The Free Press, Mankato, MN

Your View

May 22, 2012

Your View: Community should see full collection

Dave Jackson, Mankato and Tom Hagen, Mankato

Vail Belgards recent letter to the editor suggested that only those who have volunteered or served as board members of the Blue Earth County Historical Society and know its inner workings have the right to criticize it.

We respectively disagree.

We understand and appreciate all the work current staff, board and volunteers do, often without thanks. It is the society's direction and focus that we take issue with.

The society's collections are the community's property and should be able to be seen. As former board members ourselves, we do have knowledge of the society's inner workings.

Many previous board members have tried to get leadership to change BECHS's policy and display much more of the society's collection. Those requests were met with inaction and obfuscation.

Contrary to the society's claims, space to display is not the central issue, but rather how the space is to be used. Instead of storing the collections hidden away, we suggested storing them in full view. Cover the walls, fill tables and cases, hang some objects from the ceiling if necessary.

Responses from BECHS staff to these proposals included "we need to rest the exhibits" and "we don't like clutter."Other historical societies in the state also have space issues but manage to create interesting museum experiences with much of their collections on permanent display.

We don't need to interpret everything or stage elaborate exhibits, just put out as much of the collection as possible and let the public enjoy and wonder.

We are not alone among previous board members in our agreement with the sentiments in Gwen Rohwer's recent letter.

 

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