I'm agreeing with the theory that the individual museum curator is
  probably most responsible for the "tone" of the museum. I was
  responsible for one for a while. If anyone came to me with an interest
  in something I couldn't wait to show off what we had and pump them
  unmerciful for whatever they might know. If they wanted help from
  little old me, they'd get whatever I knew for sure, and gladly. On the
  other hand, I've tried to be helpful a couple of times at other
  museums and there was nothing. I once found the blades to a nice
  boxwood plow plane out in the barn with the cold chisels while the
  plane was in a glass case inside the main building at a country museum
  not too far from here in the next state. I tried to gently point this
  out and was met with stony hostility for intruding on the knowledge of
  the "great man". Inflated egos are usually just a mask for boiling
  insecurity under the surface. yours, Scott
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   Scott Grandstaff Box 409 Happy Camp, Ca 96039 scottg@s...
   http://www.snowcrest.net/kitty/hpages/index.html