Miserable beggars

NEAM

I visited the North East Aircraft Museum for the first time in almost 19 years yesterday! The chap on duty was happy to chat about many topics. The visit made me think back to this thread but, on this occasion, the duty staff member’s local knowledge made the museum visit that much more enjoyable.

and Andy being the Edwardian Gentleman that he is always ensures that there is a service revolver handy with one round, in case his talk of old machines becomes too much for the casual visitor who then has no option but to take ‘the Officers’ way out’…. :p:D

Thank you for that young man…:);):)
Seriously though, how could anyone ever get bored of Edwardian engineering??
It’s just a personal view you understand but nothing much of any use (with the exception of the Honda V4 with gear driven cams) was invented after 1920, and the workings of De Dion Bouton surface evaporation carbs should be compulsory in British secondary schools.:):):)

A.

and Andy being the Edwardian Gentleman that he is always ensures that there is a service revolver handy with one round, in case his talk of old machines becomes too much for the casual visitor who then has no option but to take ‘the Officers’ way out’…. :p:D

Thank you for that young man…:);):)
Seriously though, how could anyone ever get bored of Edwardian engineering??
It’s just a personal view you understand but nothing much of any use (with the exception of the Honda V4 with gear driven cams) was invented after 1920, and the workings of De Dion Bouton surface evaporation carbs should be compulsory in British secondary schools.:):):)

A.

We on the Victor team at YAM are always more than happy to have a natter with the visitors who come our way (unless we’re busy with an unexpected snag Lindy’s thrown our way!). There are miserable beggars, I grant you, but not on our team.

We on the Victor team at YAM are always more than happy to have a natter with the visitors who come our way (unless we’re busy with an unexpected snag Lindy’s thrown our way!). There are miserable beggars, I grant you, but not on our team.

and Andy being the Edwardian Gentleman that he is always ensures that there is a service revolver handy with one round, in case his talk of old machines becomes too much for the casual visitor who then has no option but to take ‘the Officers’ way out’…. :p:D

and Andy being the Edwardian Gentleman that he is always ensures that there is a service revolver handy with one round, in case his talk of old machines becomes too much for the casual visitor who then has no option but to take ‘the Officers’ way out’…. :p:D

Well although the collection is mainly known for it’s unique aeroplanes, I spend my time advertising the fact that it contains one of the World’s leading collections of working Edwardian cars and motorcycles. Usually if I’m lurking around in Hangar 3, I engage visitors in conversation on the 1904 Aurora, 1903 Marot Gardon and the (slightly later) 1924 Triumph 550cc SD.
More often than not I end up discussing the vehicles in H5 and H7 too.
This usually makes every job last ages longer than it would but is worth because it spreads the word.
Andy.

Well although the collection is mainly known for it’s unique aeroplanes, I spend my time advertising the fact that it contains one of the World’s leading collections of working Edwardian cars and motorcycles. Usually if I’m lurking around in Hangar 3, I engage visitors in conversation on the 1904 Aurora, 1903 Marot Gardon and the (slightly later) 1924 Triumph 550cc SD.
More often than not I end up discussing the vehicles in H5 and H7 too.
This usually makes every job last ages longer than it would but is worth because it spreads the word.
Andy.

I once worked for a man who had spent most of his working life in the research and development department of a major toy company where he worked in a small office with the same few people each and every day. Having been made redundant he decided to open a model shop.
I had already worked in other model shops for 15 years so I knew that the public can be both very pleasant to deal with or downright rude and unreasonable on occassions. My boss hadn’t realised just how difficult it can be to deal with customers and it wasn’t too long before he retreated to his office and left me to it.
The shop didn’t work out and after 6 years he had to close but he still admits that he has no idea how I managed to deal with the customers as he had and still has little in the way of customer service skills but he was a good designer / draughtsman.
It is worth remembering that volunteers in any museum are in exactly the same situation. They may be extremely good at restoring or maintaining exhibits and carrying out other work around the museum but that doesn’t mean that they are good at dealing with visitors. In an ideal world the museum managment would put those with the better customer skills in customer facing roles but when volunteers are thin on the ground it may be a case of doing the best job possible with the available people.

I once worked for a man who had spent most of his working life in the research and development department of a major toy company where he worked in a small office with the same few people each and every day. Having been made redundant he decided to open a model shop.
I had already worked in other model shops for 15 years so I knew that the public can be both very pleasant to deal with or downright rude and unreasonable on occassions. My boss hadn’t realised just how difficult it can be to deal with customers and it wasn’t too long before he retreated to his office and left me to it.
The shop didn’t work out and after 6 years he had to close but he still admits that he has no idea how I managed to deal with the customers as he had and still has little in the way of customer service skills but he was a good designer / draughtsman.
It is worth remembering that volunteers in any museum are in exactly the same situation. They may be extremely good at restoring or maintaining exhibits and carrying out other work around the museum but that doesn’t mean that they are good at dealing with visitors. In an ideal world the museum managment would put those with the better customer skills in customer facing roles but when volunteers are thin on the ground it may be a case of doing the best job possible with the available people.

I may have misread it slightly, but wasn’t this thread initially talking about the managers of museums, ie. those in power, and NOT the volunteers? We know that the majority of volunteers will bend over backwards to help the public, and a few are there for the social aspects rather than getting mucky with bits of old engine.

The managers on the other hand seem to be, in the majority, ‘miserable beggars’. Naturally there are a few (some of whom are known to post on here) who have nothing but good words to say and who have a perpetual smile on their face. The rest are negatively affected by the pressures of operating a volunteer organisation. Some are on a quest for power and see the museums as their empires – always a set up for a fall. Some have no people skills, but are supreme businessmen, some are owners of collections which have got out of hand, some simply dislike the volunteers who have weaseled their way to high positions within the museum and are unable to get rid of them.

We all have bad days, and these ‘miserable beggars’ usually have more on their plate than we realise. Some are just naturally miserable though.

I think the majority of museums have decent staff within them, and hopefully the museums who have utter ***** in charge will last long enough to see a change in management.

I may have misread it slightly, but wasn’t this thread initially talking about the managers of museums, ie. those in power, and NOT the volunteers? We know that the majority of volunteers will bend over backwards to help the public, and a few are there for the social aspects rather than getting mucky with bits of old engine.

The managers on the other hand seem to be, in the majority, ‘miserable beggars’. Naturally there are a few (some of whom are known to post on here) who have nothing but good words to say and who have a perpetual smile on their face. The rest are negatively affected by the pressures of operating a volunteer organisation. Some are on a quest for power and see the museums as their empires – always a set up for a fall. Some have no people skills, but are supreme businessmen, some are owners of collections which have got out of hand, some simply dislike the volunteers who have weaseled their way to high positions within the museum and are unable to get rid of them.

We all have bad days, and these ‘miserable beggars’ usually have more on their plate than we realise. Some are just naturally miserable though.

I think the majority of museums have decent staff within them, and hopefully the museums who have utter ***** in charge will last long enough to see a change in management.

What about the visitors?

Our volunteers are specially picked for their love of humanity and their willingness to help …

To redress the balance slightly, do any museum volunteers have any comments about their visitors?

I love meeting our visitors and learn a lot from them but occasionally we get one who is a bit less evolved than most. I’m still reeling from the idiot who asked to see our Fairey Swordfish. When I advised him that we haven’t got one he threw a tantrum and said that we were “illegally” publicising the fact that we had one. When I asked where he’d seen it, he took me outside and showed me a photo that is on display of the museum site taken in 1945. The picture’s label refers to the Ansons, a Beech Traveler and Swordfish that can be seen in it, and this was enough to make Fool think we’d got them all on display.

Another simpleton asked where the stairs were after seeing one of our exhibits which came from Ronaldsway’s terminal building. This exhibit was in the middle of a display case; it was a sign which read “STAIRS TO VIEWING GALLERY”. To show what an utter dimwit that bod was, our museum is a single-story building.

What about the visitors?

Our volunteers are specially picked for their love of humanity and their willingness to help …

To redress the balance slightly, do any museum volunteers have any comments about their visitors?

I love meeting our visitors and learn a lot from them but occasionally we get one who is a bit less evolved than most. I’m still reeling from the idiot who asked to see our Fairey Swordfish. When I advised him that we haven’t got one he threw a tantrum and said that we were “illegally” publicising the fact that we had one. When I asked where he’d seen it, he took me outside and showed me a photo that is on display of the museum site taken in 1945. The picture’s label refers to the Ansons, a Beech Traveler and Swordfish that can be seen in it, and this was enough to make Fool think we’d got them all on display.

Another simpleton asked where the stairs were after seeing one of our exhibits which came from Ronaldsway’s terminal building. This exhibit was in the middle of a display case; it was a sign which read “STAIRS TO VIEWING GALLERY”. To show what an utter dimwit that bod was, our museum is a single-story building.

Mmmmm…I wonder:D

My favourite museum by the way!

Good to see you the other morning, hope all went well in Kent:)

Mmmmm…I wonder:D

My favourite museum by the way!

Good to see you the other morning, hope all went well in Kent:)

I did wonder if it was something like that. Trouble is its current scheme is more appropriate to the Army Air Corps and would tell the story better, especially as the museum already has an ‘original’ Argentinian Huey on display.

Totally agree aeronut, however its a story you will never be able to tell given the MODs rule on NEVER talking about SF ops.

I did wonder if it was something like that. Trouble is its current scheme is more appropriate to the Army Air Corps and would tell the story better, especially as the museum already has an ‘original’ Argentinian Huey on display.

Totally agree aeronut, however its a story you will never be able to tell given the MODs rule on NEVER talking about SF ops.

I don’t think this kind of the thing is limited to just Aviation museums.

I have had one or two poor experiences on Heritage Railways. 🙁