I understand the legal and other issues that can come up with an unaccompanied young child - but older children can be quite responsible and happy museum goers. How do you distinguish? What age is the cut-off? 

From the age of about eleven I frequently visited the Smithsonian alone - I accompanied my Dad from our suburban home while he visited his clients on K Street and Connecticut Ave., and I would walk down to the Mall and spend hours in the (as it was then) History and Technology Museum and the Renwick Gallery. Had lunch in the cafeteria. Never had any problems. I also went to the National Geographic building often. I was always completely comfortable in museums, loved them, and I'm sure that that's why I'm in this profession today.

So, how do you keep your building and collections safe, the kids safe, and still encourage kids who have a love for museums, or could develop a love of museums, to hang out in your building? Maybe have a check-in at the desk, where you get parents' contact information and have them sign a waiver? Have a junior membership (even make it free) where you get & give consent for unaccompanied visits, while explaining the rules? That way you could turn away random young visitors when you can't handle them but still have a way for them to return for official approval. Just thinking....

Carol Ely
Executive Director
Historic Locust Grove
Louisville, KY

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