Every year the National Building Museum hosts the Festival of the Building
Arts.  The festival is a daylong event that incorporates demonstrations by
thatchwork and stained glass artisans, as well as numerous activities for
children where they can "ply" some of the building trades.  This year's
event took place last Saturday, September 15.  I was very moved to see the
children building box skyscrapers for the Box City and constructing tall
buildings with nuts and bolts in Tool Sculpture.  Many parents noted that
the event allowed a positive place for their children to express their
feelings about this tragedy.  It was also a place to celebrate American
ingenuity and to honor all of the men and women who contribute their talent
to making this country great.  We had 3000 visitors on Saturday for the
Festival, which proved to me, in particular, that we will not allow
terrorist actions to alter our love of freedom or our love for our country.
I would like to send my deepest sympathies to the families and friends of
those who have suffered so greatly during this time.  I would also like to
thank all of the rescue workers who are risking their lives to save others
you are truly heroes.
Cecelia Gibson
Assistant Registrar
National Building Museum
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> -----Original Message-----
> From: zahava doering [SMTP:[log in to unmask]]
> Sent: Wednesday, September 19, 2001 9:15 AM
> To:   [log in to unmask]
> Subject:      Museums, Crisis and Community
>
> Included in an internal message to the Smithsonian staff on September 14,
> the following paragraph was included:
>
> "We have placed books at museum information desks so visitors can record
>   their thoughts on these trying times.  We will keep these reflections
>   because they are part of our history."
>
> In view of last week's tragic events, we can expect that museums will have
> many visitors who are feeling upset, vulnerable and helpless.  One way in
> which museum could actively respond to this possibility is by providing
> them with opportunities to
> express their feelings, thoughts and grief.  Comment books -- or comment
> pages -- are one option.  Museums, beyond the Smithsonian, are seen as the
> keepers of the Nation's history and as places of collective remembrance.
> This is another option of reaching out.
>
>
>
> Katherine Khalife wrote:
>
> > As America and the 60 other nations who lost loved ones in the World
> Trade
> > Center and Pentagon attacks try to regain their equilibrium and deal
> with
> > grief, anger and apprehension, museums are using their expertise, their
> > facilities and their collections to reach out and help their communities
> to
> > cope and to heal.
> >
> > A few of these efforts have been mentioned in newspaper articles already
> > referenced on this list, but I'm sure there are many more that have not
> > received wide-scale publicity. I would like to highlight as many as
> possible
> > in this month's issue of the Museum Marketing Tips e-newsletter and
> would
> > appreciate hearing from you. What is your institution doing in the
> aftermath
> > of last week's tragedy to reach out to your community? What have you
> planned?
> >
> > Many thanks,
> > Katherine Khalife
> > Museum Marketing Tips
> > http://www.museummarketingtips.com
> > [log in to unmask]
> >
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