Byron...I'm surprised at you! You often have very astute comments
on the museum scene, but your most recent one concerning "museum" vs.
"center" is off the wall. You are dealing in generalizations that are
mostly half-truths. Museums WISH they had guaranteed government funding.
Of course, they do NOT! Most try for government grants,which are becoming
more scarce, and some are state, county, or city assisted...but most ALL
museums are constantly seeking private support and trying to generate
their own income.

As far as being eduucational, museums have been welcoming school groups,
had outreach programs, had lectures, films, and special events for the
public since the beginning of this century.  Sure, some were elitist
(mostly art museums)..and some even boring (mostly history museums)...
but there have been large numbers of them who provided educational
and entertaining leisure time for the "masses." Museums stopped being
"temples" during the INdustrial Revolution...some slower than others.
Sure, some of the museum scholars have hidden in their ivory towers,
but not ALL of them. Times have been a-changing for much longer than
you are admitting...there have been Children's Museums since 1899!

Sorry I don't have time to rebut all of your statements...but I
couldn't let it pass without some remarks.  Think it over.