historic Springfield house in Somerset.

Trust president Hugh Davidson told Hamilton Rotarians on Tuesday: "I am determined by the end of the year we will have come up with a philosophy for the use of Springfield.'' He added: "Hopefully we will then solve the problem of the use of the building.'' Previously, the Trust claimed the property would make an ideal visitors centre with a restaurant and possibly a gift shop.

Mr. Davidson focused his speech on the Island's museums and how they enriched the lives of Bermudians.

He said museums should do more than entertain.

"Our places of interest, museums if you will, must be presented in such a way as to stimulate interest, arouse curiosity and encourage us to seek understanding of those things that we are viewing along with their time and place in history.

"In a nutshell a positive museum experience should make us want to ask at least one question and then set about seeking the answer.'' The Trust's flagship museum was the restored Globe Hotel on the edge of King's Square in St. George's, said Mr. Davidson.

Part of the ground floor now housed the new museum shop, with adjacent sections devoted to the general history of Bermuda.

In the early 1860s when the events of the Civil War brought a short-lived burst of prosperity to St. George's, the Globe Hotel provided shelter for the many seafarers and traders who swarmed into the old capital.

Mr. Davidson said understanding the circumstances which moulded the lives of our ancestors would lead to a better understanding of ourselves.

"The experience abroad certainly indicates that the museum business is a growth industry.

"Williamsburg, seaports, historical sites and homes seem to attract increasing numbers of visitors each year.

"We are fortunate in Bermuda as we too can offer a broad range of museum experience which is very user friendly as it is all accessible for reasonable rates and it is often under utilised.'' He said the experience would be enhanced with the opening of two new attractions -- the Bermuda Underwater Exploration Institute and the Bermudian Heritage Association Museum.

Mr. Davidson said the Trust was responsible for 60 buildings of historic merit, some 200 acres of land and a significant collection of artifacts.

"The sum total of the whole lot reflects the Bermudian experience over a major proportion of our history.'' ENVIRONMENT ENV