HSJ: Exhibits and Collections: Accessioning and Deaccessioning Museum Collections: A Brief Overview

Accessioning and Deaccessioning Museum Collections: A Brief Overview

>>July 12 & 13 Spring Cleaning and Open House Sale

Staff is often asked, “What does HSJ collect? How do you decide what to collect? What does deaccessioning mean, and what is the process? The following is a brief overview of some aspects of accessioning and deaccessioning practices.

Accessioning is the legal method by which museums accept artifacts into their collection. Most history museums began by accepting just about anything that was given to them that was considered “old.” Years went by and museum collections grew from hundreds of objects, to thousands of objects, to hundreds of thousands of objects. The museum community began to realize that this method of collecting could not continue forever without serious consequences. Human and financial resources to care for collections are limited, storage space is limited, and exhibition space even more limited. In 1983, it was calculated that the average museum object occupied two square feet, and that the annual cost to store that object was $25 dollars per square foot (not including staff time, materials, and equipment). Think of what that figure would be today!

Criteria for collecting objects had to be established. It was agreed that objects accepted into a museum’s collection must directly support the museum’s mission. For example, History San José only accepts objects that were made or used in Santa Clara Valley, or that contextually complete a Santa Clara Valley “story.” That’s big collecting territory. Later the profession agreed that it is irresponsible to collect objects that a museum can not care for; has no intention of exhibiting; or in the case of the archives, has no intention of interpreting or making available to the public. This is still big collecting territory. A responsible collection manager will carefully weigh each donation offered and begin the process by asking: How does the object offered provide a resource for the public? How many museum resources will it take to professionally care for and interpret the object? Should this institution collect this object, or is it more appropriate to another institution’s collection?

Ultimately, accessioning objects is about making choices with the understanding that those choices will seriously impact the museum forever.

Deaccessioning is the method by which artifacts are permanently removed from the museum’s collection. Before 1987, most museum staff would not utter the “D” word out loud. Deaccessioning was viewed by many as a breach of public trust. However, finding it increasingly difficult to professionally care for the objects they have, and unable to find storage and exhibit space to accept objects they want, museums began to rethink and refine their mission statements as well as their collections management polices. Deaccessioning began to be viewed as essential to responsibly keeping the public trust. HSJ finds itself in the same position.

Do museums’ like to deaccession objects? No. Deaccessioning is an arduous process. No one person’s personal taste decides that an object will be deaccessioned. The process is not executed in a willy-nilly fashion. An object must meet one or more criteria such as, but not limited to:

the object is not relevant to the museum’s mission,

the object has deteriorated beyond usefulness,

the object is hazardous to other collections or staff,

there are multiple examples of the same object in the collection, and

the object is wrongly attributed or fake.

At HSJ the Director of Collections and Exhibitions, the Collection Manager, Curators, and the Archivist will compile a list of objects that they initially think meet the deaccession criteria listed above. Choices will be made such as, “Does the archive need two sets of Sanborn maps?" Yes. The public heavily uses these maps. One set can be used and the other set will be preserved for future generations. HSJ has 75 sewing machines, “Does the collection need this many sewing machines?" No. How do you decide which ones to keep and which ones to deaccession? HSJ will enlist the services of a subject specialist, perhaps a curator of technology, and a conservator.

Again, choices need to be made. Two identical types of sewing machines are found. Does the collection need two? Probably not. Which one should be deaccessioned? The condition will need to be considered, as will the donor records containing the object’s history. After reviewing all pertinent information, staff, subject specialists, and/or conservator need to reach consensus on which sewing machine to recommend for deaccession. The recommended deaccession list will include photographs, accession records, and an explanation of why the team feels the object is a candidate for deaccession. The list will also suggest a method of disposition, such as transfer or trade with another museum. Then the President/CEO must approve the list before it is taken to the Collection Committee. After approval by the Collection Committee, the list must by reviewed by the Landmarks Commission, the City of San Jose, and the full HSJ Board of Trustees before any action can be taken.

Today deaccessioning is considered an integral and necessary part of responsible collections management. This is a brief overview of accessioning and deaccessioning, in truth these processes are complex, conservative, and tedious. The goal is to have a collection that directly supports the museum mission, and that the museum can responsibly care for.

References:

Malaro, Marie. A Legal Primer on Managing Museum Collections. 2nd ed. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press, 1998.

Weil, Stephen, ed. A Deaccession Reader . Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press, 1998.

Weil, Stephen. Rethinking the Museum and Other Meditations. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press, 1990.