>..."Learning in old age is writing on sand, but learning in youth= is engraving >on stone." ...get reactions from around the nation (and the world) as to how= people interpret this proverb. What do you think it means? How do you think= it can be interpreted by others? What can we do to explain it better? > >Since this isn't really museum stuff, I'd appreciate if you replied= off-list to >my e-mail address. Maria, I agree with someone's previous remark. This is museum stuff, as= it has to do with interpretation and audience, and many of us are interested= in discussions like this as they correlate with what we each do at our= own institutions. I also agree with the basic interpretations offered so far, which= I understand as: "learning in youth is difficult, but what is learned becomes a permanent (so to speak) part of who an individual is; learning in old age is= easier, but because of forgetfulness and death often does not last long." But I would like to return to your question, "How can it be interpreted= by others?". Some may believe the quote implies that learning in old= age is useless, and therefore react negatively to this implication. Others= may interpret it in ways none of us have even considered. Others may= not want to take the time to think about it at all. One way you may be able= to help the situation, and I would love to get other list members' reactions= to this suggestion, is to provide some sort of comment book in a visible location. Ask visitors to write their comments: What do they think= it means?; Do they agree?; How does it make them feel? If people= are willing to respond, this could provide you with a healthy chunk of information about how others really do interpret it. Many people= will probably be interested in reading what others wrote, and what they= read may provide them with insight into their own interpretation. It would= also show that you're interested in what people think, which goes a long= way.=20 Along these same lines, many people, when offended, feel better when= they are allowed to vent their frustrations where they know they will= be heard.=20 Indicating somehow that the notebook is read by staff (ideas?) may= help visitors (offended or not) know that someone really is listening. At the Science Museum, we hosted a controversial exhibit in which= one of the most popular exhibits was the reaction/comment book. Visitors= would spend inordinate amounts of time reading what others had written. What do other list members think? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ William H. Stirrat (Bill) Evaluator/Market Researcher ? ! Our Minnesota Science Hall o Science Museum of Minnesota /( )\ 30 East 10th Street =87 St. Paul, MN 55101 [log in to unmask] ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~