Museums on view

RE “Museum-Quality Art: Handle With Care,” by Christopher Reynolds, Aug. 7]: As a former museum director, I can say that everyone -- from the director, curator, art handlers to the guards -- take quite seriously their responsibility to the works of art in their care. But accidents will happen -- even in museums with properly trained staff.

As Roy Lichtenstein once said to me after a work of his was damaged while on view at the Whitney Museum of American Art: “No work of art ever comes back from an exhibition looking better, but it’s vital that they’re lent anyway. For that is their purpose in life.”

DAVID A. ROSS

New York