Northwest natural history collections reviews 2014–15
Form adapted from Significance 2.0 framework by Henry McGhie and Rachel Webster, in
discussion with Luanne Meehitiya, David Gelsthorpe and Dmitri Logunov
Key Details
Museum
[name of museum, and address]
Name and address of
governing body
Contact at Museum
[name and address of governing body if different]
Museum preparation by
(internal assessor)
[name[s] of people preparing document]
External assessor
[name of Manchester Museum staff member]
Date of assessment visit
[date of visit]
Date of final document
[date form finally completed]
[your name, work phone number and email]
Updates
Assessor
[name of anyone doing subsequent assessments]
Date
[date of assessments]
Changes
[details of changes to assessment]
This form helps to capture information on the collection based on the ‘Significance 2.0’
assessment, originally developed by Caroline Reed. This methodology assesses collections
based on their 1. Significance, 2. Use (both actual and potential) and 3. Collections
Management. The methodology has been used in the West Midlands to review biological
collections. The intention is that we use a comparable method in the Northwest, so that
information could potentially be pooled. Assessments are aimed at being of use to ind ividual
museums, in terms of understanding the importance of their collections, levels of use and
potential of use, and priorities for collections management.
The process of assessment involves:
1. Initial input into the form below by someone at the museum
2. A site visit by curatorial staff from Manchester Museum
3. Production of the report by Manchester Museum curatorial staff, in further
consultation as required
1
Summary
Number of natural history
specimens
% of natural history collection
adequately stored
% of natural history collection
with data
% of natural history collection
documented on computer (to
specimen/bulk level)
No. of visitors to stored
collections per year
No. of visitors to museum per
year
State of building- external
State of building- internal
1994
[From Skeletons in
Cupboard]
[From Skeletons in
Cupboard]
[From Skeletons in
Cupboard]
[From Skeletons in
Cupboard]
[From Skeletons in
Cupboard]
[From Skeletons in
Cupboard]
[From Skeletons in
Cupboard]
[From Skeletons in
Cupboard]
the
2014/15
[from below]
the
[from below]
the
[from below]
the
[from below]
the
[from below]
the
Please complete
the
V Good/ Good/ Acceptable/
Poor/ V Poor
V Good/ Good/ Acceptable/
Poor/ V Poor
the
Comments from ‘Skeletons in the Cupboard’ (1994/98): [From Skeletons in the Cupboard]
Significant developments in governance since 1994…
Significant developments to building (stores/galleries) since 1994 (eg. lottery, Wolfson, Esme
Fairbairn funded projects etc.)…
Significant externally funded projects to enhance state of collection (collections care,
acquisition) or its interpretation (eg. digitization, documentation, conservation projects), and
sources of funding since 1994…
Significant changes to general state of building since 1994 (deterioration, improvement etc.)
when the museum was described as xxxxxx externally and xxxxxxxx
internally…[xxxxxxxxx from Skeletons in the Cupboard]
Significant developments to collection since 1994…
Plans relating to natural history collection, use and display for the next 10 years…
Significance
Usage
Storage/collection
2
‘Significance 2.0’
rating
Organisational or site
specific/ Community
of Group/ Locally
specific/ Regional or
Cross-regional/
National or
International
Rating of collection importance
1994:
V Low/ Low/
Moderate/ V High/
Unknown
management
V Poor/ Poor/ Fair/
Good/ Excellent
Overall ‘Significance 2.0’ rating
2014/15:
3
Significance: Provenance
Question
Answer
Who created the core
collection? When, where
and why was the collection
made?
[a brief narrative of the history of the collection and if it came
from any previous museums. This section doesn’t require any
detail, it is at an institutional level]
When / for how long has the
collection been used?
[has use been continuous since your museum opened?]
Were parts of the collection
acquired subsequently?
How/when/why/from whom?
[this is at a high level, not individual acquisitions. Were large
collections acquired at different times? This is just to give a
general sense of major developments]
Were parts of the collection
disposed of subsequently?
How/when/why/to whom?
[in terms of significant amounts of material: whole sections of a
(natural history) collection etc. Disposal includes transfer,
exchange and destruction]
Outline sub-collections
[include only natural history collections, ie. preserved animals,
plants, rocks, fossils. This section only needs a very brief
narrative of how the collection is organized as a fuller breakdown
is required below]
Does the museum include
other types of collection
Live animals
Archaeology
Anthropology
Other (please specify)
Are any published or online
catalogues of the collection,
or descriptions of the
collection’s contents?
What archival information is
held?
What is the legal ownership
of the collection?
Industrial collections
Social history
Art and crafts
Yes
No
[ie. can people find out about what is in the collection before a
visit]
[only in relation to your natural history collection]
-accession books
-collectors’ records and notebooks
-notebooks
-institutional archives
-images/photographs
[who owns the collection]
Is the museum Accredited?
Yes
Are there significant long
term loans in or out of the
collection?
Have any specimens been
acquired in the last 10
years. If so, approximately
how many, how, and of
what?
No
Yes
No
[this is included as loans may influence the significance and
impact of the collection]
Yes
No
How?:
Field collecting
Donation
Transfer from other museum
Purchase of specimens
Other methods
4
Have any specimens been
disposed of in the last 10
years? If so, approximately
how many, how, why, and
of what?
[this is intended to give a sense of the scale and speed of
acquisition.]
[disposal includes transfer, exchange and destruction]
Significance: Description of the collection
Taxidermy mounts
Number in Skeletons
in the Cupboard
[from ‘Skeletons’]
Birds
Mammal
Other mounts
Study skins
Birds
Mammals
Others
Bones and skeletons
Eggs
Insects (dried)
Molluscs (dried)
Spiders, crabs (dried)
Corals and sponges
(dried)
Other invertebrates
Spirit jars (all types of
specimen)
Microscope slides
Herbarium sheets
Other plant
specimens including
fungi (boxes of galls,
wood etc)
Biological models
Animals (including
single-celled)
Plants
Other
Rocks
Minerals
Fossils
Other geological
(sections, drill-cores
etc)
Archive material
Lantern slides
Current number
(2014/15)
Is this number:
[a Victorian case of
50 hummingbirds= 1]
accurate/estimate
accurate/estimate
accurate/estimate
[from ‘Skeletons’]
[from ‘Skeletons’]
[from ‘Skeletons’]
[from ‘Skeletons’]
[from ‘Skeletons’]
[from ‘Skeletons’]
Eggs (individuals)=
Separate
layings/clutches=
[individual shells]
accurate/estimate
accurate/estimate
accurate/estimate
accurate/estimate
accurate/estimate
accurate/estimate
accurate/estimate
accurate/estimate
accurate/estimate
[from ‘Skeletons’]
accurate/estimate
accurate/estimate
[from ‘Skeletons’]
[from ‘Skeletons’]
[from ‘Skeletons’]
accurate/estimate
accurate/estimate
accurate/estimate
[from ‘Skeletons’]
accurate/estimate
[from ‘Skeletons’]
[from ‘Skeletons’]
[from ‘Skeletons’]
[from ‘Skeletons’]
[from ‘Skeletons’]
accurate/estimate
accurate/estimate
accurate/estimate
accurate/estimate
accurate/estimate
accurate/estimate
accurate/estimate
accurate/estimate
5
TOTAL OF ABOVE
[from ‘Skeletons’]
Is there a separate Handling/Education collection, and if so please give rough details
[Please give brief narrative to explain differences in numbers between time of Skeletons in the
Cupboard and the present situation. Are differences a result of more accurate counting, or of
collections acquisition/disposal, and if so, of what?]
Significance: Rarity/uniqueness- do on a subcollection basis if you want
Question
Description
Does the collection contain specimens
that were the basis of new species
(type specimens) or specimens
referred to or illustrated in
books/scientific papers? If so, can you
give details or publications?
Types:
Yes
No
Maybe
Illustrated/figured:
Yes
No
Maybe
Publications (or estimated no. of publications if a
lot)….
Does it contain recently extinct or
endangered species, if so give a
description?
What are the strengths of the
collection? Is the collection unusual in
some way?
What proportion of the collection has
locality data?
Yes
No
Maybe
[break this down into subcollections if you want]
eg. -geographical
-collectors
-social history
-history of science and discovery
timespan
[break this down into subcollections if you want]
(90% in Skeletons in the Cupboard)
Narrative- summary of significance based on Significance 2.0
[to be completed following site visit]
6
Significance: Visual and sensory impact for exhibition/presentation/source of inspiration
(including web)
Question
Description
What parts of the collection have a
strong potential impact for
exhibition/presentation/storytelling
(including web)?
What are the potential "star
specimens" or groups of specimens
for
exhibitions/presentation/storytelling?
Narrative- summary of significance based on Significance 2.0
[to be completed following site visit]
Significance: Condition
Question
Is the collection in good condition for
its type: is it usable?
Description
Yes
No
Mixed
Narrative- summary of significance based on Significance 2.0
[to be completed following site visit]
Significance: Historical meaning
Question
Description
Who are the major collectors or donors? Is the
collection associated with a particular person
or family group?
Is the collection associated with a particular
place? What is the mix of local, regional and
national material?
Is it associated with particular activities? Is
there a collection method that dominates the
collection? (eg. big game hunting, field
naturalism, research collection)
7
Narrative- summary of significance based on Significance 2.0
[to be completed following site visit]
Significance: Potential for use (exploitability)
Question
Description
Does/could the collection be used for
scientific research?
(=does it contain specimens with good quality
locality data)
Yes
No
Maybe
Comments….. [please give narrative]
Does/could the collection be used for
arts and humanities research?
(languages, history, social history, art
etc)
Does/could it enrich the understanding of
other material in your collection?
Does/could it support National
Curriculum based or other learning
activities (including adult)?
Does/could it be used to reach new
audiences?
Could it support reminiscence work or
other arts and health initiatives?
Does/could it inspire creativity or support
income generation, business or product
development (either for the museum or
external users)?
Does/could it support profile raising and
tourism?
Has it ever/ could it be loaned for
display/research by other heritage
organisation(s)?
Yes
No
Comments….. [please give narrative]
Maybe
Yes
No
Maybe
Comments….. [please give narrative]
Yes
No
Comments….. [please give narrative]
Maybe
Yes
No
Comments….. [please give narrative]
Maybe
Yes
No
Comments….. [please give narrative]
Maybe
Yes
No
Comments….. [please give narrative]
Maybe
Yes
No
Comments….. [please give narrative]
Maybe
Yes
No
Comments….. [please give narrative]
Maybe
Narrative- summary of significance based on Significance 2.0
[to be completed following site visit]
8
Significance summary
Significance summary
[to be completed following site visit]
‘Skeletons in the Cupboard’ evaluation
[to be completed following site visit]
Summary of significance
[to be completed following site visit]
9
Usage: Marketing and communications
Is the collection:
Comments (inc. frequency, examples and increases
or decreases in use)
Strongly identified in the
public’s mind with the
museum (eg. feature in
marketing, imagery)?
Yes/No
Used in social media?
Yes/No
Used for marketing?
Yes/No
Of media interest?
Yes/No
Is use of the collection for
marketing and external
communications
Summary of popular appeal
Increasing
Comments…..
Stable
Decreasing
Very high
High
Moderate
Low
Unknown
Narrative- summary of significance based on Significance 2.0
[to be completed following site visit]
Usage: Supports formal (ie. schools, colleges and universities) learning
Is the collection used for:
Comments (inc. frequency, examples and increases
or decreases in use)
Used in visits to the
museum by school groups?
Used outside the museum
by school groups?
Yes/No
Higher education learning
(undergrad, postgrad
student projects, lectures,
part of coursework)?
Yes/No
Interdisciplinary learning/ for
non-science subjects e.g.
for art?
Yes/No
Is use of the collection for
formal learning
Yes/No
[includes specimens in any Education/handling
collection]
Yes/No
[comments, and approx. no. of students per year]
Increasing
Comments…..
Stable
Decreasing
10
Narrative- summary of significance based on Significance 2.0
[to be completed following site visit]
Usage: Supports informal/lifelong learning
Is the collection used for:
Comments (inc. frequency, examples and increases
or decreases in use)
Interdisciplinary learning
e.g. for art?
Yes/No
Public events with nonschool groups/visitors in the
museum?
Yes/No
Public events away from the
museum (outreach, not
schools outreach)?
Yes/No
Volunteers working with the
collection in the museum?
Yes/No
Is use of the collection for
lifelong learning
Increasing
Comments…..
Stable
Decreasing
Narrative- summary of significance based on Significance 2.0
[to be completed following site visit]
Usage: Research and enquiries
In the last 5 years, has the collection been:
Used for enquiries?
Roughly how many a year
Used for academic
research?- how many
projects, roughly how many
specimens each year
Yes/no
No. and comments…..
Yes/no
Approx. no of separate projects per year (1, 10, 100,
1000, more) …………..
(academic research= research aimed at publication)
Approx no. of specimens per year (1, 10, 100, 1000,
more)…………...
Used for self-directed
(‘amateur’) research (ie. not
part of school or university
coursework)?
Yes/no
11
Cited in publications?
Yes/no
Used for research loans?
Yes/no
Is use of the collection for
supporting research and
answering enquiries
Increasing
Comments…..
Stable
Decreasing
Narrative- summary of significance based on Significance 2.0
[to be completed following site visit]
Usage: Current public access
Published, for example in
catalogues?
Yes/no
Comments (inc. frequency, examples and increases
or decreases in access)
Searchable online?
Described online?
Is the natural history
collection on permanent
display? If so, what
proportion of the natural
history collection is on
display?
Yes/no
Yes/no
Yes/no
Comments…
Comments…
% of collection on display……
Is there highly
visual/attractive material in
store?
Yes/no
Comments…
Physically accessible in
store e.g. for wheelchair
users?
Yes/no
Comments…
Able to be accessed in
store, and by what process?
Yes/no
[eg. by booking appointment]
Does layout of store and
documentation facilitate
use?
Yes/no
[can objects be easily found in store]
Are facilities available for
researchers to work e.g.
work space with
microscope, visitor
space/desk?
Yes/no
Comments…
Is public access to the
collection (ie. how much of
the collection is available to
the public for use in all kinds
of programmes)
Comments…
Increasing
Comments…..
Stable
Decreasing
12
Narrative- summary of significance based on Significance 2.0
[to be completed following site visit]
Usage summary
The use of the collection overall (both
stored and on display) is
High
Moderate
Comments…………
Summary description, including the
most significant use of the collection
[to follow site visit]
Low
Comparison of actual and potential
use, and what barriers would need to
be overcome?
13
Collections management
Security and emergency planning
Stores/storage
units/collections cabinets
locked when not in use?
Yes/No
Visitor access to stores
Yes/No
controlled/limited/restricted?
Intruder alarm
Yes/No
Comments…
Smoke alarm
Yes/No
Comments…
All alarms linked out of
hours to external service
Yes/No
Comments…
Threat from external /
internal water penetration
minimised
Appropriate fire
extinguishers
Yes/No
Comments…
Yes/No
Comments…
Regular security checks of
buildings and collections
Yes/No
Comments…
Emergency plan and
location plan in place
Yes/No
Comments…
Are natural science hazards
noted on emergency plan?
Yes/No
Comments…
Emergency equipment kit
accessible / clearly marked
Yes/No
Comments…
Staff trained in emergency
recovery
Yes/No
Comments…
Location plan available with
‘star’ items for emergency
recovery clearly marked.
Are natural science star
specimens well identified?
Contract / partnership
arrangements in place for
emergency recovery /
temporary storage
Yes/No
Comments…
Yes/No
Comments…
Comments…
General description of
security:
Narrative- summary of significance based on Significance 2.0
[to be completed following site visit]
Storage area
Dedicated room for stored
museum collections
Dedicated area for natural
science collections, where
sensible
Yes/No
Comments…
Yes/No
Comments…
Adequate racking
Purpose built, inert racking
Yes/No
Yes/No
Comments…
Comments…
Health and safety compliant
Yes/No
Comments…
No collections on floor level
Units numbered & labelled
Is the collection store (not
the specimens) adequately
spaced
Yes/No
Yes/No
>75% of store adequate
25-75% of store adequate
<25% of store adequate
Comments…
Comments…
Comments…
Individual objects safely
retrievable
Adequate trolleys etc for
safe movement within &
between museum spaces
Handling/inspection areas
No signs of damp or other
building issues
General description of
storage methods:
Yes/No
Comments…
Yes/No
Comments…
Yes/No
Yes/No
Comments…
Comments…
Narrative- summary of significance based on Significance 2.0
[to be completed following site visit]
Exhibitions/display environment
Showcases adequate in
terms of security and
robustness
Yes/No
Comments…
Showcases made from
inert materials
Showcases dust proof
Yes/No
Comments…
Yes/No
Comments…
Objects on display well
supported and protected
Appropriate measures
taken to minimise light
damage
Conservation grade display
mounting materials
Are there historic displays
where modernisation is not
desirable?
Give outline of what natural
sciences exhibitions you
have, and significant
developments over the last
15 years (since ‘Skeletons’
was produced)
Yes/No
Comments…
Yes/No
Comments…
Yes/No
Comments…
Yes/No
Comments…
Narrative- summary of significance based on Significance 2.0
[to be completed following site visit]
Packing of objects and specimens
% of natural history collection
adequately stored (number will go
in overview table near start of
document)
Proportion of objects adequately
protected from dust and pollutants
Most (>75%)
Some (25-75%)
Few (<25%)
Comments…
Most (>75%)
Some (25-75%)
Few (<25%)
Comments…
Protection from pollutants achieved
by:
Store
Cabinet
Boxing
Comments…
Objects adequately stored for
accessibility (e.g. in single layer
within boxes where appropriate)
Most (>75%)
Some (25-75%)
Few (<25%)
Comments…
All new packing materials used are
conservation grade where required
Comments…
All packing materials present are
conservation grade where required
Comments…
General description of
packing/storage of specimens:
Narrative- summary of significance based on Significance 2.0
[to be completed following site visit]
Environment
Temperature / RH continually monitored &
analysed weekly
Yes/No
Comments…
Temperature and RH controlled & stable at
optimum level for stored material
Yes/No
Comments…
Environmental monitoring equipment
calibrated biannually
Yes/No
Comments…
Adequate ventilation, esp. for natural history
collections
Yes/No
Comments…
Light & UV monitored & controlled
Yes/No
Comments…
Regular, frequent cleaning cycle
Yes/No
Comments…
Integrated pest management system in
operation
Yes/No
Comments…
Staff confident at ID of pests and other
sources of damage to specimens
Yes/No
Comments…
Known pest issues:
Yes/No
Comments…
General description of environment
Narrative- summary of significance based on Significance 2.0
[to be completed following site visit]
Condition
Question
Yes/No
Description
Regular inspection checks carried out
Yes/No
Material stable (in conservation
sense- not deteriorating- it can be
stable but dusty)
Most (>75%)
Some (25-75%)
Few (<25%)
Material dirty/dusty/needing repair (ie.
does it need preparation before main
potential use)
Most (>75%)
Some (25-75%)
Few (<25%)
Any condition concerns
Narrative- summary of significance based on Significance 2.0
[to be completed following site visit]
Documentation
Question
Yes/No
What proportion of specimens are
labelled with their accession/ID
number?
Most (>75%)
Some (25-75%)
Few (<25%)
What proportion of specimens are
numbered on database
Most (>75%)
Some (25-75%)
Few (<25%)
What proportion of specimens
have basic catalogue, or are
covered by inventory/bulk records?
Most (>75%)
Some (25-75%)
Few (<25%)
What proportion of specimens
have full catalogue records on a
computer database?
Most (>75%)
Some (25-75%)
Few (<25%)
What proportion of specimens
have full catalogue records on any
other type of system (eg. card
index, accession book, collection
paper catalogue)?
Most (>75%)
Some (25-75%)
Few (<25%)
What kind of
system?.....
Catalogue information available to
external researchers & general
public? If so, on site and/or online
Yes/No
Supporting paper-based
Yes/No
Description
documentation easily accessible
Documentation procedural manual
up to date
Yes/No
Location of specimens up to date
on documentation system
Most (>75%)
Some (25-75%)
Few (<25%)
General description of
documentation
Narrative- summary of significance based on Significance 2.0
[to be completed following site visit]
Specialist collections needs
Question
Description
Human remains, especially those
less than 100 years old
[these need to be certified under the Human
Tissues Act]
CITES
[to control and prevent trade in endangered
species- relates to charging for exhibitions
etc]
[risks of chemical contaminants, biological
hazards etc]
Health and safety hazards relating
to collections and their treatments
Number of permanent curators
working with collection
Number of natural history trained
curators working directly with
collection
Number of curatorial
assistants/technicians working
directly with collection
Number of conservators working
directly with collection
Number of volunteers working on
natural sciences collections.
Number with specialist knowledge.
Aware of sources of advice for
biological collections?
Is there any specialist knowledge
the collection could benefit from?
FTE
include all curators who might work with
collection, so not just natural sciences
curators]
FTE
FTE
FTE
Any risks to the collections not
previously noted
Collection summary
The significance of the
collection is:
The usage of the collection
is:
The level of collections
management is:
Overall summary
Recommendations
Action points for reviewer
Action points for reviewee