Collection Management
Click on the title of the information sheet you are interested in to bring up that document or follow the instructions to link to external information sources.
POLICIES
A museum’s collection policy is central to its operations and will provide the core from which the other policies will be developed.
A conservation policy is an essential element in ensuring the integrity and survival of collections. It sets out in clear terms the responsibility or duty of the museum in caring for its objects and aims to prevent object deterioration.
PLANS
Disaster Plan - Link to CAN - 'Be prepared - Guidelines for small museums for writing a disaster preparedness plan'
ISSUES
Copyright - Link to Copyright Council
ACCESSIONING
Guide to Acquisition and Accessioning Procedures
There is a procedure to follow when items are offered or considered for the museum’s collection. Accessioning is the formal process of accepting items into the collection.
Acquisition and Accessioning Flowchart
A step by step flowchart indicating the process by which acquisition and accessioning occurs.
Assessing the significance of an object is a fundamental requirement when considering it for inclusion into the collection. Significance explains the objects’ meaning for the museum.
During the accession process, it is important to mark each object with a unique identification number (accession number aka registration number), which will link that object to the museum’s documentation. Each type of object needs a different approach, depending on the materials from which the object is made.
Recording information on an object data sheet is a process of documenting and managing objects in the museum and creates a permanent record of all the objects in the collection.
DEACCESSIONING
Deaccessioning is the process by which objects in the museum’s collection are removed from the collection and are made ready for disposal. There are legal and ethical considerations in disposing of objects and the process must be clearly followed and traceable.
LOANS (IN AND OUT)
Short-term loans from individuals and other institutions may be required for temporary exhibitions. Appropriate preservation and security conditions and loans documentation procedures will be essential to facilitate these exchanges. The successful administration of loans relies on adherence to guidelines provided in the museum’s interpretation and collection policies.
COMPUTERS AND IT
Collection Management Systems (Databases) - Link to CAN - Collection Management Systems (CMS)
Digitisation - Link to CAN 'Capture your collections - a digitisation course for remote and regional museums and galleries'
OR National Film & Sound Archive www.nfsa.afc.gov.au – conservation of film and audio footage
PREVENTIVE CONSERVATION
Preventive Conservation Overview
Museums have an obligation to care for their collections in a way which will ensure that they remain in the best possible condition, for as long as possible. In order to do this museums must ensure that collections are stored, displayed and transported in secure conditions where the risk of damage and deterioration is minimal at all times.
A variety of small easily accomplished steps can be taken to make any store area better suited to housing museum objects more safely. Several things can affect conditions and deterioration of objects. Many of these can be corrected or avoided with small expenditure, a little work and some planning.
Environmental and Biological Factors
There are several forms of biological and environmental hazards that will cause deterioration to many museum objects. In general, adequate care, cleaning and regular monitoring will form a good basis on which to maintain sound storage and display conditions.
Mould is one of the most difficult agents of decay to eliminate once it has a hold of textiles. Because it is so destructive, fairly drastic measures are sometimes used to deal with it.
Central to all collection care is the provision of adequate, clean storage to house objects that are not on display. There are a number of key factors to be considered.
Storage - Planning Space and Fittings
One of the most common oversights in museums is not allowing for adequate storage. Good storage for a museum’s collection is one of the key principles of preventive conservation.
Ease of access, adequate space, use of appropriate materials and orientation all have a major effect on the quality of the storage conditions and their maintenance costs.
Storage areas are a crucial part of the preservation strategy of a museum. There are some important considerations when deciding on storage furniture.
Diagram (pdf) examples of: display furniture; showcase design; free standing showcase; display cabinet with storage
Cultural Object Stores
A report is now available detailing a project carried out to ascertain current cultural object stores requirements. The report is co-authored by Greg Wallace and Kim Akerman and is entitled For now and forever: An analysis of current and emerging needs for Aboriginal cultural stores and repositories in Western Australia. To link to this report click here.
Alternately, a one page info sheet on Basic Cultural Stores is available here.
Methodology
Encapsulation is the process of enclosing a fragile paper item between two sheets of archival quality polyester film and then sealing to provide protection from handling and ease of viewing. Not all items will benefit from encapsulation so it is necessary to make a careful assessment before proceeding.
Framing is primarily a means of protecting an item that is to be displayed, in a way that brings out the best in the item aesthetically. You can extend the life of the item you wish to frame and enhance the protection it receives by following a few simple guidelines.
Handling or moving of artefacts
Items in a collection have special needs when it comes to being handled. Objects may be fragile, old, decayed or worn and should only be handled by trained people who understand that object’s specific needs. As most damage to museum collections comes about from poor handling, handling should always be kept to a minimum.
Using appropriate techniques and materials for packing will both protect the item whilst being handled and also ensure that the object will be safe whether it is being stored or moved.
Specific Collection Types
Archives - refer Museums Australia, Museum Methods: A Practical Manual for Managing Small Museums, section 3.10 'Managing Museum Archives'
Art - refer reCollections, Caring for Cultural Material 1, p109
Firearms - refer WA Museum 'Conservation and Care of Collections' (Gilroy & Godfrey eds) pp 149-150
Glass and Ceramics etc – WA Museum 'Conservation and Care of Collections' (Gilroy & Godfrey eds) pp 87-101
Image Collection ( Photographs) - refer reCollections, Caring for Cultural Material 1, pp 67-107
Indigenous/Aboriginal/ethnographic - refer reCollections, Caring for Cultural Material 2, pp 59-80
Leather - refer reCollections, Caring for Cultural Material 2, pp 29-46; WA Museum 'Conservation and Care of Collections' (Gilroy & Godfrey eds) pp 23-32
Metals - refer reCollections, Caring for Cultural Material 2, pp 81-111
Military - reference texts available through: Australian War Memorial, Canberra, http://www.awm.gov.au
Oral History - informative publications available - Oral History Assn of Australia, http://www.ohaa.net.au/publications.htm
Outdoor Collections - refer reCollections, Caring for Cultural Material 2, pp 113-135
Paper and books –refer reCollections, Caring for Cultural Material 1 pp 1-66
Rubber and Plastics - WA Museum 'Conservation and Care of Collections' (Gilroy & Godfrey eds) pp 127-130
Textiles and Costume - refer reCollections, Caring for Cultural Material 2, pp 1-27
Time Capsules - WA Museum 'Conservation and Care of Collections' (Gilroy & Godfrey eds) pp 156-158
Wood - refer reCollections, Caring for Cultural Material 2, pp 47
reCollections is available online at: http://www.amol.org.au/recollections/index.htm
INTERVENTIVE CONSERVATION
Condition Reporting - Link to mgnsw 'Simple Conditions Reports' pdf
Conservation (plan) Reports - Link to CAN 'Conservation and Preservation Assessment Plans - Best Practice Model
OR Link to Heritage Council of WA 'Conservation Plans: A Standard Brief for Consultants' (Oct 2002)
SUPPLIERS AND CONSULTANTS
Material Suppliers - Link to zettaflorence.com.au
Also useful are craft suppliers www.eckersley.com.au and www.spotlight.com.au
Consultant Services
Contractors and Consultants - Link to Heritage Council, Directory of Consultants
OR Link to AICCM, Members in Private Practice
REFERENCES AND LINKS
Bibliography - A select list of references and further reading
Links www
AICCM (Australian Institute for the Conservation of Cultural Materials) www.aiccm.org.au
Collections Australia Network www.collectionsaustralia.net.au
Heritage Council of Western Australia www.heritage.wa.gov.au
Museums and Galleries NSW www.mgnsw.org.au
Museum and Gallery Services, Queensland www.magsq.com.au
Museums Australia www.museumsaustralia.org.au
Conservation Links www
American Institute for Conservation - http://aic.stanford.edu/
Conservation OnLine - http://palimpsest.stanford.edu/
Canadian Heritage Info network CHIN - http://www.chin.gc.ca/
Canadian Institute of Conservation - http://www.preservation.gc.ca/index_e.asp
Getty Conservation Institute - http://www.getty.edu/conservation/
National Archives of Australia - http://www.naa.gov.au