GDG- NEW VC WILL DISPLAY FEWER ARTIFACTS

Tue Apr 8 21:47:00 CDT 2008

Kevin,

Exactly what do you think the theaters will be showing? It will be films related to Gettysburg and the Civil War. The information conveyed by the Electric Map will be conveyed by other means. Ironically, Joseph Rosensteel understood this when he scrapped the original Electric Map in favor of a bigger and better one for the CW Centennial.

 Furthermore, I've followed this entire process very closely from the request for proposal stage and I've never seen the slightest indication that any exhibition space was sacrificed to make room for the theaters, or the food area, or the bookstore.  This always was intended to be a museum that conveyed a story and educated rather than just being a collectors' museum.  The people who planned and will operate the visitors center/museum have to take into account the needs of all of the visitors, not just us hardcores who don't need the basics.  I still remember when all of this was very new to me and I would have loved having the kind of museum available to me then that the new one will be (heck, I think I would have appreciated it when my class did the "mandatory" Pennsylvania elementary school field trip to Gettysburg when I was in the fifth grade).  There will be research facilities as well, but think of the experience for a family making its first trip to Gettysburg.  We won't be
 around forever.  Future generations of hardcores who care passionately about battlefield preservation have to be recruited if the work of preservation is to contine.  In addition, an artifact that is displayed with its context explained will mean a lot more to most visitors than the rows of rifles with little more than their names and dates of manufacture listed.  One of the most important aspects of the new museum is proper storage space with stringent temperature and humidity controls for artifacts not currently on display.  Museums do not, as a rule, have all or even most of their collection on display at any given time but will rotate parts of their collections between display and storage as needed.  For me, quality of presentation is far more important that number of artifacts on display at any given time.

As for imprecating against the Almighty Dollar, the hard fact of the matter is that historic preservation in general and museums in particular do cost money, a lot of money, a fact which their custodians are painfully aware.  Many of the great museums have food areas and gift shops and book stores (one of my favorite pair of earrings was a Christmas present purchased in the gift shop of the Metropolitan Museum in New York City) to raise revenue. My understanding is that such museum gift shops have found that people do expect quality, taste, and consistency with the museum's mission in what is sold in the gift shops. People have been complaining on this discussion group and elsewhere about the admission costs to the films and the Cyclorama gallery but there is no admission to the rest of the museum/ visitors center and the park.  I know that there have been more than a few times when I would have loved to be able to get something cold to drink after getting back to the Visitors Cent
er, and I suspect that a family with children is much more likely to stick around and explore the museum if they don't have to leave to get the kids fed.

Please do more than reserve judgment with apprehensions manifest.  Experience the new museum without preconceptions and also observe others experiencing the museum and then make up your mind.

Regards,

Margaret

-------------- Original message -------------- 
From: "Kevin Thomas" <kthomas at rcvideo.com> 

> Esteemed GDG Member Contributes: 
> 
> 
> I will also reserve judgment until I see for myself but why less artifacts 
> and room for a snack bar and movie theaters (no room for a map though) I 
> love all the rifles. If I wanted to see a particular one there it was as 
> well as sword or pistol. I thought this was to preserve the Gettysburg 
> relics they are also the record of the battle. And please do not give me 
> that it will tell the story better this way Wait and see sounds like the 
> almighty dollar is the reasoning force. 
> 
> -----Original Message----- 
> From: gettysburg-bounces at arthes.com [mailto:gettysburg-bounces at arthes.com] 
> On Behalf Of cameron2 at optimum.net 
> Sent: Tuesday, April 08, 2008 12:43 PM 
> To: GDG 
> Subject: Re: GDG- NEW VC WILL DISPLAY FEWER ARTIFACTS 
> 
> Esteemed GDG Member Contributes: 
> 
> 
> << I too always thought that one of the sentiments echoed for a new VC 
> was more room to showcase the artifacts that were in storage. I will 
> reserve 
> judgement until I actually get to see the new VC, but my initial 
> reaction is that it is too bad that not as many artifacts will be on 
> display. For me it was all of those artifacts that truly got me 
> interested in the Civil War and the story of the common soldier. It 
> also triggered an interest in collecting . 
> 
> Regards, 
> Brenda Wells >> 
> 
> As with many museums, the VC has far more artifacts than it can ever display 
> at one time. An important part of the new facility is to allow for safer 
> storage of the collection in more controled conditions than were possible in 
> the old VC. What you will see is displays which do a better job of using 
> the artifacts which are displayed to tell the story of the battle. As I've 
> said in the past a display case filled with every last variation of 
> Springfield or Enfield rifle musket may do a good job of showing the design 
> evolution of Civil War infantry weapons, but, it doesn't necessarily tell 
> anyone a lot about the battle they were used in. 
> 
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