There is one more point to the "conflict":
Curators do not improve their value or career by thinking about the
visitors - in contrast to "educators". To be a renowned curator, he/she has
to prove that artifacts are more important, have to write books and papers
about the works of art or artifacts to be acknowledged by the scientific
world and by their colleges. they will be booed if they do care about the
visitors ....

Conflicts are not only based on different views but also on the
acknowledgement by the peers of the social group you belong to. Educators
who do not talk, think and write how they opened the treasures to the public
will not get good grades by THEIR social group.

I doubt that this conflict is sent by God, is unalterable and always
fruitful.

Regards,
Peter

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-----Ursprüngliche Nachricht-----
Von: Lisa Craig Brisson <[log in to unmask]>
Newsgroups: bit.listserv.museum-l
An: [log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]>
Datum: Mittwoch, 2. Dezember 1998 16:32
Betreff: Re: Visitors vs. Curators


>Fon,
>
>One possible conflict between curators and visitors (though maybe better
>phrased as conflict of purpose, rather than the individuals) might be the
>balancing of preservation and access.
>
>While the educational role of the museum is central to its purpose, in
>most cases it is the job of a curator to make sure the artifacts (or art
>or buildings or whatever) are preserved.  Often this means limiting the
>way other people (visitors) interact with the item(s).  Sometimes
>artifacts are too fragile to be exposed to even the most sensitive
>exhibition techniques.  Some buildings can not be made easily accessible
>to people with disabilities without destroying important parts of the
>building.  Sometimes curators have to say no to an idea that would be
>good for visitors but bad for the things they are stewards of.
>
>Rather than talking about this as visitors/curator conflict, I've more
>often heard it discussed as conflict between educators (as visitor
>advocates) and curators.  As an educator, I'm always looking for ways to
>let visitors interact with and experience our artifacts and buildings.
>If it were up to me, I'd start pulling artifacts off shelves and passing
>them out to school groups (not really but I'm trying to make a point).
>It's the curator's job to remind me of the need for the special care of
>those artifacts.  On the other hand, when the curator doesn't want to put
>anything on exhibit (again, just trying to make a point) it's my job to
>remind him or her of the special education role we have as a museum.
>While this can be perceived as conflict (and negative), I like to think
>of it as an effective system of checks and balances and another reasons
>that teamwork is important.
>
>I'm not sure if this is what your prof was looking for, but it's a
>thought.  Good Luck.
>
>Lisa Craig Brisson, Museum Educator
>Mackinac State Historic Parks
>(616) 436-7301
>[log in to unmask]
>[log in to unmask]
>
>>Dear all,
>>The reason that I was asking about information on debate between
>Visitors and
>>curators, that is, because, it is the area that I will have to write
>about in my
>>exam, there is no further information for the question.  I am quite
>confused as
>>well.  So far in class it was all about access, curators providing
>information of
>>objects for visitors (while keeping in mind that the visitors are not an
>expert at
>>interpreting art or object as well as the curators themselves).  This is
>what I
>>guess my instructor meant to ask in the exam.
>>If there are other areas that you could recommend me to explore on this
>matter,
>>please do not hesitate to give some advice.
>
>
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