I always enjoy your contributions, Peter, and I was especially taken with your reply to John on the vividness of the museum experience and your definition of museum as 'machines to raise curiosity and enthusiasm'. That moment when you're with a group of visitors, of whatever age, and some face lights up like a switched-on torch, and you know you've turned on another passion, is sheer magic. Thomas Aquinas held that the mind engaged in the pursuit of knowledge was one of the highest forms of joy and I think he was pretty spot on. Anyway, I've circulated your e-mail around our department, and we will use it as a kick-off for a discussion session. Many thanks and good wishes Heleanor "I'm mad, you're mad; we wouldn't be here if we weren't" [log in to unmask]