Open Forum

Help us gather information as we respond to a member inquiry. The museum in question caters heavily to children.

Are there any museums that permit visitors to openly carry guns or carry concealed weapons - in State's where this is legal?

If you would like to respond to me "off-line" my phone number is 202-218-7713 and my email is cwalls@aam-us.org.

Regards,
Cecelia

------------------------------
Cecelia Walls
Information Center Manager
American Alliance of Museums
Washington DC
------------------------------

Celia - 

The quick answer - There are museums that permit this. In the case of the person requesting guidance, I would check with local law enforcement and the State Museum Association for their location to see if there are folks familiar with the kinks of their area. 

The long answer - In my previous job as the curator at a large firearms museum (501c3) I had many opportunities to discuss this with many museum professionals from across the country. There are always a few questions I ask: 

1) Is it a government facility? Most City, County, State, and Federal facilities do NOT allow any firearm on property unless it is part of an exhibit or in the possession of staff.

2) Is there a particular reason you feel you must allow open carry? Unless you are the NRA's National Firearms Museum (Great museum, but they do have a political ax to grind) or another firearms rights-oriented museum, there is no real reason you MUST allow it. 

At one point (most of a decade ago), I sent out an informal survey to most of the larger firearms museums in the country. About half were government (mainly State/Fed). About half were Private/501c3. Only the National Firearms Museum allowed any carry (open only, actually). 

As a gun guy and as a museum guy, I can't see a reason to allow it. Training across the country is uneven. Many people who do carry - even regularly - do not carry safely. And despite what some of them will tell you, open carry activists are not security guards or protection against bad guys. In some places, you will have people (2nd Amendment supporters) complain and threaten to not come back. it's the price you have to pay sometimes. 

Things to check/consider: 
1) check with your insurance policy holder for liability
2) some states require a posted sign (Texas is one) - you may want to post one anyway
3) front-line staff training because you will get a question at sometime

I'd be happy to take questions off-line as well - 580-237-1907, x225 or dkennedy@okhistory.org

------------------------------
David Kennedy
Curator of Collections
Cherokee Strip Regional Heritage Center
Enid OK
------------------------------

-------------------------------------------

Are there any museums that permit visitors to openly carry guns or carry concealed weapons - in State's where this is legal?

------------------------------

Given the fact that most states require certain minimum standards for training in addition to background checks before a concealed carry license is issued, the fact that concealed carry license holders have - as a group - an even lower rate of criminal activity than police officers, and the fact that criminals intent on harming others are notoriously unfazed by "no guns" signs, I can't see why concealed carry would even be a concern. 

------------------------------
John Templin

Williamsburg VA
------------------------------

I have another related question: 

What kinds of regulations do other museum's have for weapons carried by reenactors? We currently do not allow our reenactors to carry weapons of any kind unless they are in a case.  However, many of our reenactors have stopped coming because they consider their weapons to be a necessary element in their presentation.

We are currently working to find a middle ground where our patrons are safe but can still experience this piece of history.  Any pieces of advice would be appreciated.

------------------------------
Kristin Martin
Education Director and Volunteer Coordinator
Museum of World Treasures
Wichita KS
------------------------------

In most cases, the reenactors should be OK. Their presence, when done appropriately, can do great things to aid your education program. Where firearms are concerned, it can be very educational for reenactors or docents to show how these arms are loaded (going through the motions - not actually loading them) and used.  

Most reenactors understand that live ammunition or blackpowder is not welcome. Just in case, you may want to provide guidance to them. 

If you want to talk more about this, I am just down the road from you (and I will be at MPMA in Wichita at the end of September).

Dave K.

------------------------------
David Kennedy
Curator of Collections
Cherokee Strip Regional Heritage Center
Enid OK
------------------------------

Reenactors can add a tremendous amount of energy and excitement to your events, and most of them are great! 

We have a large military timeline reenactment event every spring with hundreds of reenactors with weapons.  We maintain safety and control in several ways.  First, it is an invitation-only event, with units applying to attend and being selected according to various criteria.  Second, a clear weapons policy is part of the acceptance packet that all units receive so they all know what is required well before they arrive.  Third, all weapons are examined and cleared for safety by a qualified and trained staff member when the reenactors arrive, before they interact with the public.  We have been working with a lot of groups for decades and have no problems with them (or they wouldn't be invited back), and new groups coming to the event receive a lot of prior communication to be sure that they understand the rules.

Absolutely no live ammunition (ball, bullet, etc.) is allowed. For those who want to do blank fire (no bullet, black powder/gunpowder only) demonstrations, we have a demonstration field with safe lines of sight and distance for such blank fire demonstrations, and the field is heavily managed by trained and qualified staff.  Any unsafe procedure results in an instant hold on the demonstration and safety is immediately enforced.  No powder is allowed anywhere except the demonstration field.  Any gunpowder/black powder the units bring is kept in regulation containers at a powder magazine near the field, which is manned continuously by qualified and trained staff members.  Units sign up for times to do demonstrations, come to the powder magazine to claim their powder (units get numbered claim cards like at a coat check for their particular box of powder when they check it in) and prepare for their demonstration, then they go straight to the demo field.  Coming off the field, they go straight back to the powder magazine where they turn in any unused powder to their numbered container and have all weapons again inspected for safety and they are cleared for no power remaining before the weapons can go back to the camp with the unit.  An area is also designated for clearing misfires at a safe distance from everyone.  At the end of the event, they come and check out their powder to immediately secure for transport in their vehicles so it is not in camps or around the public. 

In camps, no weapons can be left unattended at any time and long arms must be carried in a "muzzle up" position and bows must be carried unstrung (strung bows are only permitted on the demonstration field);  pistols must remain unloaded and holstered at all times.  Polearms have to be secured on racks and swords/knives have to be secured and all weapons attended at all times. 

These rules have served us well and allowed reenactors to happily discuss their weaponry in a safe, controlled manner for over 30 years.  Reenactors understand and appreciate the clear rules in advance.

Hope that helps!

------------------------------
Karen Templin
Assistant Interpretive Site Manager
Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation
Williamsburg VA
------------------------------

SC is not an open carry state and we do not restrict conceal and carry permit holders from carrying their firearms in the Winchester Wild Turkey museum. We have the Palmetto Shooting Complex as part of our campus (Museum, Outdoor Education Center, Wild Turkey HQ and PSC), so seeing guns on our properties, offices and even at our meetings are pretty common.

Many employees in our office are trained shooting instructors, conceal and carry permit holders and practice safe firearms procedures at all times. This would be about the last place next to the NRA museum, for anyone to try and cause trouble.

------------------------------
Pacifico Perea
Museum Director
Wild Turkey Center Museum - National Wild Turkey Federation
Edgefield SC
------------------------------

Hello Cecelia,

D.C. Statute just recently changed and guns can be carried in the city legally.  Here at Hillwood, we don't allow guns on campus and our position is supported by the fact that we have a liquor license which permits the sale of beer and wine.  For all venues where this is the case, concealed carry gun permit holders are prohibited from entering the property whole, not just the location where the alcohol is sold/consumed.  

------------------------------
Victor Braschnewitz
Head of Security Services
Washington DC
------------------------------

Texas recently passed an Open Carry law.  Previously, concealed carry of handguns was allowed with proper license.  As a private entity, we get to make our own rules as to what patrons can and cannot do.  Our policy is No Guns period unless you are a law enforcement officer.  We have already had a couple of incidences with the Open Carry Texas crowd, but our policy is firm and fully backed by our Board of Directors.  We are having signs made to indicate this to any patrons who arrive carrying openly or concealed.

------------------------------
David Beard
Director
Museum of the Gulf Coast
Port Arthur TX
------------------------------