From: David E. Haberstich
 "...empirically speaking, I do know  that the art museums in the Washington 
and Baltimore areas that I visit are
usually pretty busy places, especially the National Gallery of Art.  And the 
Art Institute of Chicago was very crowded when I was there in November. 
Perhaps someone would care to comment on the relative "success" of art 
museums in various
regions...."

Ah, but David, at least for me when I got to the National Gallery for a 
whole Sunday afternoon, it was like I had reached the end of a pilgrimage. 
All the way from Texas and a whole DAY to see the items discussed in art 
history and shown in so many books. It was wonders.

Of course, I was among the hords (hoards?) of summer tourists which flock to 
the Mall each year.

The year was 1964 and I had a summer job in D. C. so that I could spend more 
than a few hours in the wonderous places I had seen in National Geographic 
and heard about. I never found the Tate, I think it was under repair at the 
time (?), but I delighted in going to the cafeteria at the History Museum 
after work during the first experiment in having evening hours at 
Smithsonian buildings. And that was back when there were only 6 or so.

But for a college museum out in the hinterlands with a limited but nice 
collection, the story is not the same. IMHO

Mary Kirby
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