Subject: Re: TOPIC ONE:  Top Ten Challenges

1.      Funding/money
2.      Devising more ways for getting people in the door
3.      Diversifying ones audience ( in order to get more people through the
doors, and more funding/money)
4.      Greater exposure for the collections - traveling exhibitions,
virtual exhibits, CD Roms etc
5.      Money
6.      Technology - databases, internet
7.      Preservation - what with all the new materials produced in the last
40 years now finding their way into collections...
8.      Keeping staff and volunteers- (not just a money thing!)
9.      Dealing with aging museum buildings and new fire and safety codes
10.     Maintaining exhibits that are up todate with history, technology and
museological/exhibition techniques.
11.     Another major challenge will be to keep staff interested and
committed to their own museum or gallery, when they know that there is no
chance of greater finacial rewards, the maintenance of the staff respect for
the insitution, the desire and interest and most of all = knowing that they
are considered a valuable asset!! I think this is a very important challenge
for most institutions, not just museums. Most of us will forgo increases in
pay (although we would not turn them down either!) if we know that what we
(the staff) are considered by those at the top to be a valuable asset. The
feeling of value and worth is a very important personal consideration, staff
will go out of their way and do more, or stay later IF they know that those
small sacrifices are valued by the bosses.


thats my little rant about the challenges facing museums.
Carol
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