ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology Centers
Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related institutions.
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ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology Centers
Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related
institutions.
****************************************************************************
*

Mathew,

Thank you for your carefully worded and detailed explanation for why the
National Museum of American History removed the Foucault Pendulum. While I
was impressed that the over-the-phone help desk for the Smithsonian knew
there was a FP at one point and that it had been removed and not moved, they
did not share the detail that you have in your post. I am certain that
removing a long term exhibit around which the museum was constructed was not
an easy decision to make and I appreciate the deliberative process that you
went through. It was helpful to understand this in the light of the change
in mission.

Glenn's response was not intended to start a fight on the removal of the
exhibit, I believe, only to present one side of the perspective of those
considering the loss of an exhibit in the light of a similar loss closer to
home for him.

My goal in posting has been achieved and I appreciate all of the responses.
At NSTA we are developing online professional development for educators that
raise their knowledge and understanding of science. One of our Science
Objects in development would be served by illustrating a Foucault Pendulum
in order to demonstrate a key piece of evidence against a geocentric
perspective of Earth and the Sun. My research on the Internet revealed many
pendulums, less video, but none with the instructional design that we need,
a time lapse video.

I recently returned to this forum after an absence and have always found it
to be valuable and education. Thank you to everyone, lurking and
contributing.

Sincerely,

Todd

-----Original Message-----
From: Informal Science Education Network
[mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of Matthew White
Sent: Friday, July 22, 2005 10:22 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Seeking A Foucault Pendulum - time lapse video or the real
thing to video myself


ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology Centers
Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related
institutions.
****************************************************************************
*

In defense of the National Museum of American History, the Pendulum was an
integral part of the exhibits back when the museum was called The National
Museum of History and Technology and had a mission appropriate to that name.
 In 1980 the museum altered its name to the National Museum of American
History, and altered its mission accordingly. The  Foucault Pendulum, the
invention of a French Physicist, fit the old mission nicely but it fit the
new mission tangentially at best. After what I hear was vast amounts of
deliberation (I have been here only a short time) it was removed to make way
for more mission related displays and to improve visitor flow.

The NMAH community remains ambiguous about hte decision, but given its lack
of relation to American History it is not coming back. Go to
http://americanhistory.si.edu/about/renovations.cfm to read more about
plans for the Central Core of the museum.

You may scoff at this "progress" all you like, but before you judge us too
harshly ask yourself this:

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?

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:

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?

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." And remember that "progress" is not an isolated variable or
value, but must be measured in terms of mission, goals, and objectives.
Considering the fact that our mission is to inspire a broader understanding
of our nation and its many peoples, removing hte Pendulum was indeed
progress.

I am not necessarily defending the specific decision to remove the
Pendulum, or any other specific decision at any institution for that
matter.There can be healthy disagreement among museum professionals and
related healthy debate, but before we get snarky about the curatorial
decisions of fellow professionals, we should really get the full story and
try to put ourselves in their shoes.

Perhaps a more helpful tack in this thread would be for the original poster
to contact the curator in charge of the Pendulum and ask him for information
and possible video footage. I sent that curator the original poster's query
and email address. I would be happy to along contact information of said
curator  to the original poster if they contact me off list.

Matt White
Director, Hands On Science Center
national Museum of American History
[log in to unmask]

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