Identifying the Real Thing

INTRODUCTION People often go to museums, libraries and archives to see "the real thing." But "the real thing" can be "seen" in many ways. Appearance can be observed on exhibit or on-line, or measured in a laboratory. However, materials and technology can be revealed only by stylistic, historical and scientific analysis of "the real thing." The findings of these various types of analysis by museum specialists (such as curators, historians, scientists, archivists, conservators and other experts) can then be communicated to or "seen" by various audiences, ranging from the general public to scholars, visiting on site or working on-line. The media through which findings are "seen" can include exhibits, publications, computer programs, lectures and videos, produced with the aid of other museum professionals (specializing in exhibition, registration, publication, public relations, education, research, collections management and computer science). But, consider this: when you look at an image on exhibition or on-line, do you know if that object is "real"? How can you tell? Why does it matter?