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> Our docents supplement field-trip tours with hands-on objects that
they place remove from boxes and put out on the floor at the appropriate
places in the exhibit just 
> before the tour begins and put back after the tour. The problem is
that some of these objects are 'walking away' when the docents are
around a corner (in spite of the 
> signs that say, "For docent tours, please do not touch."). Does anyone
have some ideas about how to get around this? One idea is to remove them
from their boxes when > using them and putting them directly back but
our boxes do not lock and are hard to carry. I am thinking that perhaps
we should use rolling carts with drawers or 
> cupboards that can lock. Does anyone know of where to get these at a
reasonable price? Thanks. Deborah
> 
> Deborah Massey

Hi Deborah;

We attempt to solve the problem in two ways.  1) If items are out on the
floor not at a set exhibit then they are never let out of the sight of
the docent.  Each item has a "handler" and other duties are covered by
other docents at that time.  2) We have some items that stay out on
their own but they are at a counter that looks terribly official.

We do still lose items, but it's not all that common - more often items
are broken and left there.  My guess would be that carts (even if they
don't lock), like our counters, would be a deterrent.

If your items are very lightweight Sterilite has a plastic rolling
chests for around $25 (Target) and if the items are heavy Panther has
metal shelves that you can slide drawers into for around $75 (Amazon).

Good luck;

Deirdre McGaffey Schwein
Museum Programs Developer

The Tech Museum of Innovation
201 South Market Street
San Jose, CA 95113
408-795-6186
408-279-7167 (Fax)
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http://www.thetech.org
 
Visit The Tech's View from Space Exhibit
...where everyone can be an astronaut!
www.thetech.org/exhibits/view_from_space/

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