I didn't say that a "patron" handling an artifact was any worse than a
"researcher" handling an artifact.  I question allowing anyone, outside of
the trained staff and volunteers, "free-reign" to handle artifacts.

We strive very hard to make sure that researchers/patrons do have access to
materials and artifacts that they may need, but we also strive very hard to
protect those items since they were given to us to keep, maintain, and
preserve for the public and future generations.

That is why it is important to consider all the pros and cons of letting an
artifact be handled.  And that is why I made the suggested that I did.  The
patron can ask for the mesurements that they need and the museum
representative can get those measurements for them.  The patron gets the
needed information and the museum collection's manager (registrar,
conservator, etc.) can rest assured that the artifact is being handled
properly.

I've seen too many times (in various places) were "experienced and well
trained" craftsmen want to look at something and ending up just pushing,
pulling, and banging on joints and parts of things to determine how it was
made or point together.  And its mainly because they have a different
mindset about the object.  They want to see how it was built and how to copy
the build.  They see it from the craftsman's point of view.  They  don't
stop to think "oh, yeah this is a 100+ years old piece of furniture and if I
just stretch my tape measure into this little crack right here I could
actually pop this joint out of place and collapse the whole thing."

So that's why I would error on the side of caution and let the museum be
responsible for taking the measurements.  Its part of their collection, they
know the piece and know were all the little loose and unstable parts are
that might need to be looked out for in handling better than anyone else.

Heather Marie Wells

>From: Janice Klein <[log in to unmask]>
>Reply-To: Museum discussion list <[log in to unmask]>
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: Re: Requests for Photographs by Artists/Furniture Makers
>Date: Thu, 22 Jul 2004 11:24:13 -0500
>
>How is handling by a "patron" with specialized training in a particular
>art/craft worse than a "researcher" whose greatest dexterity might be
>"hunt-and-peck" typing?
>
>Janice Klein
>Director, Mitchell Museum of the American Indian
>[log in to unmask]
>www.mitchellmuseum.org
>
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Museum discussion list [mailto:[log in to unmask]]On
>Behalf Of Heather-Marie Wells
>Sent: Thursday, July 22, 2004 9:20 AM
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: Re: Requests for Photographs by Artists/Furniture Makers
>
>
>I'm not sure about all the legal issues.  And I know that this is just my
>gut reaction as a person who works in collections management, but the idea
>of a patron handling an artifact gives me the willies.  I know I would
>suggest that they tell the museum what measurements they would want and
>then
>let a museum representative take the measurements.  I know I would just
>feel
>better knowing that a more experienced/trained person is handling the
>object.
>
>Something else you might want to consider is finding some good furniture
>building books that have patterns for furniture similiar to yours.  There
>are a lot of books out there that deal with how to build "antique" or
>shaker
>style furniture.  Then you could sell these in your gift shop (provided you
>have one) and possibly make a little money for the museum budget.
>
>Heather Marie Wells
>
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