I found the comparison between a museum’s collection and a body’s blood interesting. Baccaglini writes, “Barker stresses that collections are the point of departure for all the museum’s actions, much like the heart pumps blood through the body to sustain life.” I would go one step further and say that while the body needs blood pumping through it, that does not mean that the body’s purpose is to just be alive. There is something more, and the pumping blood is a means to another end. Baccaglini makes this argument, and Barker (with an opposing viewpoint) gives an example that directly makes Baccaglini’s point.

What is the purpose of museum research if not to advance knowledge AND to share it? As an engineering researcher, one of our primary goals is to share new knowledge. It is not very useful for us to create knowledge and then keep it to ourselves. The audience we typically share with is other researchers, but I believe we have a duty to the general public as well. It seems that many museums have similar takes, but this thesis makes it seem like museum researchers do not fully buy into that mission. How do museum leaders portray this importance to their staff? How do museum researchers who do take this mission to heart convince their colleagues?

I had a similar experience to Baccaglini’s replica Rosetta Stone experience. The North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences has dinosaur bones that anyone can touch. As a kid, I thought this was the coolest thing. It wasn’t until high school or college that I realized that made no sense, and this must be a replica. I looked around for more information, and they had pictures of the real skull. It was covered with some sort of fungus or mineral that was slowly degrading it. It’s only accessible to researchers, and I appreciate what the museum does to preserve these bones. While I loved the magic of touching a “real” dinosaur bone as a kid, but it wasn’t entirely honest. I’m sure someone told me it was a replica, but my enthusiastic little self disregarded that. Is there a better way to tell visitors about this?

I also made connections to an article that was linked from the one Nim shared this morning on Slack: Louvre puts personal time with Mona Lisa up for auction to paint over financial cracks. In this, the Louvre is auctioning off experiences to make up for income lost over the past year. In one, a lucky winner will get to be in the room when researchers examine the Mona Lisa. They will get a close up view of the painting without a glass barrier. They are hoping to raise “between 10,000 and 30,000 euros (£9,000-£27,000) for the Mona Lisa experience.” I love that they are making this accessible, but how can they increase this experience? Even more, another experience is expected to go for even more money: “A walk along the rooftop of the 800-year-old Louvre palace with French street artist JR is another item for the auction, which Christie’s hopes will raise more than one million euros (£900,000).” It’s great that this experience (a more personal one) is valued more than the Mona Lisa one.