I haven't worked on such a partnership, but saw one at F.A.O. Schwarz toy
store in Manhattan.  The store has a section or two that feature toys
designed around/for the American Museum of Natural History, and even has a
dinosaur bone on display (I assume it is a real bone) from the museum
collection.

I was a bit taken aback by this at first, because I hadn't encountered
anything like it.  But I thought it was a great way for the museum to make
some money and to "advertise" while also allowing a prominent toy store to
use the museum's name and reputation.

The attraction-display moneymaker that I'm always amazed at is the Planet
Hollywood restaurant.  I don't think a week goes by that I don't see at least
two T.V. segments on some stars or other donating stuff from their recent
movies...

Melanie Solomon


Original Message:
<<Greetings,
<<I am new to this list, and don't know whether I am walking into a
minefield of controversy or an area of legitimate interest, but here
goes:
<<Is anyone on the list actively involved in the development and design of
for-profit museum/attractions that function as an adjunct to retail
facilities? (E.G. Nike's attraction/store, H.Stern's Gemmological
Museum/store in Rio, Mel Fisher's Treasure Display/store in Key West).
<<Are these facilities considered heresy in Museum circles? There is no
doubt that they seem to be growing in popularity, and are effective
marketing tools.
<<Thoughts or comments?
<<Thanks...
<<Greg Stemm
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