On 23 Jan 1995, Robin Panza wrote: > In article <[log in to unmask]>, [log in to unmask] (Patricia Reynolds) writes: > > In article <[log in to unmask]> > > [log in to unmask] "Hank Burchard" writes: > > Replying to Susan Patterson's post of Sun, 15 Jan 1995 > >> As a professional museum visitor I am delighted that someone on the > >> inside of the business is taking a fresh look at the role of guards. Most > >> museums model their guard forces on police forces, which seems reasonable > >> until you think about it. > >> Security is in reality a rather minor function of museum guarding. > >> Aside from the occasional exuberant child, teenage vandal or nutso, > >> visitors present virtually no danger to themselves or the collections. > > I agree that guards to a lot more than police work, and I'm in no position to > comment on vandals and nuts, but exuberant children are NOT an occasional > phenomenon. Most of my work day is behind closed doors, but virtually every > foray into public areas shows children running (and tripping), climbing on > exhibits, trying (not always successfully) to get past barriers and grope the > exhibits, and climbing up the "fence" that protects people from a 4-story fall > at our front and rear airwells. I have seen children breaking off plants and > prying up pebbles from exhibits that are not behind glass. Throughout this, > parents make little or no effort to stop (much less prevent) such behavior, so > it becomes necessary for our guards to intervene. RP, it sounds to me like a great part of the difficulties you're having there at Carnegie Institute are as much a result of poor design as of poor parenting. And in any case, guards should be able to deal with such problems whether they're in "security mode" or "docent mode." And I think I detect in the tone of your message a considerable element of the defensive and somewhat derisive "us against them" attitude that I find all too common among museum administrators--and which is all too commonly transmitted to the security staff, reinforcing their cop mentality. Try looking at visitors as an opportunity rather than as a problem. What's a museum for, anyway? + + + + + Hank Burchard * Weekend Section * The Washington Post 1150 15th Street NW * Washington DC USA 20071-0001 VoiceMail (202) 334-7243 * Email: [log in to unmask]