Yes, John, a lot of open air and living history museums do active historical processes using replicas, reproductions and some designated orginal materials which are not "museum quality" and not "accessioned" into the study and exhibit collections. There is a new committee of ALHFAM (Association for Living History, Farms and Museums) which is interested in curatorial concerns. There is also a published replica resource guide. Check the web page for ALHFAM for more information. www.alhfam.org There is also a listing of articles in the Proceedings from the annual ALHFAM conference. Some of the articles address your questions. Most museums of this type budget each year for cyclical replacement of replicas and construction or acquisition of new materials. It all depends on the level of use, design of the program, commitment to active presentations and feasible budget. Katie Boardman