They Can Tell

Sometimes we don’t believe our visitors could ever love our subjects and collections like we do. They can, if we try. But it’s hard, yes. So we lose faith.

They can tell.

When we think that our objects aren’t going to interest the public, every decision we make about how we display them reflects that.

They can tell.

If we lose faith that our ideas, our collections, really aren’t amazing after all, maybe we start adding tech for tech's sake: interactives, immersives, anything, I don’t know … AI?

They can tell.

If we don’t think our audience will care whether the objects are original or not, maybe we make it all replicas, because it’s cheaper to maintain anyway.

They can tell.

Here’s the thing:
Every subject we advance, every object we preserve — all of it is worthwhile. Either all of it has value, or none of it has value. When we forget that, we start playing other people’s games instead of our own.

They can tell.

Warmly,
Jonathan

P.S. Thanks to reader M.T. for “Either all of it has value, or none of it has value.”