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Date: | Thu, 27 Nov 1997 01:53:20 GMT |
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As a museum professional who volunteers at a small railway museum I
am sometimes dismayed at the lack of encouragement such museums get from
"real" museums. Often the atitude is we are playing with a big train
set.
I will admit that much of it is self-inflicted by well meaning collectors
gathering up any object that is even remotely connected to railroading.
I once heard the suggestion that if it had been carried on a train then
it should be in the museum (thankfully a short lived idea)
Here in Smiths Falls the railway comprised a major part of the social
fabric of the town for over a hundred years. Railroading was not just
another industry, it was a way of life that was very different from
the average person's. A museum is an ideal medium to interpret this
special history.
When I first volunteered at the Smiths Falls Museum I was surprised that
none of the other volunteers in the group had any museum experience. I
took it upon myself to get proper museum training, starting with a few
courses, acquiring a certificate and eventually obtaining real paid work
in another heritage institution. It is still an uphill battle but I
am beginning to see daylight in terms of collection policies, management
and programming. There is still a long way to go but I think that a
specialized museum can tell a story just as well, and sometimes better
than the more general museum.
To this end I am always looking for ideas on how to make the Smiths
Falls Railway Museum a better museum. Any suggestions would be welcome.
Robert L. Vaughan
Smiths Falls Railway Museum
--
Robert L. Vaughan
[log in to unmask]
Ottawa, Ontario, CANADA
http://www.ncf.carleton.ca/~bk681/index.html
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