Hi Christian,
I think you should have responded to the list with this one. I was only 
offering my experience in the situation I had worked in as a lowly tech. 
Never did I profess that this is what I would have done, or had any 
authority over the matter.  We had no exhibits up, and where we worked was 
not accessable to the public as our gov. was leaving office and all of his 
records were being catalogued before going being closed for 10 years.  We 
worked next to it so there for the public could not see what we were doing.  
Now our donors and trustees and other people of influence were given tours.  
Now in my current situation, we are building a new museum and the general 
public can still see the exhibits and see exactly what I do all in one trip. 
And we will only be closed to move the collections and then set them back up 
in the fresh space.
I agree that the public wants to see what we do...with vacuums, brushes, 
gloves, seeing objects that may not come out of storage much.  I was just 
offering info on what I had experienced at one particular museum.

Marielle

**********************
Marielle Fortier
Museum Registrar
Vermont
**********************




>From: [log in to unmask]
>To: Marielle Fortier <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Museums Closed for Stocktaking
>Date: Wed, 15 Jun 2005 15:39:27 -0400
>
>Hi, Marielle--my recommendation 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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