To label or not to label...

Our class discussion today about the Dion piece got me thinking about the idea of labeling items in museums and titling art pieces. I loved visiting Eclectic Electric however, I found myself wishing that the items were labeled. I would love to know what all of them are, when they were made and even where they were found by the family. While it was obvious what many of the items were, many were quite obscure. Also, because most of the items were so well preserved and some had even been refurbished (particularly the fans) it was difficult to guess their age.
While I believe that artifacts in museums are probably best viewed with labels and historical information, I am not sure that the same goes for art. I very rarely title my paintings. I feel that it will limit the audience and tell them what they should take from the piece or what feelings it should evoke. I like the idea of provoking thought and questions. Titling a painting might answer any questions upfront. For example, I often include old family photographs in my paintings. I like to keep people guessing about who the people are and what their relationships are rather than giving a piece an obvious title like "Sisters."