R. Potvin Presentation at the AASLH in September 2011.

1. HANDS-ON vs. HANDS-OFF: THE REMBRANDT RULE REVISITED American Association for State and Local History Annual Meeting, 2011 Ron M. Potvin Assistant Director & Curator John Nicholas Brown Center for Public Humanities & Cultural Heritage Brown University

2. “Are we cheating our visitors by simply showing and describing objects? Can using an object in an ‘authentic’ way facilitate a more immediate connection with people in the past who performed the same act? A one-size-fits-all approach to collections impedes the ability of museums to creatively engage visitors.” Remarks by Ron M. Potvin at the AASLH Annual Meeting 2010

3. “It is important for museum professionals to realise what a powerful, almost magical, experience touch can provide when handling something venerated. This does not have to be an obviously ritual object—it could be a Paleolithic hand-axe awesome for its extraordinary age, or a slave yoke redolent of misery.” Elizabeth Pye, The Power of Touch (2007)

5. Gradual wear and tear

6. Theft

8. CAN WE “GET AROUND” THESE RESTRICTIONS

9. 1. Flexible Loan Agreements and Collections Policies John Nicholas Brown Center for Public Humanities and Cultural Heritage Three-tier collections management system, described in loan agreements and collecting plan “Rembrandts”: “The JNBC will protect objects from fire, theft, mishandling, dirt and insects and extremes of temperature and humidity.” Highest level of care. Interpretation Collections: “The JNBC may use interpretation collections for instructional purposes in carefully controlled circumstances.” Instructional Collections: “The JNBC utilizes these collections for the instruction, practical use, or enjoyment of students, researchers and the general public. These objects may be examined, handled, or dismantled by students or researchers, or displayed for extended periods of time for interpretive or decorative purposes, and will be exposed to wear and tear commensurate with their use and function.”

11. Models for students to create their own reproductions

12. Inspiration for creative writing, drawing, or drama

15. Appropriate objects purchased from antique stores

16. Theft has not been a problem

18. Part of the Lakeshore Museum Center in Muskegon, MI

19. Period appropriate furnishings and decorations

20. Self-guided, but with volunteers stationed on each floor“We encourage people to sit down and read a magazine from 1930. We invite them to play Monopoly, or the piano. We also invite visitors to write down their memories of the Great Depression.” Dawn M. Willi, Historic Sites Manager “‘It reminds me of my grandma's house in town,’ Bourdo said. She looked over the Depression-era house and marveled at everything from the doctor's satchel left in the doorway to the canned goods in the old-fashioned cupboards. ‘I have not regretted my childhood,’ she said. ‘It might be a different story for my mom and dad, but for us kids, no, not once.’” Muskegon Chronicle (2009)

22. Birthplace of Alcoholics Anonymous

23. Visitors, including some struggling with addiction, are still offered coffee and counseled at Robert Smith’s kitchen table

24. Tour is self guided. Many of the greeters are themselves recovering alcoholics. “I was very happy to see a coffee pot in the kitchen, and full too! There is something special about AA coffee. Upon walking into the kitchen, it smelled like an AA meeting. I imagine the conversations that took place in this room, and throughout this house, had an incredible depth and weight.” Anonymous Recovering Alcoholic and Blogger

26. The Trust wanted the cottage to be furnished with Lincoln’s ideas, not his furniture

27. Little documentation of what the Lincoln’s brought with them when they used the site

28. Reproductions were less expensive and replaceable Used for teacher training workshops in 2010 “The cottage provides a canvas to humanize the president, but it also provides an opportunity for historic perspective-taking. These figures were living in the 1800s and had things in common with us—grief, fear, the need for quiet time…” 8th-grade U.S. history teacher at Paul Public Charter School in Washington, DC.

30. A single building on seven acres

32. Guests have the run of the house and collections

33. 1970s and 80s furniture designed by Mies van der Rohe

35. 12 buildings on 50 acres

36. Still experimenting with possible uses and programs such as “Glass House Conversations.”

40. Access for the blind and visually impaired

41. Enriching Museum Learning—Research by Reach Advisors indicates that adults under 50 are over two times more likely to include a hands-on experience in their memory of a museum visit than adults over 50

42. Individualized Learning—Touching an object encourages people to form their own meanings and connections, more so than seeing or hearing about an object

43. Activate Objects—Machines, mechanisms, and musical instruments are difficult to understand unless they can be run, manipulated, or played

45. Rather than “Don’t Touch Anything,” the new guideline should be “Don’t Touch Everything.”

47. Acknowledges that not all objects are equal and so should not be treated the same way

48. The value of each of these different types of interactions should be treated as equally valid and important to a visitor’s experienceFACILITATED OBJECTS A group of objects that can be handled, touched, or used with the guidance of a trained interpreter. “REMBRANDTS” The base of your collections in need of, and worthy of, the highest standard of care

50. Museum standards and policies

51. Lack of adequate research in the museum field about the relationship between objects and senses and emotions“The energies and collective wisdom of curators, conservators, educators, preservationists, and funders should be directed toward guiding historic sites in making decisions about responsible and flexible use of collections.” Remarks by Ron M. Potvin at the AASLH Annual Meeting 2010

52. Ron M. Potvin John Nicholas Brown Center, Brown University Ronald_Potvin@Brown.edu 401-863-1177