While I find the crowds of "blockbuster" shows irritating now, I loved the first one I ever saw, which was the King Tut in San Francisco. I was in the fourth grade, and while I remember waiting in an interminable line, I remember the objects inside much more vividly. (Perhaps the crowd that day was inclined to let a little kid up to the front, I don't know.) I was so fascinated that, once back at home, I read several books about the exhibition and about the Egyptians. While it would probably be fair to classify my experience as superficial, I still did get quite a bit out of it. So these big shows sometimes can be a positive experience. Amanda Meeker > ---------- > From: Rax[SMTP:[log in to unmask]] > Reply To: Museum discussion list > Sent: Thursday, January 14, 1999 2:42 AM > To: [log in to unmask] > Subject: Re: Blockbuster discussion > > Meriah wrote: > > >When I was a 8 we went to see King Tut at the Met. I had wanted to > see > >this so badly that we treked across the country and stayed with > >relatives to do so. Most of what I can remember is my parents > hoisting > >me up, again and again, onto their shoulders to look over a sea of > >people's heads at the artifacts. It was exciting and still magical > for > >an 8 year old kid, but not at all what I had expected. I was > >disappointed to not be able to see the works up close. > > > > Back in the '70 I worked in the conservation deptartment at the MMA. I > designed and built the mounts and installed the Tut exhibit at each of > the > museums in the US tour, but never actually went throught it when it > was > open to the public until the final stop back at the MMA. After > spending > considerable "contemplative time" with the objects over the previous > months, I was appalled at the density of the crowds and wondered how > many > of those people really saw the exhibit on any but the most superficial > level. > > That has been my general take on blockbuster shows ever since. They > offer > the public a superficial experience and the opportunity to buy > souvenirs > and tell their friends that they've been to a trendy popular event. > For the > museum administration, they draw crowds, make money and attract > benefactors. Of course, the fact that blockbuster shows are also a > pain for > the staff and take time away from the daily operations is irrelevant > in the > context of the museum as a corporation. > > On the other hand, they often bring together related works from > wide-ranging sources and give us the opportunity to see a > comprehensive > collection that would be otherwise impossible. > > R. > > -- > > > ____________________________________________________ > Warbaby > The WebSite. The Domain. The Empire. > http://www.warbaby.com > > The MonkeyPool > WebSite Content Development > http://www.monkeypool.com > ____________________________________________________ > > Once you get the nose on, the rest is just makeup. >