An introduction to

Collections Reviews

Paul Fraser Webb

Consultant
Definition of a Museum

‘Museums enable people to explore

collections for inspiration, learning and
enjoyment. They are institutions that collect,
safeguard and make accessible artefacts and
specimens, which they hold in trust for
society.’
The Dynamic Collection
Opportunity Cost
Museum Collections and
Sustainability
Nick Merriman (2004)
Table 2.19 Acquisitions & Disposals from sample
museums, 1990-2004
180,000

160,000

140,000

120,000

100,000
Acquisitions
80,000

60,000 Disposals
40,000

20,000

0
Glasgow Horniman Ipswich Leeds London's Manchester Maritime
Transport
Acquisitions & Disposals from sample
museums, 1990-2004
N Merriman 2004
Sustainability
Sustainability
Systainability
Dynamic Collections

 Need to enhance use

 Need to get ‘value for money’ from collections
 Need to guarantee sustainability of
collections
 So, why do we not have a
‘dynamic collection?’
Bury – A Case Study
Why was Bury AGM de-
registered?
 Paragraph 4.2.5(e) of the Phase 2
Registration Guidelines state: “Decisions to
dispose of items will not be made with the
principal aim of generating funds”
Why was Bury AGM de-
registered?
 Paragraph 4.2.5(h) of the Phase 2
Registration Guidelines state: “Any monies
received by the museum governing body
from the disposal of items will be applied for
the benefit of the collections. This normally
means the purchase of further acquisitions
but in exceptional cases improvements
relating to the care of collections may be
justifiable.”
Why was Bury AGM de-
registered?
 Paragraph 4.2.5(e) of the Phase 2
Registration Guidelines state: “Once a
decision to dispose of an item has been
taken, priority will be given to retaining the
item within the public domain and with this
in view it will be offered first, by exchange,
gift or sale to Registered museums before
disposal to other interested individuals or
organisations is considered”
Why was Bury AGM de-
registered?
 Paragraph 4.2.5(f) of the Phase 2 Registration
Guidelines state:“In cases in which an
arrangement for the exchange, gift or sale of
material is not being made with an individual
Registered museum, the museum community
at large will be advised of the intention to
dispose of material. This will normally be
through an announcement in the Museums
Association’s Museums Journal and other
professional journals if appropriate”
Why was Bury AGM de-
registered?
 It was not de-registered for selling the
painting.

 It was de-registered for how it went about it.

Why was Bury AGM de-
registered?

“Sell a painting that is not seen to be integral to

the current collection policy”
Objective Opinion

“[When disposals are being considered]

curatorial opinion could be seen as subjective
and there may be benefits in getting opinions
objectively scrutinised. There needs to be
external evidence that professional guidance
and ethics are being followed…[There is a] need
to show that decisions are for the good of the
museum and collection and not down to the
curator’s personal taste. External scrutiny needs
to review Policy, Process and Decision”
Curator in a North West Museum.
A regional response
 Working with the MA to promote the disposals tool kit and ensure its
effective use

 Promoting peer review of collections in the regions to assist museums’

focus on their core collections and develop a curatorial overview of
collections’ strengths

 Developing a regional infrastructure for peer reviews through a greater

understanding of and support for regional expertise and research
provision.

 Promoting responsible disposal from museum collections,

developing a ‘safe environment’ for the discussion of specific
museum disposals and establishing a practice of professional
peer review of the mechanism of museum disposal.
A regional response

 A methodology
 An officer
 A professional scrutiny panel
 A peer reviewers network
 Money
(But not much)
A regional response

 A Methodology
 Element 1: Curatorial Review
 Element 2: Use
 Element 3: Significance
 Element 4: Collections Care
 Element 5: Museum Context
A regional response
 A professional scrutiny panel
The Collections Review Board shall:
Act as a ‘safe environment’ for the museum community to
discuss issues surrounding and arising from the disposal of
museum objects. To facilitate this the board should act as a
‘critical friend’ to museums. It should help museums develop
methods of responsible museum disposal (including promotion of
MA’s Disposals Tool Kit, using peer review, developing criteria
for museum disposal, developing methods for assessing
significance of objects and collections). It should also review the
disposal policies, the procedures and the decisions of museums
at the museum’s request
A regional response
A regional response

 A peer reviewers network

 Hub Museums
 National Museums
 Museums with direct DCMS Funding
A regional response...Funded Projects

Salford Museums and

Art Gallery

Egyptology Review
A regional response...Funded Projects

Gallery Oldham
Print Loan
Collection
Review
How does this help us?
 Safe environment for discussing difficult
issues
 Gets underused collections looked at
 Gets specialist opinions
 Makes qualitative assessments that can
balance the financial arguments
 Gets objective opinions
 Promotes the dynamic collection OR
enhances use