ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology Centers
Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related institutions.
*****************************************************************************
A good friend of mine, very worldly, educated in the best English
schools, had this idea that I worked at a "museum" about children. He
said he had images of large dioramas with models of children over the
ages: gutter snipes of the industrial age, mid 20th century boys with
cowboy hats and silver pistols, etc. I laughed so hard. Children's
museums have been experimenting with new names for a while now for
similar reasons. Does it solve the problems associated with the
public's perception of what we are? Maybe, but I am not sure it's that
simple. I think somewhere along the way a new sort of paradigm will
evolve (do paradigms evolve or just pop-up?) for what we do. I suspect
a good part of that will be as we move out from our four walls and
become much more integrated into our communities both local and global.
Erich Rose
Exhibit Manager
Austin Children's Museum
201 Colorado Street
Austin, TX 78701
512-472-2499 ext 207
-----Original Message-----
From: Informal Science Education Network
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of jason jay stevens
Sent: Saturday, June 23, 2007 1:02 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: science center vs. science museum semantics
ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology
Centers Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related
institutions.
************************************************************************
*****
I'll cast my vote with yours!
There are many reasons to persuade that adaptation in the language, to
the extent we can, but the most pragmantic reason to me is that Museums
and Centers demand different behaviors of their audiences, and the
confusion of terms does a diservice to the public's expectations. The
most historically significant reason is the identity crisis true
American museums are suffering as they define their missions.
Significant institutional collections have been moth balled to make way
for fair-style crowd-pleasers.
Science center history can be traced back to the 19th Century Barnum-
style "Museum" attractions, as well as the World's Fair exhibitions, but
they are certainly a different and new species. They deserve their own
designation as a matter of respect.
All that being said, there are dozens of Science Centers with the word
Museum in their names, and lobbying Congress to legislate more precision
in the names of these institutions seems like a lost cost.
I disagree, however with the assessment that America lacks museums, a
museum being deifined as an organized collection. The U.S.A. is a
country packed full of crazy collectors. I'd wager there are museums
tucked in rooms in multiple homes on every block in the nation.
I look forward to information about your paper!
Sorry my email got a little long, there. I've been thinking a lot about
this stuff lately, too.
--Jason
__
JasonJayStevens
JasonJayStevensStudio
[log in to unmask]
210.818.0642
www.potterbelmar.org/jjss
On Jun 22, 2007, at 11:59 PM, Julia Berger wrote:
> ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology
> Centers Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and
> related institutions.
> **********************************************************************
> *******
>
> I did catch that quote from Dr. Watson, and it did make me think.
> I just finished up a large paper (details forthcoming) and I finally
> decided to commit to "science center" rather than "science museum".
> I've been struggling to decide on this for some time (basically any
> time I open my mouth), and I will agree, the US does not have so many
> science "museums", and even fewer prominent ones. That is, a bunch of
> collections housed in glass cases. The article in question highlights
> a personal collection of medical effluvia - a museum "collection" if
> you will.
>
> Our many excellent science "centers" are dynamic places where glass
> cases are few and far between, and that's okay by me.
>
> Problem is, I bet most people reading that article don't stop to make
> these types of distinctions.
>
> Here's one for a Starbucks cup:
>
> "Science museum vs. Science center - discuss."
>
> -Julia
>
> fresh M.Ed. who is in-between stuff
> University of Washington
> Bay Area Science Centers
>
> **********************************************************************
> *
> For information about the Association of Science-Technology Centers
> and the Informal Science Education Network please visit www.astc.org.
>
> Check out the latest case studies and reviews on ExhibitFiles at
> www.exhibitfiles.org.
>
> The ISEN-ASTC-L email list is powered by LISTSERVR software from L-
> Soft. To learn more, visit http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html.
>
> To remove your e-mail address from the ISEN-ASTC-L list, send the
> message SIGNOFF ISEN-ASTC-L in the BODY of a message to
> [log in to unmask]
>
***********************************************************************
For information about the Association of Science-Technology Centers and
the Informal Science Education Network please visit www.astc.org.
Check out the latest case studies and reviews on ExhibitFiles at
www.exhibitfiles.org.
The ISEN-ASTC-L email list is powered by LISTSERVR software from L-Soft.
To learn more, visit http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html.
To remove your e-mail address from the ISEN-ASTC-L list, send the
message SIGNOFF ISEN-ASTC-L in the BODY of a message to
[log in to unmask]
***********************************************************************
For information about the Association of Science-Technology Centers and the Informal Science Education Network please visit www.astc.org.
Check out the latest case studies and reviews on ExhibitFiles at www.exhibitfiles.org.
The ISEN-ASTC-L email list is powered by LISTSERVR software from L-Soft. To learn more, visit
http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html.
To remove your e-mail address from the ISEN-ASTC-L list, send the
message SIGNOFF ISEN-ASTC-L in the BODY of a message to
[log in to unmask]
|
