Signage

In Conservation DistList Instance: 15:1 Wednesday, June 6, 2001, I
wrote:

>At the Canadian Centre for Architecture we are going to place "Do
>Not Touch" signs near objects which are being displayed without
>plexiglas covers. ...
...
>Finally--does the "Do Not Touch" message work, or will people touch
>anyway, given the opportunity?

Ron Stark wrote the following in response to my question about "Do
Not Touch" signs.  I asked if I could pass it on to the DistList and
he said OK.

    From: Ron Stark [mailto:ron [at] srlabs__com]
    Date: 7 juin, 2001 03:23
    Subject: Human nature!

    C'mon, you know it's human nature to touch. *You* want to touch
    a flower when you see it, don't you? The whole matter rests in a
    few ways. First, why are they touching whatever it is they are
    touching? *Most* people know not to do so especially in a museum
    but *something* is giving them the need to do so.

    What is it? Signs help but what about proximity? Second, remove
    the person from the object being touched. Third, state a penalty
    for not observing the rules. Try staging a "touch and arrest"
    drama. A volunteer touches an exhibit and is "caught" by a
    docent or guard and is "escorted" out of the museum with, of
    course, some very boisterous words and so forth. Do that a few
    times in a day and people will be most mindful of exhibits.
    Also, give each person a friendly warning when they buy a ticket
    or at the entrance.

    In short, become aggressive and it will be a no touchie museum
    for sure. Best,

    Ron Stark, Director
    S/R Labs


                                  ***
                  Conservation DistList Instance 15:3
                  Distributed: Thursday, June 14, 2001
                        Message Id: cdl-15-3-005
                                  ***