The No Helicopter Rule
Audio Transcript, voiced by Curator Henry Sweets
“In 1983 explorer Jacques Cousteau and a film crew were traveling up the Mississippi River, producing a documentary. However, Cousteau was being called back to France and would not be with the crew in Hannibal.”
“Wanting to be here for filming, Cousteau arranged to come by helicopter. I, Henry Sweets, museum director at the time, was asked where the helicopter could land. Reasoning that Cousteau had a very talented pilot, I gave permission to land the helicopter on the Museum Mall.”
“Hannibal’s mayor and I were there waiting for Cousteau’s arrival. As the helicopter descended, the mayor asked who had given permission for a helicopter to land on the mall. I said I did.”
“After the landing we met Cousteau and he spent about an hour touring the Boyhood Home and museum properties.”
“All went well. However, at the next Mark Twain Home Board meeting a new policy was approved stating ‘That no museum employee is authorized to permit aircraft landing on museum property’.”
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