On Sat, 10 Jan 2004 00:16:51 GMT, "Jon Endres, PE"
t wrote:

Agreed. I recently visited my town's local museum, a place that I have only
been once before. Always thought it was for the tourists. They have quite
an impressive early american furniture collection that I spent not nearly
enough time looking at. Unfortunately, they don't let you touch it.

They don't let "the public" touch it. Try a different approach:

Write-- (write, don't just show up)-- and explain that you'd like to
take some measurements during a quiet / slow / closed time that is
convenient for the curator. Explain that you'll wear cotton gloves
and use only a cloth tape measure to do your measuring. Assure them
that you won't let a ball point pen anywhere near the furniture--
you'll do all your recording with a pencil.

A museum's purpose is not only to archive knowledge, but to
disseminate it. If you show you have a real interest, I bet you'll be
suprised at the positive response a respectful request brings you.

Michael