The closing of the City Life Museums is indeed a sad and ominous event. I have been following their difficulties sometime now, from afar, and am about to return to Maryland where I expect to hear more. I think the whole profession needs to look carefully at what has transpired and think what it means for all institutions: the city withdrew its support; a sister instution (MD Hist Soc) considered some sort of supportive arrangement but in the end withdrew and circled her own financial wagons; administrators grossly overestimated attendence figures and at any rate did not seem to invest anything in a consistent and aggressive marketing plan; professional and especially interpretive staff was slashed tio "save money." I love the new building and believe in the value of all the sites but when I very recently visited the Peale Museum I was just appalled at the dirt, decay, disregard for interpretive materials, and general feeling of abandonment. There are no visual/directional structures that link the sites together (such as the red line/footprints of Boston's Freedom Trail) and no help with parking or public transportation. Finally, it is not at all clear what sort of long-term planning was established under clear vision/mission statements. The director who acquired the iron facade and spent vast sums creating the new center seems to have left only a legacy of debt and estrangement from the community. Her successor was never given much of a chance. I don't know if the City Life Museums can be resurrected. I deeply hope that they will be. But I think this is a moment for reflection and instruction and a lot of introspection and self-evaluation in reference to the "values" we assume that is part of the business of collecting and exhibiting. Can we have some discussion on this? I really would like to know what people think. Ellen Cutler Merrimack NH