Planning a trip to the Georgia Museum of Agriculture? Don’t get your hopes up. The Museum is not an all-together impressive establishment or entertainment stop, but with a little hard work and maybe a few acting classes, it could be one of Georgia’s most famous tourist stops. Yes, the buildings and layouts are somewhat impressive, but looking past the aged woodworks and dusty walkways, the Museum is just another museum. Furthermore, visiting this habitation more than once will not generally change one’s opinion on it. Whether going as a child in elementary school or as a semi-adult in college, the Museum is no special institution. That does not mean that it doesn’t have potential, though.

The inside, museum part of the Museum does actually have some impressive pieces. These range from small trains to colossal combines to homey cabins. The fault in these, though, is that there is not much information on the pieces. For each artifact, there is usually a manufacturing date and the name of the person who donated it. Every once in a while, there will be a piece that will have maybe a sentence or two telling little background on it, but this is rare. If there were more information (like how and when it was made, what it did, or why it was important) that could be read about each piece or even someone to give tours and talk about the museum and answer questions, the Museum would be more tolerable.

The Museum is known for its employees who supposedly dress up and act as if they are from the time period portrayed. Unfortunately, that supposed truth is nothing but propaganda. Yes, they are dressed for the era, but do not act professionally or as if they are from the time depicted. The workers stand and sit around, while chatting amongst themselves, waiting for the day to end so that they can return to the 21st century (some of them do not even speak to the customers and museum goers). Perhaps two or three of the “colonists” do their designated job well. They explain their section professionally, answer questions as best they know how, show enthusiasm for what they are doing, and try to uphold the image of the Museum. Other than these few people though, the employees of the Museum are not meant to be working in a live action museum. The employees play a major part in the dissatisfaction of the Museum. If they were made to take their job more seriously, and actually act as if they are in that time, the museum-goers would have a more positive experience.

The Museum experience was disappointing. Even to an elementary aged child, who within one hour was begging to be taken home, it was boring and uneventful. First off, the buildings are nothing special; most of them compare to dilapidated barns that are seen rotting at old farms. Second, the museum articles have no information on them, leaving people who did not grow up on a farm, and some who did, wondering what the equipment and pieces were made for and not knowing any background information on them. Finally, the “colonists” were the most disappointing. More interested in being able to leave work and head home than greeting the customers, they do not deserve the title they have “earned” for being an amazing live action museum. So, no matter if you are going to the Museum for educational purposes or just to go to a museum, prepare yourself for disappointment. Once it is improved, however, it will become a known tourist attraction not only in Georgia but also on the entire east coast. Sprucing up this monument is not only a matter of gaining more satisfied customers, but it is also about Georgia pride. The pride that we have earned by being a farming state for years on end. Signing this petition will help open the eyes of the owners and managers of the Museum so that they can see just how much this establishment needs our help.