I've been working on the Getty's audio programming for a few years now and want to address some of the comments that have come up recently. 1. VISITOR CONTROL: The idea that using audio doesn't allow the user to have control doesn't consider random access technology. Typically a tape cassette tour controls a visitors path and the order in which visitors hear the audio. We are using a random access player that allows visitors to choose what 60 - 90 second audio segment they want to hear and in what order. We also offer additional second level information (artist's impression, a conservator's perspective) that a visitor can choose as well. 2. SECURITY: At present, we collect photo I.D.s and that's pretty effective. I wish we didn't have to, but after a two week test with the honor system, we found that people just didn't return them. Audioguides were left on gallery benches, in plant pots, bathrooms and some just plain disappeared. In addition, our site is very open. There is no primary entrance and exits so having security checking at the Entrance Hall door is not enough. 3. AUDIO AND MULTIPLE VISITORS: We have studied visitors in the galleries who wear audioguides and they do talk with one another. We use headphones because it offers higher audio quality than without and do not see it as a distraction. When we started this project, we all agreed that the audio tour should be seamless. People should forget about it. In a utopia, the 60 voices of curators, conservators, educators and artists we have on the audioguide would be live, but that's just not possible. Also, we have a number of audio stops that encourage family visitors to interact. One audio segment pauses with a question being asked, for example, and when the child and parent think they know the answer or want to find out the rest of the story, they press the play button to continue. Bottom line, I think audio tours can be very good and very bad, but I think we have to move beyond the point that just because Museum people don't use them is a reason to be discouraged about their usefulness. Visitors are telling us something different. Alison Glazier Education/Media Projects J. Paul Getty Museum, x7203