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A Simple Solution : A Permanent Exhibit Could Ease Woes at Natural History Museum

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The Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County has come up with a novel way to keep its ailing Burbank satellite branch open: have the city of Burbank spend $300,000 annually to help pay for it.

Well, if that idea represents the best that county museum officials can come up with, they may as well turn over the keys and turn out the lights. It’s an outlandishly expensive proposal, and there is another way.

The concept behind the $2-million mini-museum located at the Media City Center mall was a good one, and remains so: Establish a regional cultural presence that could serve seniors, families, students and others in the San Fernando, Santa Clarita, Antelope and even San Gabriel valleys.

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The mall branch started off fairly well, but the effort seems to have been doomed by events even beyond the six-month closure caused by the Northridge earthquake.

The small museum could save much money by reorganizing its limited space to accommodate a permanent exhibit. This would have a twofold effect. First, it would mean that the museum could offer a full-time display that would address the interests of its most frequent visitors. It would also eliminate down time that seriously damages the museum’s appeal. That will lead to greatly reduced costs, many more days of operations and increased revenues from more visitors. Right now, for example, the museum is closed five weeks at a time while temporary exhibits are installed and removed. And the museum experts we have talked to suggest that the current annual cost of the venture--said to be $300,000--is also inflated.

We think that museum officials can lower that figure, save money, and increase use rates sufficiently to keep this museum open for a loyal and vocal clientele, and for the new visitors who are certain to be attracted to a more professionally run operation.

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