Hello all--my taken on this might be a little different than the
>others. If
>at all possible, I have found that visitors, board members, etc., really
>enjoy
>the opportunity to see what goes into running a museum, from inventorying
>to
>cleaning. At one institution I worked at, we scheduled major cleaning
>projects (dusting books, vacuuming large rugs, cleaning paintings) to
>January,
>which was our slowest month of visitation. We put announcements in the
>newsletters, local papers, and posted signs at the doors so that visitors
>would
>know what was going on. Our front-line staff was briefed on our projects
>so
>they could explain what was going on to curious visitors. We also did
>conservation reports during this time, so that visitors were able to see
>the
>curatorial staff interacting with artifacts, which also seemed to greatly
>interest them. Basically, if you approach it right, you can turn basic
>housekeeping and collections care into another educational opportunity for
>your
>visitors, instead of disappointing those who show up at your museum only to
>find
>the doors shut: it is inevitable, as much publicity about your closing that
>you
>may do, that some will miss the message, and being turned away can leave a
>bad
>taste in the public's mouth.
>
>Just some things to think about!
>
>All best,
>Christian Carr
>Director, Sweet Briar Museum
>Assistant Professor, Arts Management
>Sweet Briar College
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