When people go behind the scenes, they gain a better appreciation of what collecting institutions do. The Brooklyn Museum’s Luce Visible Storage Study Center has given the public the opportunity to see the breadth of the Brooklyn Museum’s collection. Cases in the study center exhibit contemporary furniture by the likes of Isabelle Moore and Chris Lehrecke, Tiffany lamps and glass, and collections of colonial art from the Dutch and English settlements on the eastern seaboard, among other objects.
Soon after the center opened, collections and conservation staff gave a special tour to upper level members, explaining the exhibit cases, object installation, and the importance of environmental controls. The museum has continued this practice of conducting member tours after the completion of various projects and has found it a useful way to impart to its members the necessity of funding for proper collections care.