unmask]> Sent: Wednesday, December 06, 2000 2:48 AM Subject: Re: Definition of a MUSEUM > In a message dated 00-12-05 13:51:35 EST, John Martinson wrote: > > << To me a museum is: > > A gathering place for the community > A community/historical/national treasure > A place of learning > A place of knowledge > A place where people discover who they are; of self > A place of personal and community understanding >> > [etc.] > > ...to which one might add: > > A place to go to the bathroom > A place to read a book > A place to meet people > A place to commit murder (see Margaret Truman's "Murder at the Smithsonian") > ...etc. > > The point, of course, is that many of the items on Mr. Martinson's list are > not unique to museums and hardly define a museum. Most of them don't concern > the essence of a museum, which in my opinion, revolves around collections. > It's pleasant for museums to have such amenities as restaurants, for example, > but hardly essential. Mr. Hunter would be well advised to begin his quest > with a dictionary. > > Those on the list who recall my previous posts on this topic will think, > "There he goes again," citing the dictionary definition, but I honestly think > it's sufficient. We are so caught up in the excitement of evolving museum > traditions that we're likely to forget the fundamental issues. The > "collectionless" museum, for example, is a contradiction in terms, however > worthy such an institution might be and however much it might depend upon > museum traditions, standards, and ideals. We are confused about how to > define a museum precisely because we have overworked the word, massaged it > and stretched it across multiple points of reference and multiple agendas, > thereby making it a very slippery and amorphous concept. The primary > function of language is communication, and overworked, hyperextended words > communicate less. I think the mania for deliberately redefining words > subverts communication, and that the most satisfactory way to cope with a > rapidly evolving society, new ideas, new concepts, and new ideals is to > invent new names for them, not to stretch the old words out of shape until > you have to explain your usage just to facilitate an intelligent conversation. > > The dictionaries I've consulted define a museum as an instituton which > collects and preserves historic and/or aesthetic artifacts and makes them > available for study--nothing more, nothing less. Note that this does not > even include public display. While public display is a logical, efficient, > and convenient way to make artifacts available for study, it does not > necessarily mean that exhibition is the essence of a museum; indeed, a > museum, by dictionary definition, is not required to do exhibitions, however > logical, beneficial, and advisable they might be. When we mistakenly equate > museums with exhibitions, we run the risk of muddying the waters by thinking > of every exhibition as a museum. "Exhibit" and "exhibition" are very broad > words which encompass a wide variety of installations and events; baseball > games and airshows are exhibitions, but that doesn't make them museums, > except in a metaphorical sense. Indeed, in our zeal to produce ever more > "compelling" exhibitions, I see a trend toward making undisplayed artifacts > progressively less accessible for study, ironically undermining the essence > of a museum. > > The attributes by which many would seek to define their ideal > museums--superior exhibitions, relevant outreach programs, exciting shops, > etc., etc., are like frosting on a cake. For many the frosting may even be > the best part, and a cake without frosting may be a lousy cake, but frosting > doesn't define a cake. > > Since the issue of the non-profit status of museums in the AAM and ICOM > "definitions" has been mentioned, I'll close by saying that I think this > concept further complicates matters unnecessarily and weighs down the basic > definition with extra baggage. ICOM and AAM are stipulating terms of > membership and outlining their area of concern, which they have every right > to do, but I don't think they have a right to refine and limit the dictionary > definition, which is meant to be a description of common usage. Perhaps > that's overstating the case: the opinons of professional groups can and > should have an impact on language usage in their field, and terminology may > evolve in time as a result of that impact, but I believe in a critical > approach to language. These organizations would do well to divorce their > preferences from their definitions. It seems to me that the attempt to > "define" museums as non-profit entities produces awkward results. There are > profit-making institutions which in all other respects function as > museums--what do we call them if they're not museums? It would be simpler to > subdivide museums into profit vs. non-profit. > > Just my opinions, of course, but I hope well reasoned. I await the deluge of > disagreement. > > David Haberstich > > ========================================================= > 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). > ========================================================= 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). 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