In response to Rich Johnson's comments:

I agree with just about everything you said.   I am also opposed to
'lecturing' and, in fact, I conduct numerous public programs (from
pre-schoolers to elderhostel)  for a wide variety of museums and other
institutions with the main goal of engaging the audience, making the topic
as interesting as possible, making them want to learn more, and increasing
their appreciation of museums and education.  It works.  I am not
advocating that mueums be stodgy, boring places reminiscent of a mausoleum
where you have to go to learn something boring. Rather, I am advocating
that, although museums may have to compete for funds,  they do not have to
become whatever they are competing with.  They should be able to stand up
against the competition.  In response to your request for a quick answer
for supporting museums, I think it would be that museums are unique, you
can't get what they've got anywhere else, they provide an enduring value to
society-museums have to make people realize that value by promoting it.
The one area where museums should take a lesson from commercial entities is
in promotion-not making the museum into an amusement park, but in selling
what they have to offer as a unique, important opportunity that can be more
interesting and valuable than spending your money at the park.  Telling
people something over and over again works, it's what sells soap, soup and
cars.  It can change what society values and buys, including admission to
museums.

Dr. Joanne Kluessendorf
Dept. of Geology, University of Illinois
1301 W. Green St., Urbana, IL 61801
phone: (217) 367-5916; fax: (217) 244-4996; e-mail: [log in to unmask]