To what extent are your restoration efforts or other work projects “public”

The Northwest Railroad Museum’s new The Conservation and Restoration Center includes a viewing area ( http://www.trainmuseum.org/RHC.asp )

During Railfair 99 in Sacramento our group rebuilt a standard gauge flatcar as a demonstration project. We invited some visitors inside the ropes to help. We have used this model for years. When working we set up a table with project information, artifacts, and occasionally some hand tools and scrap wood for the public to experiment on.

I know of a couple of restoration shops which are strictly closed to visitors, in part because the staff really doesn’t like being watched (one has a window from a public area, carefully blocked.) In many cases we don’t allow the public in due to safety concerns.

On the other hand, unlike many parts of our museums, restoration shops may not be static… (Although sometimes it seems like “restoration time” using a calendar instead of a clock.) We have a local Aircraft museum (http://www.hiller.org/ ) which has a window onto its restoration shop… The Visitor center at Hearst Castle includes windows onto the conservation lab and their web site has a series of pages entitled “Behind the Scenes” ( http://www.hearstcastle.com/behind_scenes/index.asp ) Strasburg offers a shop tour for a fee.

Our group now brings a folding table with literature about the group (the “kit” box includes a group brochure, park brochures, recent newsletters and something on the project at hand along with cast washers to hold it all down in the wind.) The public stops by and are excited to find out what the fuss they have encountered is all about.

We at the Pemberton Township Historic Trust do all of our work on the two tracks that straddle the rail trail. This gives the public a great view of what we are doing. It also makes us feel good when the public compliments us on our efforts. It also aids in getting donations from those same people when they stop into the museum. Someday we plan to tie the two tracks together with a switch, then we will lay down some rail on the trail and who knows what else.

Later!
Mr. Ed

There was a recent announcement of a $15M gift to the Udvar-Hazy Center , part of the Smithsonian Air & Space Museum, for construction of a new hanger that will allow the public to view restoration of aircraft.

Hi:

At our Museum's Excelsior (Minnesota) restoration shop we are currently working on Winona (Minnesota) No. 10, a rare single-truck composite wood-steel bodied car. As a part of our demonstration ride at our 1/2 mile long Excelsior Streetcar Line we go inside the shop to let the passengers take a look at the project. Most are impressed with what we are doing given that we're all volunteers, do this with donated funds, etc. We usualy get a few dollars put into the donation jar each time a group goes in to see what's going on. Unfortunately, we have had only one person come back to help with the restoration out of the thousands who view the project on a yearly basis, but you never know...

We are concerned about the cleanliness and safety of doing the shop tour thing, but so long as the restoration workers keep things more-or-less cleaned up as they work this hasn't been a problem. We do caution visitors that this is an active shop to watch their step and that if they touch something they'll get dirty.

At IRM most of the active shop areas represent some safety issues for free access by the public. Nevertheless, we make every effort to be hospitable to adults, and generally a string of small children is not admitted. There are ALWAYS positve comments and remarks. This year, for the first time we have scheduled and advertised in our 2008 brochure, three dates for three different 'shop tours'. On any given day the tour will be repeated several times depending on demand. In my area, we will have undergone a broom clean sweep up, and try to have several machines demonstrating function and stages of work. There will be a nominal additional charge for these tours.

Necessarily, in the more pleasant months, a lot of car work continues outdoors or in the various barns. Projects such as painting require visitors to be kept at a distance, but we always draw a crowd. They seem to particulaly be fascinated at the finishing touches such as hand painting number and lettering.

Bob Kutella

At Tennessee Valley, the conductor escorts passengers to the Soule Shop after everyone has watched the locomotive go 'round on the turntable. A viewing area is roped off and the conductor gives a short talk explaining the purpose and function of the shop and its various features, as well as pointing out the specific projects currently underway. It is also a handy time to pitch for donations and memberships. Although the active work areas are generally off limits, interested parties (prospective donors or members) can usually be accommodated on a guided tour if time and manpower allow.

Alan Maples

Much as I really want to let the public see the restoration process, the thought occurs to me that, with certain lawsuit-happy "differently-abled" patrons about seemingly cruising for an excuse to sue over access issues, this turns the shop/work areas into yet one more place where all kinds of accommodations will have to be made. Worth it?

In our case we so far do our demonstration restoration outside, and use barriers to keep the public outside our work area.

In California, if a building is to be "occupied" by either workers or public, you need to meet all ADA requirements. They make an exception for buildings only used for storage. Our current project is a 3 track barn. The public won't generally be allowed inside, and it is not a shop or working area.

Long term plans call for a other buildings including a shop with a raised observation area.

In all cases (public or otherwise) we need to be aware of hazards and toxic potions. I can see some activities that are not public friendly. Wielding offers issues related to arc or flash protection. We are careful to keep anyone younger than 18 far away when removing paint due to lead issues.

Most rail museums do not have the deep pockets required to make a lawsuit worthwhile.

It is possible to let the public view (most of) the work without putting them (or the museum) at risk.

My (paying) job involves running a historic house museum. Working with our risk management department (who believe in the worst case scenario, and make all decisions based on its possiblity) to allow us to use oil lamps, light the fireplaces, and let guests go upstairs. To gain this level of use we have fire sprinklers, we have procedures and safety plans.

Locking the public out, automatically as a reaction to risk makes your site sterile and uninteresting. Survey's show about 60% of the guests to our house museum visit more than once a year (we have 80% repeat visitation on site, including our horse powered railroad)

Mark's Nevada Northern allows guests free access to their yard and shops... You feel welcome and want to come back.

Safety is important. But we can't let fear of liability suck the life out of our sites.