"Culturegrrl" has blogged about cut-backs at the Met that coincide with the expansion of for-profit blockbuster exhibits. See: http://www.artsjournal.com/culturegrrl/2009/06/recession_obsession_metropolit.html and http://www.artsjournal.com/culturegrrl/2009/06/bypassing_museums_new_blockbus.html
Archaeologists have long claimed that the US should restrict imports of cultural goods in favor of promoting long term loans of artifacts to museums, but it seems source countries like Egypt have something different in mind.
Trading displays for dollars may bring much needed funding to the coffers of source countries, but doesn't all the crass commercialism that comes with it seriously undercut claims made by archaeologists that archaeological artifacts are not "mere commodities to be sold to the highest bidder?'"
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