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