Also needed is more emphasis on women. Some women worked in the mills, as secretaries, nurses, or cafeteria workers. Other women ran businesses in town, or had to deal with raising a family in a company town. Their stories go untold, yet are still a part of the story of steel. Another area missing at the museum is a gift shop.
Most modern museums have gift shops, and some museum shops do quite a booming business.
Apparently this was the decision of the architect, but now that his work as been done the museum should reevaluate the need for a gift shop. Copies of videotapes used in the museum could be sold, as well as old industrial films, WPA films, WWII films on the defense industry, and even popular movies that used steel mills and steel towns as settings. A gift shop selling items like these could greatly profit the museum, and aid in luring visitors back. Perhaps devoting more space to changing exhibits would help. Holding lectures by historians would be another way.