I'll save time and respond to two items: We have a sign that works well for us. It reads "If you do not run your fingers over our vehicles, we will not run our vehicles over your fingers. Please no touching.". It gets a laugh, it gets spouses to elbow each other and it sets the tone that we want visitors to have fun, but not to touch. We also remind people as we enter the historic building on the guided tour portion of their visit not to touch, pick up, lean on anything (unless they brought it with them). This too gets a laugh and helps to reinforce the message. The Museum also has a portable panic alarm. It is kept at the front desk but worn by any volunteer who feels the "need", it clips into a waistband. It can be used for medical emergencies as well as personal safety. We got it as part of an alarm overhaul when the technician suggested it. This has worked particularly well for my older women docents who are leery of giving guided tours to single men. And only had it "tested" once, (very) temporary employee pushed the button, because it said "PUSH". Bronwen Sanders, Mifflinburg Buggy Museum ----- Original Message ----- From: "Kimberly Kenney, Curator" <[log in to unmask]> To: <[log in to unmask]> Sent: Wednesday, December 02, 2009 1:54 PM Subject: [MUSEUM-L] "a museum is not a playground" language Would anyone like to share the language you use in tour maps or on signs to help educate your visitors about how to behave in a museum? Also, how do staff and volunteers at your museum address inappropriate behavior? Do you have a phrase that seems to work well? What are the consequences of bad behavior? Thanks! Kim Kimberly A. Kenney, Curator Wm. McKinley Presidential Library & Museum 800 McKinley Monument Dr. NW Canton OH 44708 * 330-455-7043 * Visit our NEW WEBSITE at http://www.mckinleymuseum.org "Let us ever remember that our interests are in concord, not conflict; and that our real eminence rests in the victories of peace, not those of war." -- 25th United States President William McKinley ========================================================= 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). 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).