Sally,

Regarding public access/view areas - when it was originally designed,
the Maryland (US) Hall of Records (the Archives of the State of
Maryland) in Annapolis, MD had windows between the research room and the
stacks/office/work areas (which are not open to the public for security
reasons). The idea behind this was that the researchers would have an
interest in what archivists do (not an odd thing to think, at that).

Unfortunately, the staff began to get (so I've heard) a bit nervous/
twitchy/etc at all those researchers staring in at them all the time. In
the end, they had to put up blinds in all those windows to save the
staff's sanity -if they didn't mind being on exhibit they could open the
blinds, if they wanted privacy they could close them.

(Please feel free to jump in, anyone who works/worked there)

On the other hand, here at NASM our off-site storage facility in
Suitland, MD (the Paul E. Garber Preservation, Restoration, and Storage
Facility) is open to the public on a tour-only basis.Several of the
buildings are open as "display-storage," including the restoration shop,
while the rest, which are too full to safely allow public access, are
open only to the staff as necessary.

Paul Silbermann                  National Air and Space Museum
[log in to unmask]             Archives Division
**************These opinions are mine, not NASM's**************