21.   And the museum has a decent sense of humor about its subject.

22.   At the moment, the museum has eight Pissarros and not one Manet, although Manet was far more central to the development of Impressionism.

23.   At the front desk, I asked a receptionist if the museum had a restaurant where we might sit down and keep talking.

24.   Because the museum has no acquisitions funding to speak of, it relies on gifts of art as well as money.

25.   Big museums have them on staff.

26.   Both museums have shows opening this fall that will run until the renovation project begins.

27.   A few regional museums have exhibits of the Gulag, but they are not on the sites of camps.

28.   A spokeswoman for the Metropolitan Museum said the museum had no knowledge of the impending sale.

29.   A search committee is being formed, Rubin said, and the museum has no candidates.

30.   Absent clear proof, museums have very different responses.