On Wed, 21 Feb 1996, Kathrine L Walker wrote: > I'll add a story. We worked with a Multicultural Magnet School in > Southeastern Connecticut. As part of our in-depth program, we had the > students in and out of the museum constantly and even mounted semi-annual > exhibitions of their work in response to the the programs developed > around our collection. > > At our first Parents' Night - the opening for the student exhibitions - > we had nearly 600 people! A good number of these were people who had > probably never been to the Museum. Our guards were in shock because they > did not know the proper museum behavior and complained to me that we > shouldn't allow these people into our museum! Sensitivity training > ensued, needless to say! > > For our next parents night, we had a session with the kids beforehand; > They became responsible for explaining to their parents that paint flakes > off canvas, that the oils on your hands damages objects, etc. [snip] The problem goes even deeper. There are other bioeffluents besides oils from hands damaging objects. People breathe and people fart, thus increasing carbon dioxide and methane levels in our carefully controlled environments. The solution is to encase every visitor in a sort of hermetically sealed space suit umbilically attached to an environment completely separate from the one for the objects. Ken Heard Consultant Museologist Bass and Elder, Ottawa Men's Chorus Swimmer, Rideau Speedeaus Swim Team Gay Games IV Gold Medalist Coordinator Technology and Transport Museums Sector Canadian Museums Association E-Mail: [log in to unmask]