On this topic of a prize for the worst museum of the year (sic), there actually is a prize for the worst post card internationally and a Canadian museum "won" this a few years ago. Rather than hide and ignore it, they played it up into a major national media campaign and it was extremely well received!!! John McAvity ----- Original Message ----- From: "Pat Reynolds" <[log in to unmask]> To: <[log in to unmask]> Sent: Monday, October 06, 2003 3:27 PM Subject: Re: An ICOM prize for the best museum? > In message <[log in to unmask]>, > [log in to unmask] writes > >could we have an award for the Worst Museum decision of the year ? Highest > >percentage of curatorial staff sacked in a year, largest number of useful > >departments closed, greatest disproportion between the amount spent on > >acquisitions and the amount spent on conservation of the collection ? > > > For the last category, the sad truth is that it is far easier to get > money for purchases than it is for conservation. In the UK, governing > bodies, corporate sponsors, government grants, lottery funds, etc. all > fall into this trap. I have seen museums make good use of this reality: > using the publicity associated with a shiny new purchase with lots of > $$$ attached (all raised externally to the museum's budget) to attract > volunteers, visitors and other forms of resources to the museum. > > Could we therefore discount that category? I would suggest, in its > place, awards for museum developments which have inaccessibility > designed in? > > With best wishes to all, > > Pat > -- > Pat Reynolds > [log in to unmask] > "It might look a bit messy now, > but just you come back in 500 years time" > (T. Pratchett) > > - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - > > Change ICOM-L subscription options, unsubscribe, and search the > archives at: http://home.ease.lsoft.com/archives/icom-l.html > - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Change ICOM-L subscription options, unsubscribe, and search the archives at: http://home.ease.lsoft.com/archives/icom-l.html