# Presentation: 324676

## Museum Property Overview

- for
- Interagency Committee of Property Managers
- Ann Hitchcock, Chief Curator
- National Park Service
- January 26, 2006

## What is museum property?

- Personal property
- Acquired according to rational scheme
- Preserved, studied, interpreted for public benefit.

## How is museum property classified?

- Archeology
- Art
- Ethnography
- History
- Archives (documents, excluding official records)

- Botany
- Zoology
- Paleontology
- Geology
- Environmental samples

## Personal or Museum Property?

- Personal and museum property can look the same (e.g., a chair)
- Determination depends on
- Agency mission and authority
- Function of the property
- Long-term preservation goals

## Agency Mission and Authority

- Is a museum function identified in authorizing legislation?
- Does a museum function support the agency mission?
- How might an agency establish a museum function where none exists?
- Seek authorizing legislation
- Add to mission statements and plans

## Example of Evolving AuthorityNational Park Service

- 1904 Yosemite establishes first park museum collection
- 1906 Antiquities Act authorizes President to establish national monuments and protect objects of historic or scientific interest
- 1916 NPS Organic Act establishes NPS to conserve scenery and natural and historic objects..therein...and provide for enjoyment of future generations.

## Example of Evolving Authority(NPS continued)

- 1935 Historic Sites Act authorizes NPS to establish and maintain museums
- 1955 Museum Act authorizes donations, bequests, exchanges, loans
- 1996 Museum Act amendment authorizes transfer, conveyance, and destruction (but not sale)

## Example of Evolving AuthorityDepartment of the Interior

- Bureaus with varying authority
- NPS
- DOI Museum
- Indian Arts and Crafts Board
- USGS
- 1990 IG audit of accountability and control over artwork and artifacts

## Example of Evolving Authority(DOI continued)

- 1990 DOI asks NPS to lead response to audit
- Interior museum property committee established
- 1993 Departmental Manual established standards for managing museum property
- Planning and reporting
- Documenting acquisitions and disposals, preserving, and protecting

## Museum Plans and Reports 

- Scope of Collection Statement
- Collection Management Plan
- Housekeeping Plan
- Integrated Pest Management Plan
- Emergency Operations Plan
- Collection Condition Survey
- Required Reports
- Collection Management Report
- Checklist for Preservation and Protection
- Annual Inventory

## Acquisition

- Acquisition authority
- Scope of Collection Statement
- Types of acquisitions
- Gift
- Purchase
- Field Collection
- Exchange
- Incoming Loan (custody not title)

## Acquisition Documentation

- Accession book/log and accession numbers
- Ownership transfer document (signed by parties)
- Deed of Gift
- Purchase document
- Exchange agreement
- Custody document
- Receipt for property (field collection)
- Loan agreement

## Acquisition Documentation(continued)

- Accession Receiving Report
- Accession folder
- Accession database
- Accession documentation provides data on source, items acquired, type and terms of acquisition

## Cataloging

- Catalog numbers for all items
- Cataloging in lots acceptable for certain similar items
- Catalog record provides
- Identification
- Physical data
- Historical data
- Catalog database facilitates management and research

## Disposal (Deaccessioning)

- Deaccessioning authority
- Scope of Collection Statement
- Types of deaccessions
- Return to rightful owner (legal opinion required)
- Loss, theft, damage, involuntary destruction
- Outside scope (transfer, exchange, conveyance, voluntary destruction/abandonment)
- Destructive analysis
- NAGPRA compliance (repatriation)

## Deaccession Documentation

- Deaccession book/log and numbers
- Deaccession form for review and approval
- Catalog records
- Appraisals
- Public notice
- Deaccession database facilitates management

## Deaccession Documentation(continued)

- Disposition documents
- Receipt for property
- Report of survey
- Exchange agreement
- Transfer of property
- Conveyance agreement
- Repatriation agreement

## Remember!

- Acquire carefully, according to plan.
- Deaccessioning is more difficult and often controversial.

## Preservation

- Monitor and control the environment
- Temperature
- Relative humidity
- Light
- Pests
- Air quality
- Ensure good housekeeping
- Assess and document condition of items
- Provide conservation treatment for items

## Protection

- Secure storage and exhibit spaces
- Control access to museum spaces and museum property
- Establish emergency management plan
- Install and maintain fire detection and suppression systems

## Access and Use

- Ensure public benefit
- Provide exhibits and publications
- Offer education programs
- Provide outgoing loans
- Provide access for researchers
- Consider legal issues (copyright, FOIA, reproductions)

## Remember!

**Display *****ideas***** not things.**
**Capitalize on the power of context.**

## Resources:  Guidance and Forms

- NPS Director’s Order #24, Collections Management             http://www.nps.gov/policy/DOrders/DOrder24.html
- NPS Museum Handbook, Parts I-III http://www.cr.nps.gov/museum/publications/handbook.html
- DOI Museum Property Management Standards and Handbook (Departmental Manual Part 411) http://www.doi.gov/museum/policy.htm

## More Guidance on the Web

- NPS Conserve O Gram
- 	http://www.cr.nps.gov/museum/publications/conserveogram/conserv.html
- NPS Automated collections management system user manual
- 	http://www.cr.nps.gov/museum/publications/ancs.html

## NPS and DOI Museum and Collections Web Sites

- http://www.cr.nps.gov/museum *Overview*
- http://www.museum.nps.gov *Web Catalog*
- http://www.nps.gov/hfc *Harpers Ferry Ctr*
- http://science.nature.nps.gov/research/ac/ResearchIndex *Scientific Permitting and Collecting*
- http://www.doi.gov/museum/program.htm *Interior Museum Program*

## NPS Policies and Laws

- Management Policies              http://data2.itc.nps.gov/npspolicy/index.cfm
- Laws              http://data2.itc.nps.gov/npspolicy/getlaws.cfm

## Contact Information

- Ann Hitchcock
- Chief Curator
- National Park Service
- 1849 C Street, NW (2202)
- Washington, DC 20240-0001
- 202-354-2271     Fax:  202-371-2422
- ann_hitchcock@nps.gov

## Museum Property is Our Heritage