Florida International Museum's exhibit may turn into tribute

By ALICIA CALDWELL

© St. Petersburg Times, published July 18, 1999

ST. PETERSBURG -- There's that famous photograph of John Jr. peeking out from under his father's desk. And a toy rocket that the boy played with in the Oval Office.

From the beginning, the Kennedy exhibit planned for the Florida International Museum was designed to illustrate the loving relationship between President John F. Kennedy and his children.

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However, the disappearance and presumed death of John F. Kennedy Jr. likely will cast a new light on those items, said Robert L. White, who owns the Kennedy artifacts that will be exhibited at the museum.

"I think it will turn more into a tribute," White said from his Maryland home.

The exhibit, which will run from Nov. 12 to May 29, touches on the ways in which a presidential father tried to raise his children as normally as possible given his position, White said.

"The children were such an integral part of the Kennedy family in the '60s," White said. "Most of the things I have are from when John was a young boy."

White has 50,000 pieces in his collection, but only 400 to 500 will be displayed at a time, he said.

Some of the items associated with John Jr. that are planned for the opening exhibit include a mother of pearl locket containing small photos of John and his sister, Caroline; religious medals belonging to the boy; the terry cloth robe the child wore when he would visit his father's office just before bedtime; and various drawings and photographs.

White and others associated with the museum and the Kennedy exhibit expressed sympathy and sorrow for the extended Kennedy family as events unfolded off the coast of Martha's Vineyard on Saturday.

"We all feel the tragedy of it," said Joe Cronin, Florida International Museum president. "Can you imagine the grief they're suffering?"

Cronin said he wanted to tread carefully when talking about the museum's upcoming exhibit.

"I don't want anybody in any way to think we were trying to promote the exhibit by using this tragedy," Cronin said.

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