Sunset Express Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> It just shows you that even a top museum like the
> CSRM bit off more than it could chew--- i.e.,
> overextended itself beyond its resources.
> That has happened a lot over the years with
> railroad museums. Even the St. Louis Museum is
> now paring down its collection some.

Not all museums "bite off more than they can chew". Sometimes they are force fed too big of mouthfuls in the name of charitable donations. A case in point is Hearst Castle in San Simeon. The Hearst family "unloaded" it on the State of California which grappled mightily with what to do with it until they finally got it open for paying customers. The city of Monterey was given the Work estate which they finally turned into La Mirada as part of the art museum and it limped along until the Justin Dart family (think Walgreens and ADA legislation) came along to fund a beautiful gallery to complement the property and house the art.
It's a rock and a hard place-------they are given a gift but either keeping or refusing it is damned if you do and damned if you don't. And at the bottom of it all is the inevitable bottom line of $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$. And yes, always a need for volunteer help and expertise.
C.