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Ed- i'll bet you a six pack, or a bottle of wine, that you can't show
me an exhibit that does appeal to all of the 'intelligences.'
There are two issues I have with the framework, both come from
practical experience:
1. First, a good exhibit is a good exhibit. It's as much about
context as about anything else. If you and I go into a library, you
may go just to browse; i may go to look for a specific book on how to
create a macrame plant holder. Be cause the macrame book is only for
the literal minded, does it make it any less valuable a book? I know
you say variety is important; that's different than saying this kind
of exhibit is intrinsically better than that kind of exhibit. My
question will always be: in what context?
2. Second, and more important, we do a lousy job (well, most of us)
of helping our visitors understand how to engage with something that
is open-ended (which is a term I don't believe is very descriptive).
We expect them to come into a center that is most like a museum in
their experience and expect them to know that its ok to play, that
its ok not to come away with a chunk of information, that is ok to
not understand everything, that process is reward in itself. Such
assumptions assume for too much and are contrary to many visitors'
experiences.
Yours argumentatively, and playing the devil's advocate, and not
trying to sway your position,
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