Collections Management
At the heart of museums are the objects. Some are art, some are artifact. All are vivid illustrations of the stories told. The objects allow visitors to explore the world around them. For centuries, objects have transported viewers through time and space in satisfaction of our instinctual curiosity. Preservation of the objects, their histories, and their futures lie within the realm of collections management. A comprehensive approach to collections management encompasses the roles of the registrar, the collection manager, the curator, and the conservator. Proper collections management ensures the legal and ethical acquisition of objects, as well as their restoration, display, and conservation to professional standards. Underpinning the entire process of collections management is a living collections plan that can adapt to changing needs of the audiences served and follows the institution’s central mission. Diligent organization, record keeping, and maintenance cannot be merely suggestions. They must be adamantly practiced regardless of institutional size or budget.
Course Work Essays
Collections Processing
Just because a museum has an item does not mean it is eternally theirs to control. It is not a complicated process to incorporate new objects into a collection. but it does involve following a process and meticulous paperwork. Together, these make sure the museum acquires proper title for the item. While it seems straightforward, the process has been bypassed at times and the results can be alarming. The following fictional case study clearly articulates what museum professionals try to avoid.
Collections Ethics
Museum collections require compliance with legal doctrine for the location of the host museum. Ethics demand that a museum go beyond legalities and abide by standards set through the museum field, industry organizations, and international cooperation. One of the most pressing ethical concerns facing the current generation of museum professionals is the location, restitution, and repatriation of objects looted by the Nazis from 1933-1945.
Hoarding in Museums
Hoarding is not just a personal habit. It can also be an institutional issue. The size of a collection was once a source of pride and esteem for museum professionals, but that is changing. Rather than concerning themselves with quantity, museum professionals are now becoming more aware of how “active” their collection is and what impact their objects are having on the audience. Oversized collections require huge amounts of resources for maintenance and can stifle other functions of a modern museum. Selective collecting and thinning of existing collections can be powerful, but must be done in a very careful manner.