Re: Ontological breakdown at UCMP (from D. Lindberg)

[Christopher Whittle <cwhittle@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

On Fri, 25 Aug 1995, N. MacLeod wrote:

> Date: Thu, 24 Aug 95 22:07:00 PDT
> X-Sender: drl@ucmp1.Berkeley.Edu
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> To: paleonet-owner@nhm.ac.uk
> From: drl@ucmp1.Berkeley.EDU (D.R. Lindberg)
> Subject: Funding for research museums
> 
> UCMP is a University Museum; our primary charge is teaching and research.
> We are allocated funding and space for this mission.  We are not allocated
> space or funds for public displays or outreach.  However, UCMP has long
> recognized the importance of public contact and has prepared limited
> displays, hosted open houses, run school tours, and sponsored public digs
> for over 20 years.
> 
> In the original conception of the virtual Museum graduate students Rob
> Guralnick and David Polly saw the opportunity to construct a "museum without
> walls" on the Internet.  Those of us that subsequently became involved with
> their vision shared the excitement of  the opportunity to provide the public
> with access to the incredible materials and knowledge housed in UCMP which
> otherwise would have remain hiddened in cases or archived in field note
> files.  In "real museums' research and exhibits are housed in separate areas
> of the building, with separate administrations, separate mission statements,
> and separate budgets.

My point was that the more you involve the public with your mission etc.  
the more money you will encounter.  You will be able to add floors to 
your existing building or build a satellite facility.  Congress is 
cutting back on funding because they condsider most research irrelevant.  
Paleontology is unique in that the public loves it.  This love can be 
levearged into money from both the private and public sectors. The UCMP 
virtual museum is a fantastic, cutting edge step in the right direction.  
Keep up the good work... Push the envelope on all fronts though...
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