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It’s a bird! It’s a plane!

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Aug 11 2010

I’d like to take a moment to celebrate some often overlooked superheroes on every museum’s staff.

Security Guards.

Okay, so security guards might seem ubiquitous, keeping guard over every gallery room from sea to shining sea. How could I consider them overlooked? I’ll even admit; I’ve never seen a security guard leap a tall building in a single bound.

Yet, if you’ve ever been lost in a maze of galleries in a huge museum, searching in desperation for the loo, I think you’ll agree that those ever present staffers can be life savers.

We can all appreciate their role in preventing little hyper Johnny from drawing mustaches on the poor Serruys Sisters

.

While I was visiting the Tara Donovan exhibit a couple of weeks ago I saw a security guard swoop in just in time to stop a man from touching Donovan’s mammoth mylar sculpture.

Look beyond their abilities to guide lost souls (to the loo) and their blind willingness to throw themselves in front of a barreling train (sic 5 year old) heading straight for a collision with a priceless piece of history, and you’ll see friendly security guards have knowledge to lend. On many an occasion I’ve been given a gem of knowledge from a passing guard about a piece I’m pondering.

I’ll never forget a nice uniformed gentleman who told me that one of the large paintings in the European Gallery at the IMA was once cut in half and sold as two separate paintings. Luckily the two halves were restored to one, and most viewers are none the wiser.

On another occasion, while visiting a museum in D.C., a young guard shared with me that she had seen a grown man cry upon seeing the Mark Rothko that hung before me. She went on to say that the museum gift shop had a print of the very painting that I was so obviously enthralled by. When she added that it was on sale and I had to restrain myself from running over and hugging her.

That man’s dogs were probably barking from standing around in the IMA’s European Galleries all day, and that young woman probably endured more than her share of odd vibes from people who felt awkward under her watchful gaze.

Despite that, they, and many others, go above and beyond the call of duty by making the experience of visiting a museum brighter and more enlightening for those who are open to it.

Superheroes are just the stuff of fiction- to qualify as one, you’ve got to catch Lois Lane mid-free-fall, thus saving her from certain death. But, if you’ve had a great visit and learned a little something to boot, thanks to one of the awesome museum staffers (not just the guards!), maybe you’ll think superheroes are real, too.

Filed under: Art, Exhibitions, Guest Bloggers

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