[Keith True]

I got a rude awakening about museums when I was about 18 or 19 years old.My girlfriends family were auctioneers,dealers,brokers,insures,etc.for antiques.They drilled it into me that the vast majority of donated stuff gets peddled off for cash.So many people have the idea that if they donate their stuff it will be preserved for others to enjoy.Where I got my shock was at an old house in town there was a Hupmobile and an Auburn.They were parked there in 41,and nicely stored.Extremely well preserved.The woman there had never driven,they were her late husbands and fathers cars.She donated the cars and a lot of historical stuff about the war to the Smithsonian.They came out and took dozens of pictures,and I got hired to make sure the cars would roll onto a trailer.A truck showed up for them,it was an antique car dealer from New Jersey that had bought them from the Smithsonian just by the pictures.He bought them cheaply,sight unseen,and the Smithsonian had a little bit of cash without a lot of effort,just a rep flying in and taking pictures.The buyer laughed and said,I bet you thought that these cars were going to be preserved and shown off to the general public.He then told me that they get hundreds of cars donated just like that,with the donor never knowing that his pride and joy will just be peddled off to the highest bid broker.