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On the one hand, I get really annoyed when I read articles/comment boards like these and see that so many people outside of the sector just don't understand what museums do. And then I remember that if they don't understand what we're doing, then as public-facing institutions we're doing something wrong. But still, I too find it frustrating that the big publicity articles like the Guardian one are always just focused on the nationals, completely overlooking the fact that the arts and heritage sector is not holistically represented by the way the British Museum chooses to do things. ----- Original Message ----- From: "J DAVIS" <[log in to unmask]> To: <[log in to unmask]> Sent: Wednesday, July 08, 2009 5:14 PM Subject: Re: "Museums' future lies on the internet, say Serota and MacGregor" We do, however, need the online collection databases online in the 1st place as the basic info which we can then use in more exciting stuff. What's depressing about the article is that only the nationals will ever be able to go further because they have large enough budgets & staff to allocate some to digital stuff. I'm firmly of the opinion that online material can provide experiences & info that the physical collections can't - but it doesn't substitute for the experience of seeing (or even touching!) the actual objects. I remember as an undergraduate on study trips rather reluctantly going into museums in Amsterdam & Paris because I was so familiar with many of their best stuff from pictures in books, & slides - and finding I was totally blown away by the real objects in most cases. Janet Janet E Davis **************************************************************** For mcg information visit the mcg website at http://www.museumscomputergroup.org.uk. To manage your subscription to this email list visit http://www.museumscomputergroup.org.uk/email.shtml **************************************************************** **************************************************************** For mcg information visit the mcg website at http://www.museumscomputergroup.org.uk. To manage your subscription to this email list visit http://www.museumscomputergroup.org.uk/email.shtml ****************************************************************