Why save museums?

FW: Closing of the IL State Museums facilities - oppose

To:'facilityclosure@ilga.gov'

When an agency closes a museum it also closes its mind to how they got to where they HAD to close their cultural entities and all previous heritages are lost to the future.

IF we don’t know where we have come from we do not have a bearing on where we are going and possess no more advantages to demonstrate to this and future generations the how, why, when, where, what and who preceded them and made/created the environments, both social and natural, they inherited, both good and bad, and how we might do better, live better and maybe plan better.

Therefore, a museum is NOT just about the past, it will ALWAYS have ramifications for the future. Without the spirit that goes into their interpretive presentations the spirit for respecting and appreciating the importance of history, whether that be natural, cultural or encouraging a single member of society to pursue the answers to benefit humanity as a whole are lost in the instant of a single generation.

There are ALWAYS opportunities to modify, consolidate and/or institute innovative changes that could save the core mission(s) and preserve, present and promote the facilities under your care.

“In the end we will conserve only what we love – we love only what we understand – we understand only what we are taught”, Dioum Baba

Respectively submitted,

Calvin B. Smith, President/CEO

Legacy Museum Consulting, LLC

1747 Newton Rd.

Pueblo, CO 81005

www.legacymuseumconsultingllc.com