For many students, the Penn Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology is the home of the toga party and, perhaps, one or two classes taken to fill requirements.
That's a shame, because the museum is so much more than that. For years, it's been a highly regarded research institution and home to rare and fascinating collections. It's the home base for one of the best and most comprehensive undergraduate anthropology departments in the country. Of Penn's attractions, though, it's consistently been the diamond in the rough.
The steps that the Museum is taking, then, seem positive. Research and scholarship are not the only aims of any museum - educating the public is part of a museum's mission - and focusing solely on research is not a feasible goal in this economy. Adding more visitor-friendly amenities, including a sit-down restaurant, will help attract more visitors. Few students bring their parents or friends to the museum, despite its proximity to campus, and few Philadelphians venture across the Schuylkill to make an afternoon of the museum. These moves may even help fund research, which has been a struggle over the last year - notably last fall's dismantling of the MASCA research unit.
Although how much revenue the improvements will need to generate is still unclear, we're hopeful that this will increase foot traffic to the museum. Museums are at their best when they're influencing and edifying their visitors, and increasing the number of visitors to the museum can only improve the community.
