Subject: | |
From: | |
Reply To: | |
Date: | Wed, 2 Sep 1998 13:11:34 -0400 |
Content-Type: | text/plain |
Parts/Attachments: |
|
|
My experience with locations has been that a gift shop should always be
positioned in a transitional space so that visitors are encouraged to stop on
their way in or out. From a strictly mercantile point of view, it encourages
spending. From a more institutional perspective, provided your gift shop has
quality merchandize, it creates a nice image.
Should shops have an educational potential? I personnaly believe so. For
example, we sell local crafts, victorian reproductions but also a vast array
of reference books ont the victorian period, local history and antiques.
Depending on your institution's mission and policies, you might even entertain
the notion of selling antiques - as long as they are not pieces you would have
acquired for your museum's collection. We've been doing it for a bit over a
year with surprizing success.
Hervé Gagnon, Ph.D.
Director-Curator
Colby-Curtis Museum
Stanstead (Québec)
J0B 3E0
Mark Erik Nielsen a écrit:
> I sent a post out a few days ago asking for responses to the idea of
> having the gift shop located in the lobby area of the museum. I got a few
> good responses but I was hoping to get more. So far the responses are all
> in favor of the lobby location. Some interesting issues for discussion:
> Does the gift shop have an educational potential? Would the shop create a
> good transitional space between the world and the museum?
>
> **************************************************************************
> Mark Nielsen
> Exhibit Designer/Preparator
> University of Michigan Museum of Art
> [log in to unmask] 313/647-2068
|
|
|