Ary violated more than his own museum

Painful as it was to see Max Ary put on trial for stealing artifacts from the museum he’d co-founded and led to greatness, the Kansas Cosmosphere and Space Center in Hutchinson, it was essential that he be held accountable for his shocking actions. And he was Tuesday, when a jury in federal court in Wichita found Ary guilty on 12 counts. As Ary violated the trust of so many at the attraction and far beyond for his own benefit, he called into question the integrity of all museums and their collections management. At least the Cosmosphere continues to thrive, as evidenced by Monday’s arrival of the Gemini 12 capsule in Hutchinson for one of the museum’s famously expert restorations.
Posted by Rhonda Holman