Friends,
     At the Hermitage 15 to 20% of our operating budget is generated by the
museum store.  One day I walked in and found a display of
"battlefield-collected" artifacts for sale - minie balls, spoons, ammo-bag
buckles, etc.  I of course immediately spoke to the manager, and these were
sent back to the distributor the next day.  She was totally sympathetic to
the reasons I objected to the merchandise, and had the legitimate excuse that
she "never thought twice about selling the stuff."  Basically, to her these
were just another category to be included in the small selection of true
antiques she displays and sells.
     I guess my point is that she is a great store manager but really is only
minimally aware of the murky depths of museum and archaeological ethics.  I
recognize that her concerns about the store as a going concern are always
going to guide her first impulses on what to choose to sell.  If she hadn't
trusted my judgement on the for-sale items, I would have taken it up the next
step, to the director and curator who obviously would have more exposure and
experience with these kind of issues.  I would say that if you are offended
by the merchandise you see in a museum store you are visiting, the place to
complain isn't to the manager, but to the museum director.  Complaint
letters, especially from professionals, usually get a lot of attention.
                              Best,
                               Larry McKee
                               Director of Archaeology, The Hermitage