[lg policy] The National Museum of Language tries to avoid becoming history

[Harold Schiffman]

Museum tries to avoid becoming history
Lack of donations, grants has members questioning its future
by David Hill | Staff Writer



The National Museum of Language in College Park opened in 2008 as the
first facility of its kind in the United States — a museum dedicated
specifically to teaching the history of the world's languages. But
now, museum members are worried that a lack of funding could spell the
end for an idea that was nearly 40 years in the making. "We need
money. We're broke. There's no real polite way of saying it," said
James McFadden, the museum's treasurer. "It's a crisis situation for
us." The museum offers free admission and has relied almost entirely
upon donations, visitor memberships and occasional government grants
since it opened in April 2008 on the second floor of an office
building at 7100 Baltimore Ave.

Since its inception, the museum has featured an exhibit tracing the
roots of early alphabet languages, such as Arabic, Latin, Greek and
Hebrew, as well as one featuring the Chinese and Japanese
character-based languages. There are also interactive computer,
writing and reading activities. "[Parents] may be able to read a book
to their children in another language that's not available [in the
U.S.]," said Leah Mason, a volunteer. "It's really nice to have it
right here in College Park."  Museum volunteers said they've received
positive feedback from residents and visiting school groups, but have
nonetheless struggled to pay the costs of rent and resources. A lack
of funding, they said, has made it difficult to attract visitors and
build the museum's profile through advertising and full-time public
relations work.

"We need to hire people," said museum founder and president Amelia
Murdoch, who first came up with the idea for the museum in 1971.
"There's so many aspects that need some sort of support activity."
The museum — which is open Tuesdays, Saturdays and the first and third
Sundays of each month — pays $2,000 a month to rent its 16-foot by
24-foot exhibit hall, as well as another room for a library and
office. It has received thousands of dollars in grants to buy
computers and fund specific projects, but overhead costs are funded
almost entirely through donations.

There are currently about 150 museum members and their annual dues
range from $20 for seniors and students to $5,000 or more for
corporate sponsors. The museum needs about 800 members to be
self-sustaining, McFadden said, and the next few months will likely
determine whether it can stay in business. The museum plans to add a
new exhibit in February which will focus on the difference between
American and British language that arose around the War of 1812, as
many Americans began spelling some words differently ("color" instead
of "colour") and adopting American Indian terms, such as succotash,
raccoon, moose and terrapin. "We've got a lot of ideas," said board of
trustees member Gary McCone. "Now it's time to make them concrete."

http://www.gazette.net/stories/12102009/bowinew154910_32553.php
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