He was not a museum professional, but he approached the museum world as
a public educator and devoted a long life as a spokesman for the museum
visitor, the visitor as the real raison d’être of the museum. He was an
ardent critic when facing stupidity, negligence and snobbishness in the
museum profession.

Keeping a tireless inquisitive eye on the surrounding world he however
expected the same curiosity and thirst for learning in a public worthy
of a museum.

Such was his claim on the visitor.

He refrained from attaching himself to institutional structures,
although he from time to time assisted ICOM and UNESCO - he manifested
his independence by initiating the European Museum of the Year Award and
the European Museum Forum, both aimed at stimulating the international
interchange of ideas and creating networks of inspiration.

The immense importance of dialogue and conversation was his basic creed.