Janis Beth Wilkens  wrote:

>I think the director has to have the last word, as he or she is
>ultimately resonsible for the museum; but once the decisions have been
>made and the exhibit is open, a good director will stand behind those
>decisions and support the curator.
>
>Incidentally, I think it's a serious mistake for a museum to even
>*think* about removing objects from exhibit because of a few
>complaints.  This is letting the minority (of people who are offended
>enough to tell you so) dictate to the majority, who may appreciate the
>works and who have the right to see everything has been included in the
>exhibit.



Are we somehow above making  mistakes?  I can't speak to the particular
show or objects in question, because I haven't seen them, nor have I seen
the Board's charge, the museum's mission statement, or other guiding
documents.  However, I completely disagree with your second paragraph.  If
we receive complaints, we should look at them with as much respect as we
give to positive response.

 In answer to my initial question, NO, we are *not* above making mistakes.
We are also not above admitting to them if they happen.  When we do, we
only increase our credibility in the eyes of our shareholders, the public.
 As I said, I can not speak to this particular show.  What I would suggest
in any situation is for the decision makers to take a look at their mission
statement and other guiding documents in relation to a particular show,
preferably as the show is being planned and not after it is already up.
(Perhaps the museum in question has already done this, but just hasn't
mentioned it yet.)  We need to ask ourselves, how does a particular
exhibit, its goals and objectives, and each of its objects or components
line up with the directives of these documents?  By doing this,  we reduce
our potential for mistakes and should feel a little more secure in our
decisions.  After all, these documents should outline whatever commitment
you have made to your audience and, hopefully, your audience's expectations
of you.

Sincerely,
Bill


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
William H. Stirrat  (Bill)
Evaluator/Market Researcher
Our Minnesota Science Hall
Science Museum of Minnesota
30 East 10th Street
St. Paul, MN  55101
phone:  612/221-9442
fax:  612/221-4514
[log in to unmask]

As always, opinions expressed are my own.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Bye!