Emma,

>'visitors have come to Museums for years regardless of whether or not we
operate >Service Standards or similar'.

What an incredible and cynical statement!

It's really hard to believe that there are still people of this kind working
in museums and misusing them at the cost of society. They should better find
other ways of earning a living.

What do they think society has created museums for and why it is willing to
maintain them?
(Did those people ever ask themselves how they would appreciate hospitals,
schools, fire brigades and other public services being run based on the same
attitude?)

Your question 'How important is the visitor?' can be simply answered:
She/he are the museums' raison d'etre.

Good luck to you,
Fritz

*******************************************             #
Friedrich WAIDACHER
-------------------
Klosterwiesgasse 44, A-8010 Graz
Austria                                                                     &
Tel/Fax 43-316-826264
-------------------
Moenchegg 34, A-8742 St. Wolfgang-Kienberg
Austria                                                     * * *
Tel/Fax 43-3578-8216                                        ;
--------------------                                       o
email: [log in to unmask]                               ''
http://www.webmuseen.de/Waidacher/
*******************************************
                                               &


                                                                   #