Last week I sent out this message about study centres. Thanks to all
those who responded with helpful information. I am including address for
direct mail and would be interested in setting up networks for further
information exchange.

Lyn Payne
Manager Public Education
Museum of Victoria
PO Box 666E
Melbourne Vic 3001
Australia

e-mail [log in to unmask]

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Fri, 1 Sep 1995 09:49:59 +1000
From: Lyn Payne <[log in to unmask]>
To: Multiple recipients of list MUSEUM-L <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: Study Centres

Recently an enquiry was sent out on my behalf by my colleague Ingrid
Tadich, regarding study centres. Some people wanted more information on
what was actually meant by the term 'study centre'. In Melbourne we are
developing an impressive new museum to be completed by the year 2000. One
of the facilities of the museum will be a study centre. We have in mind a
quiet area, possibly in the unticketed section of the museum, which will
be the 'first port of call' by people who want more information than is
available in exhibitions or programs. They may have a research project, a
consuming interest in a particular topic, or a specimen they would like
to identify. Hopefully the study centre will deal with some of the many
enquiries normally handled by curators. Our museum include natural
science, science and technology, ethnographic, indigenous culture and
social history collections.

In my reading I've found that some centres in other museums are variously
called study centres, resource centres, information centres, orientation
centres etc. In some museums they sit within curatorial divisions or are
part of the library; in others they are staffed by educators. Generally
such centres are focussed on individual visitors rather than groups and
some actively discourage children.

I would be very interested in hearing from people with experience of
these facilities to build up contacts and learn from others' experience!