Robin Shtulman and Ed Cope <[log in to unmask]> wrote: >I have a query to ponder for all you folks out there who work in museums = >that also maintain gift shops. >I recently visited a small county museum in which there was a special = >exhibit on Spanish shipwrecks and underwater archaeology. The exhibit = >focused on the technology of underwater archaeology, was full of gizmos, = >and appeared to be appreciated by the other visitors. They looked at = >the artifacts on display, and I overheard more than one conversation = >about what life must have been like for the people on board. In this = >element, I consider the exhibit to be a success. >In the museum gift shop, majolica potsherds and silver coin pendants = >made from silver salvaged from shipwreck sites were on sale. There also = >were some whole ceramic vessels "of the types found on the ships" for = >sale. The store managers had used the exhibit as a tie-in for the = >merchandise display, and emphasized their authenticity. =20 >Now, the potsherds were fragmentary and unprovenienced, >everything was = >collected legally and with the proper permits. Why are these statements non-sequiters???????? >However, I had some = >question about the message being given the interested public. I had an = >interesting chat with the director of the museum. I asked whether he = >thought that the sale of such items might be confusing for visitors, and = >if, perhaps, a small informational notecard might be placed in the gift = >shop, stating the museum's stance on artifacts for sale, pothunters, and = >why this merchandise was okay to sell. It could be done in three or = >four sentences, providing the museum staff had a unified stance. His = >response was that you can never know where the items come from, heck, = >even the t-shirts for sale could have been stolen off the back of a = >truck last night, he wasn't an archaeologist, he didn't know, didn't = >care, and, anyway, the museum's "friends of" group ran the store, and it = >wasn't his responsibility. (Really, he said this.) Why do I smell a Mel Fisher here????????? NIce, the Director doesn't run the museum..... >Never having been the one to manage a museum store or make policy = >decisions, I am curious to hear responses from those of you who have = >these responsibilities. Is there an acknowledged connection between the = >messages presented in your exhibits and the types of merchandise offered = >for sale in your store? We run a railroad museum located at a shop complex built in the 1850's. We have a policy of NOT selling ANY artifacts. Even a bent spike. We do sell things made by our blacksmith in the old blacksmith shop, but these are new objects made from steel we bought. We're not a member of the AAM, but I believe the AAM shares this view. Legal or not, I don't believe it's ethical, and I think it encourages looting. Do you consider the shop to be a part of the = >educational component of your museum? I haven't much exprertise on = >this, but am very interested to hear what others think. The shop exists to make money, not to educate. That's where we take admissions money anyway, and visitors always want souvineers. >Thanks. >Robin Shtulman >[log in to unmask]