Friends of the Zeiss

P.O. Box 1041

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15230-1041 U.S.A.

Telephone: 412-561-7876

Electronic Mail: < friendsofthezeiss@planetarium.cc >

Internet Web Site: < http://www.friendsofthezeiss.org >

 

2003 January 14

 

Ellsworth Brown, President

Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh

4400 Forbes Avenue

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213-4080

 

Dear Ellsworth:

 

We recently received confirmation from the City of Pittsburgh Department of General Services that The Carnegie Science Center has dismantled and removed, from the Buhl Planetarium building, the Zeiss II Planetarium Projector, 10-inch Siderostat-type Refractor Telescope, and Mercator's Projection Map of the World.

 

According to the Proposal of The Carnegie Science Center, submitted during the City of Pittsburgh's RFP process last Spring:

 

“CSC proposes to document all steps in the evaluation, disassembly and removal of the artifacts through still photography and through digital videography of key steps in the procedure. This will create a permanent visual record of the condition of the artifacts at the time of removal and the actual steps and procedures in the process. CSC will also provide a written documentation of the results of the evaluation for the City.”

 

Friends of the Zeiss would like to review the still photography and digital videography of the dismantling of the artifacts.

 

We would also like a copy of any "written documentation of the results of the evaluation for the City." According to the City of Pittsburgh Department of General Services, they have not yet received this written evaluation.

 

As you may know, Friends of the Zeiss maintains an extensive Internet web site on the History of The Buhl Planetarium and Institute of Popular Science, at the Internet addresses:

 

                                < http://www.friendsofthezeiss.org >   or

 

                                < http://www.planetarium.cc >

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ellsworth Brown                                   2003 January 14                                    Page 2 of 2

 

 

We would like to include the still photographs of the dismantling procedures, for the three artifacts, on our Internet web site. Can copies of these photographs be provided to us? We would certainly be willing to pay any reasonable photograph copying charges.

 

Thank you for your kind consideration of these requests.

 

Sincerely yours,

 

 

Glenn A. Walsh

Project Director

< gawalsh@planetarium.cc >

 

gaw

 

Copy:                     Members of the Council of the City of Pittsburgh

                                Members of Friends of the Zeiss

                                News Media in Pittsburgh and Vicinity

                                Tom Murphy, Mayor, City of Pittsburgh

                                Dale A. Perrett, Director, City of Pittsburgh Department of General Services

                                Chester J. Malesky, Assistant Director, City of Pittsburgh Dept. of General Services

                                Jacqueline R. Morrow, Solicitor, City of Pittsburgh

                                Yvonne S. Schlosberg, Assistant Solicitor, City of Pittsburgh

                                Senator Jim Ferlo, Pennsylvania General Assembly

                                Representative Don Walko, Pennsylvania General Assembly

                                Tom Flaherty, City Controller, City of Pittsburgh

                                Congressman Timothy F. Murphy, United States Congress

                                Bryce McMinn, Legislative Assistant to Congressman Timothy F. Murphy