Problems in the documentation of the history of fine arts in Japan are explored through a description of the influences of personalities and institutions in the historical study of Japanese art, a survey of the literature and documents involved, and the relationships between museum and library documentation procedures. Suggestions offered for the…

The nature of the structure in museum information is explored, and some alternative techniques for maintaining this structure in computerized records are compared. One approach uses structural linguistic concepts to describe relationships in the information from which museum catalog data are extracted and expands these data to an appropriate host…

A management information system (MIS) is applied to a medium sized general museum to reflect the actual curatorial/registration functions. The recordkeeping functions of loan and conservation activities are examined since they too can be effectively handled by computer and constitute a complementary data base to the accession/catalog information.…

Evaluation methods and results are reported for the "Man In His Environment" (MIHE) exhibition at Field Museum in Chicago, Illinois. The evaluative design included an analysis of both knowledge and attitudes as they relate to the content and objectives of the exhibit. Museum visitors who agreed to participate were tested by questionnaires before…

Written in an informal style, this brief guide to the complexities of copyright law in England is intended for the world of museums and galleries. Particular attention is paid to the day-to-day problems encountered in photographic copyright. (MM)

The author examines (1) the place of museums in the educational process, (2) the "style" in which museums teach, and (3) the need for a school-museum alliance. Ways in which the educational profession can aid in the development of school-museum cooperation are presented, as well as warnings against rigidity and formality in the museum's…

In preparation for the Silver Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth, some of the wax figure scenes of the royal family at Madame Tussaud's Waxworks are being renewed. A bit of the history of Tussaud's is given. The most popular exhibits are named, and technical details are added. (IFS/WGA)

Discusses recent work on scientific institutions in the United States, indicating that although historians have explored the origins of institutions, few have pursued these organizations into their later and perhaps equally complex years. Learned/professional organizations, museums, publications, and philanthropy are among the major topic areas…

A project for elementary school children based on a museum's collection of Alexander Calder's art is described. After studying Calder's works of art, students created their own three-dimensional stabiles, molded clay into animals, and made circus figures from cork, fabric, yarn, and colored paper. (RM)

Inviting students to look, explore, and think, this booklet offers practical ways for teachers to use museums--in particular, the artworks, artifacts, collections, and other materials they contain--as a basis for secondary students' writing. If taking students on field trips is not feasible, educators can adapt most of the activities in the…

The purpose of this hearing was to learn about the activities and initiatives currently funded under the Museum and Library Services Act and to examine issues pertinent to its reauthorization. This report contains statements by the following: (1) Chairman Pete Hoekstra, Subcommittee on Select Education, Committee on Education and the Workforce,…

Like other public institutions, museums strive to make their facilities accessible to people with disabilities, yet these same patrons may be hindered in their use of museum Web sites by electronic accessibility barriers. This presentation demonstrates that access was a primary design factor in the Virtual Museum Tour, part of the Web site of The…

Cooperation Metaphors are sets of rules to support interaction and collaboration between users who want to explore complex content and information together. The rules determine how the collaborative community can be created and managed, how members of the community can operate on their own, or cooperate with other members. Different types of…

This paper explores the representation of taxonomy, systematics and other aspects of science on selected natural history museum Web sites, using two different but related approaches. One uses a series of categories relating to the nature of science (derived from an evaluation of exhibitions) and applies these to each Web site. In essence, this…

As museums throughout the world enter the interactive arena of digital communications, a need has emerged to access strategies of program development that seamlessly interface with existing missions and resources. This paper describes how Project VIEW, a US Department of Education Technology Innovation Challenge Grant, collaborates with major…