Here’s my Op-Ed in the @LATimes and ✨thread on the need to reinvest in US public museum infrastructure and staffing in the wake of the fire at Brazil’s National Museum 1/ latimes.com/opinion/op-ed/…
2/ As we mourn the loss with our Brazilian colleagues, I make the case that despite what we might think, our US public museum infrastructure is crumbling too — and disaster lies in wait, just biding its time theatlantic.com/science/archiv…
3/ Money for infrastructure and staffing for public museums is in decline. We went from museums being 38% public funded to 24% from 1989 to 2008 photos.state.gov/libraries/amgo…
4/ The decline continues. This month, the Biological Survey Unit of @USGS will be forced to stop curating 1 million specimens at the @NMNH, whose beleaguered staff will have to pick up the slack wildlife.org/smithsonian-se…
5/ The Trump Administration has proposed defunding the Institute for Museum and Library Services, which doles out the diminishing federal portion of public funds to non-science museums, though the idea was beaten back after public outcry
6/ Private investment can fill some gaps, but often goes to private museums & reflects the 1%. Here I admit I got the story wrong in the Op-Ed on AMNH’s Dinosaur Hall, the Koch Brothers & information on climate change; not a case of strings attached theverge.com/2018/1/8/16862…
7/ Will correct this; annoyed at myself b/c it’s not central to my point. But it does serve to point out that private donations create conflicts of interest which lead reasonable ppl to wonder if the message is influenced (like why couldn’t they find the $ to update a placard?)
8/ Even with the best-intentioned private funding, donors aren’t exactly tripping over themselves to put their names on things like sprinkler systems, building managers, building funds, or curatorial staff positions 
9/ Museums can also shift from support of research to “earning their keep” thru entry fees to exhibits. But their power to inspire & educate is diminished w/out active research; plus, the research benefits society & has a multiplier effect on the economy aam-us.org/2018/02/13/new…
10/ Our nat’l culture of philanthropy is transformative. This kind of private giving is lacking in most countries. We are fortunate. The private museum I curate @OxyMLZ has benefited esp. from 1 donor who is in it for all the right reasons. There are many like him
11/ But it’s not enough. We must invest in public museums, so they reflect the people, answer to the people & serve the people. Their specimens hold the answers to our biggest problems & to questions not yet asked. Let’s make our budgets reflect that. Thanks for reading 🏛
PS/ Here is an Op-Ed in @washpost that makes a very similar point only from the perspective of the arts — and we both end with a “going up in smoke” phrase. I guess I’m not as witty as I thought washingtonpost.com/opinions/our-a…
PS2/ Here’s the full text print version for those who can’t access L.A. Times from overseas
