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Glenn,

Excellent rant! You sound a lot like I used to sound. I'm not saying 
that I necessarily agree with everything you write, but I appreciate the 
fact that you are willing to write so openly about things you so 
obviously care about. Good going.

With regard to the Foucault Pendulum, any Foucault Pendulum, I believe 
there is a certain elegant simplicity in them. I also believe that their 
beauty is lost on most people. Most people and museums, don't take the 
time to appreciate the window into our world that they offer.

Keep true to the things you believe in. You'll sleep better at night, 
for  awhile.  Then, like most of us, your spirit will be crushed and 
your hard head will be beaten down to a soft, soupy pulp.


Joe Ruggiero
www.theexhibitguys.com


Glenn A. Walsh wrote:

> ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology Centers
> Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related institutions.
> *****************************************************************************
> 
> 
>>You may not agree with the decision to remove the
>>Pendulum, many here at
>>the museum didn't, but it was not done lightly and it
>>certainly was not
>>"cast aside." 
> 
> 
> I am sorry. You say that the Pendulum was removed and
> will not be reinstalled, and, apparently, there are no
> plans to install the Pendulum anywhere else in the
> huge Smithsonian complex [or, anywhere else in
> Washington, for that matter]. Hence, I do consider my
> characterization that the Pendulum has been "cast
> aside" as being quite accurate.
> 
> 
>>You may scoff at this "progress" all you like, but
>>before you judge us too
>>harshly ask yourself this:
> 
> 
> Progress indeed! I have found that "progress" is often
> simply change so new administrators have something new
> to take credit for, since they cannot take credit for
> an "old" exhibit or an "old" way of displaying and
> teaching to the public. So, million of dollars are
> spent on "progress," so these administrators [and
> often, also politicians] have something to take credit
> for. The old exhibits or systems of display are cast
> aside, even though they were quite successful in
> teaching thousands of people for decades!
> 
> 
>>Would your institution devote three floors of its
>>most prime exhibition and visitor services real
>>estate to a single artifact that has nothing to do
>>with your mission?
> 
> 
> According to the link you referred me to:
> < http://americanhistory.si.edu/about/renovations.cfm
> 
> the renovation is a $300 million project, with $200
> million already raised. That is a lot of money. With
> that kind of money, a way could have been found to
> work around a major exhibit such as the Foucault
> Pendulum, IF THERE WAS THE WILL TO DO SO. Obviously,
> there is no such will; only a desire to create "new."
> 
> When the Foucault Pendulum was designed as an integral
> part of your building, as it waa so designed in
> Pittsburgh's Buhl Planetarium, the Pendulum becomes
> part of the history of your building. To treat the
> Pendulum as just another exhibit, that can be removed
> at will, is denying the history of the building.
> 
> 
>>Or, considering how many science center and museum
>>iMax theaters are/did/will show such films as Charlie
>>and the Chocolate Factory  Robots,
>>and  Batman Begins, maybe I should rephrase:
> 
> 
> First, let me make it clear that I have NO AFFILIATION
> with Pittsburgh's Carnegie Science Center. In fact, I
> do have differences with The Carnegie Science Center.
> 
> That said, commercial IMAX films, laser shows, and
> even a miniature railroad and village are often not
> part of a museum's mission--but these are financial
> necessities so that the museum can fulfill their
> stated mission!
> 
> 
>>Would your institution devote three floors of its
>>most prime exhibition and visitor services real
>>estate to a single artifact that has nothing to do
>>with your mission AND DOES NOT BRING A SINGLE DIME?
> 
> 
> Ah, now we are getting to the meat of it. It is all
> about money!
> 
> First, how do you know that a Foucault Pendulum does
> not bring in a "single dime" to the institutions that
> have one? In fact, since the Smithsonian does not
> charge an admission fee, I am not sure how this could
> become one of your arguments in the first place!
> 
> Anecdotally, I can easily report to you that many,
> many people who visited Buhl Planetarium, over the
> years, have been impressed with our Foucault Pendulum,
> and remember that exhibit for many years. Now, they
> may not come back just to see that one exhibit, but I
> am sure that the Pendulum was ONE of the reasons for
> repeat visits, particularly when they are bringing
> children or grandchildren--and, when they recommended
> Buhl Planetarium to relatives and friends. And, as
> with Buhl Planetarium, a Foucault Pendulum is one of
> the exhibits very often mentioned in promotional
> literature for institutions which house a pendulum.
> 
> With the huge Smithsonian complex of museums, I am
> sure that there would be someplace appropriate to
> display a major exhibit, such as a Foucault Pendulum,
> which, even in this high-tech world, still
> successfully teaches important concepts about the
> world we live on.
> 
> However, why spend a lot of money to reinstall the
> Foucault Pendulum elsewhere, when you have the
> perfect, custom-built location already available? If
> more space is needed for the American History Museum,
> then that money would be much better spent in building
> an annex or addition.
> 
> Does a Foucault Pendulum degrade the teaching of
> American History? I think not. Even if certain
> administrators think that the Foucault Pendulum does
> not belong in the National Museum of American History,
> I am not so sure that the public would think such an
> installation is so out-of-place.
> 
> gaw
> 
> gaw
> 
> Glenn A. Walsh
> Electronic Mail - < [log in to unmask] > 
> Author of History Web Sites on the Internet --
> * Buhl Planetarium, Pittsburgh: 
>   < http://www.planetarium.cc > 
> * Adler Planetarium, Chicago: 
>   < http://adlerplanetarium.tripod.com >
> * Astronomer & Optician John A. Brashear: 
>   < http://johnbrashear.tripod.com > 
> * Andrew Carnegie & Carnegie Libraries: 
>   < http://www.andrewcarnegie.cc > 
> * Duquesne Incline cable-car railway, Pittsburgh: 
>   < http://www.incline.cc >
> 
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