Dear Wes et al;-
    At one time, the Cincinnati Museum of Nat. Hist. had a wonderful shell
room. It was ringed with display cases and attended by Mr. Willard Mohorter.
At that time, Ralph Dury was the Museum director and was very interested in
shells. Mr. Mohorter Died. Ralph Dury Died. The new director was interested
in birds. The shells were carefully gathered up and placed in the collection
cabinets---where they languish today. They were replaced in that room by
PICTURES of birds.
    As of today, there are two (count 'em) two shells on display at the
museum. I have counted about 150,000 in the collection cabinets.
    The fortunate thing we have going for us is that a couple of the Museum
Board members wont let the Museum dispose of what we have. It's an ongoing
story of intrigue, animal passions, and dramatic speeches.
        Art

"Wesley M. Thorsson" wrote:

> While it would be nice if the public had access to the scientific
> collections of museums, it isn't feasible or desirable.  The scientific
> collections in most museums are stored in drawers that are usually
> closed.  The cabinets that hold the drawers are on tracks (if the
> cabinets are modern to prevent Byrnes disease and other blights).  In
> the drawers are a number of trays, or boxes, often without tops.  The
> value of the collection is degrated if shells are picked up and then
> returned to the wrong tray.  There are a number of cases where type
> specimens were put back in the wrong species tray causing taxonomic
> problems when malacologists were studying the types.
>
> If all drawers were completly covered so that the collection wouldn't be
> disturbed by visitors, the collection would be harder to manage and more
> difficult for scientific observers to use in a study.  Sealing drawers
> would also probably prevent necessary circulation of air needed to
> prevent shell deterioration.  All problems can be overcome with very
> different cabinets that would overcome the visitor disturbing the
> collection problem.  However, that would require expenditure of a huge
> sum of money, and money is normally in very short supply at most
> museums.
>
> With the cabinets and storage used in most museums, there would have to
> be a guide for each visitor or group of visitors that could control the
> visitor's actions.  We all know that while WE are responsible people who
> wouldn't mix up a collection, or even steal irreplacable specimens, such
> people do exist, as evidenced by a sizable prison population and an
> always over booked court system.
>
> Most museums do not have an adequate staff to provide guides to allow
> tourists to visit scientific collections.  The displays open to the
> public are almost always placed in display cabinets that take up a very
> large area and allow only a select small part of the collections to be
> on public display.
>
> What is on display for the public is always a matter of what the museum
> directors are interested in.  In the past (1950's to 1970), there was a
> collection of shells on display in the Honolulu (University of Hawaii
> operated) Aquarium and in a Children's Museum.  The shells at both
> places were donated mostly by members of the Hawaiian Malacological
> Society.  Time passed and the collection from the Children's museum
> moved from place to place, finally ending up in Bishop Museum in one of
> the old houses on the property.  Termites damaged the building to the
> extent that it was dangerous to the public, so that was closed and never
> restored, much to the dismay of people who had worked to provide the
> displays.  Museum priorities did not place shell collections for the
> public at all high, so money was not available for them, and the present
> situation is a result.
>
> Bishop Museum has allowed the HMS to have some meetings there that
> involved a tour through the collection.  Time doesn't permit roaming
> through much of the many millions of shells stored during a short tour.
>
> Individuals engaged in a research project can get access to the
> scientific collection by writing to the museum, or calling Malacology
> Department by phone.  The scientific collection exists for research
> projects.  People who have a particular field of interest in mind can
> usually arrange a visit for a short period.  That is about the best that
> personnel and funds permit.  For a period, Bishop Museum was short of
> personnel and funds to the extent that a significant charge for visits
> was needed.  This status changes from time to time.
>
> There are a number of museum people on CONCH-L that can comment on use
> of scientific collections in their museum.
> --
>                      Aloha from Wesley M. Thorsson
> Editor of Internet Hawaiian Shell News, a monthly Internet Publication
>            122 Waialeale St, Honolulu, HI  96825-2020,  U.S.A
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