Reality Show Response

There are many concerns for the archaeologists and government historians asked to consult on the Jaketown museum project. First and foremost, the mission of the museum must be clearly delineated and followed in its entirety throughout the museum-building process. Unfortunately, it is not clear who will be responsible for writing and adhering to the mission statement. Is it Mr. Turner, the former mayor? The government run MDAH? The city of Belzoni? The same question holds true for funding. A small local museum requires far less expense than a larger urban museum, but the significance of the Jaketown museum as an archaeological museum, which will hold important and sometimes rare artifacts, requires professional formation and administration. It is clear that the former mayor is dedicated to creating a museum to showcase local history and culture, but how dedicated is the current mayor or governmental institution to building and supervising a museum? Is there public support for a local archaeological museum? Will the local public be actively involved in the running of the museum? Where would the museum be located? Will private funds need to be raised to build a new construction, or will public funds be used? Will the collection be housed in a public building already run by an organization such as the MDAH? Before starting construction on a new museum or even exhibiting a collection in an existing building, those in charge of the museum must develop a plan for long term funding for the museum with a priority on the care and security of the acquired, loaned, found, and excavated objects.
In addition, the administrators must develop proper guidelines for registering and cataloging acquired and loaned objects for related museum purposes such as insurance, as well as future academic research and local education. This should include documentary procedures such as photography and video. The building should have proper storage facilities, security, and conservation areas to deal with archaeological items. In addition to a facility, the museum must have the proper insurance and legal work to handle objects from an archaeological site. Those in charge should be familiar with laws regarding the acquisition and display of objects removed from an archaeological site. Administrators and professionals who value risk assessment and prevention must run the facility.
The site seems to have been excavated and published in 1955 by Ford, Phillips, and Hagg. Will the information and artifacts from this original excavation be available to the museum? How will the museum handle future excavations and academic inquests? The objects displayed in the museum will most likely be smaller goods such as pottery, projectile points, ceramics, beads, and other ceremonial and utilitarian objects. This will require comprehensive educational texts and graphics in the exhibit to contextualize the displayed objects for the viewer. In addition, the exhibit should follow anthropological guidelines for labeling the objects with generally accepted period names and explanations of these eras.
Although Mr. Turner appears dedicated to creating a Jaketown site museum, he must consult (and employ) professional historians, archaeologists, conservators, and museum administrators to develop a mission, goal, and long-term plan for a Jaketown museum so that it is capable of meeting both the needs of the local public and of the academic community. He has taken the first step in contacting the MDAH, who in turn contacted Prof. Connolly. Obviously a very well liked and charismatic person, Mr. Turner should have no problem turning his museum dream into reality if he engages the help of professionals such as Prof. Connolly and follows their recommendations.