What, if anything, is 'museum quality'?

[Balaur]

Here is what I think. Most people will assume that museum accurate means that it is of high quality in terms of accuracy. This can be dangerous, because then people will assume that it is accurate, when it is in fact not so. I do want accurate toys on the market, and hopefully they are museum accurate, but for now, I guess Carnegie is as close at it comes (just maybe, maybe, don't dogpile me please....)

[Seijun]

its not a matter of defining "museum quality" (which can't really be defined), but rather a matter of "if you are going to use a risky marketing tactic, its your own fault if it backfires"

The "risk" is probably worth it to them. Doesn't schleich call their models "museum accurate"? The only people who complain or know any better are the people who actually have a serious interest in studying/learning about dinosaurs, and such people will make up only a very small percentage of the customer base (unless a company is depending almost exclusively on this forum for business). It seems much more likely that such terminology would, if anything, help them by appealing more to the average person. The average person would probably be at least a little more likely to purchase a model branded "museum accurate" over one that is not, because they would assume it to be more accurate (even if it isn't). Most people aren't going to question such a label. Even without a label, I don't think most people question the accuracy of dinosaur toys/models. Remember that study where students were asked to draw a tyrannosaurus, and most drew them in the classic 50's tail dragging style?

[Balaur]

I think it's a term to get people buying the product, because "if its museum accurate, it must be the best there is."

[DinoLord]

There's definitely the commercial aspect. Not the most commendable behavior but so is the nature of business. 

At least I can make sure my future kids won't be playing with inaccurate toys. It really does take a lot of knowledge to determine the accuracy of every aspect of a figure - even after all these years of collecting I still find out I overlooked some small error in a figure of an animal type I'm not too familiar with.

[Paleogene Pals]

Weeeell, I could take my sculptures over to the little natural history/history museum in town and show them to the director. If he says they look 'cool', I could technically say, "approved by a natural history museum." Not a rigorous standard but still kind of 'truthy'.

[docronnie]

Afaik, Kaiyodo doesn't claim their models to be accurate (unless someone could correct me on that, I don't read Japanese so I wouldn't know) but their dinosaurs are some of the most accurate around (not to mention beautiful..)

I've never noted that sort of thing on any publishing material (other than some of the expo figures)

I think Kaiyodo Dinotales did claim that their models are of the latest research. I'll check my tiny papers, which were already in English.

[A.Garcia]

Though I can't recall the brands, even when I was little I saw the term "museum quality" appear on different products- I don't think the term ever held weight beyond whatever marketing potential was attributed to it. Just as a thought, given budgets and renovation  expenses, do toys (with new products each year) have the potential to stay more up-to-date than museums in some cases?

[stargatedalek]

Unless this museum is very loaded or very fluently built I'd say almost certainly

[docronnie]

Kaiyodo Dinotales doesn't have the "Museum Accurate" label, but here's what's written on the package:

DINOTALES in Chocolosaurs is a series of miniature prehistoric animals model produced by KAIYODO.  These prehistoric animals are sculpted with highest techniques and marvelous painting, based on a latest science study and a bold hypothesis.  Enjoy collecting the world best miniature series of dinosaurs.

[petebuster1]

The phrase 'museum class' very heavily implies accuracy.

Well its an over used term that's become pretty meaningless ive seen many inaccurate described as museum class/quality models (not just dino models i might add)

[DinoLord]

The phrase 'museum class' very heavily implies accuracy.

Well its an over used term that's become pretty meaningless ive seen many inaccurate described as museum class/quality models (not just dino models i might add)

That is true and unfortunate. Liberally using the term doesn't really help much either.

[petebuster1]

I think its become a term you can take with a pinch of salt

[Tallin]

I must agree - I've seen some truly frighteningly inaccurate models at museums before...

[Patrx]

At this point it just feels like another meaningless marketing phrase, like "all-natural" (everything in this product exists in reality) or "free shipping" (shipping cost has been factored into the point-of-sale price).

What "museum-class" should mean is that the product is of educational value and has thorough research behind it. What does it mean when REBOR (and others) use it? "You could technically put this inside a museum of some kind." Not a lie, exactly, but very misleading.

[petebuster1]

Well people have accused them of claiming to make accurate models when they've made no such claim at all, all they've done is use an over used phrase possibly for marketing, its a bit different from saying "THIS IS AN ACCURATE DEPICTION OF A .........." i think some need to rethink. Museum class doesn't describe anything.

[SpittersForEver]

I think it how well made something is.

[DinoToyForum]

I've incorporated several dinosaur toys in into displays at museums where I've worked, including Papo, Carnegie and Invicta. So these, by definition, must be museum quality

Really, I agree that it is essentially a meaningless phrase that seems to carry meaning on the face of it. Perfect for marketing.

'Museum authenticated' would be a little better, so long as it isn't a creationist museum 

[Blade-of-the-Moon]

Let's see...

qual·i·ty
noun \ˈkwä-lə-tē\

: how good or bad something is

: a characteristic or feature that someone or something has : something that can be noticed as a part of a person or thing

: a high level of value or excellence

I'm going to assume they meant "quality" as inferred by the 3rd meaning.  This is highly subjective.  Even being "Museum quality" is very broad.  I guess this is why it was chosen. They have no ties to a specific museum to back up said quality via staff input and research.  It's the difference between a theme park dinosaur display "museum" and the Carnegie. 

ac·cu·rate
ˈakyərət/
adjective
adjective: accurate

    1.
    (of information, measurements, statistics, etc.) correct in all details; exact.
    "accurate information about the illness is essential"
    synonyms:   correct, precise, exact, right, error-free, perfect;

Accurate is much more meaningful but harder to accomplish. So it would seem Rebor took the easy route of producing something not "accurate"according to current science.  That reduces it's quality and value to many including myself.

[stargatedalek]

The problem is not with the literal definition of "museum quality" (which is to say there isn't one), but rather with its implied meaning. It highly implies that the product in question is intended to live up to education standards and to be as accurate as possible.  When you use advertising that raises people's expectations you have to deliver or you will face (justified) backlash and stricter criticism than someone else who made no such claims. If REBOR is going to oversell their products than its their own fault when it backfires, they toke a calculated risk and fell short, and now their reputation is paying the price.

Since it seems to me that despite the generic title this thread is intended specifically to tailor to REBOR related discussion I must point out that REBOR has made numerous far more "direct" claims regarding scientific accuracy than simply saying "museum accurate".

[Manatee]

I entirely agree with what has already been said on this thread, and I don't have much else to offer, but I'll weigh in anyway. The term "museum quality" to me means an accurate, well-made dinosaur model- one that is accurate enough to be showed/sold in a museum, as the name implies. REBOR in particular has misused the term, as their models are in no way accurate. Nowadays, all it is is a marketing tactic designed to pull us in; as particular people who care about accuracy in figures, when we see the term "museum accurate" or something along that line, we check out what that "museum accurate" figure is. Thing is, we know how to tell an accurate figure from a JP-ripoff one, so all it does for companies who don't produce accurate models is lower their reputations.

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