Collections Management Policy
of the
Kansas Museum of History
Approved by the Board of Directors,
Kansas State Historical Society,
June 4, 2004
Collections Management Policy
1. Museum Statement of Purpose / Mission
The Kansas Museum of History shares the mission and vision of its parent organization:
The mission of the Kansas State Historical Society (hereafter referred to as “the Society”)
is to identify, collect, preserve, interpret, and disseminate materials and information
pertaining to Kansas history in order to assist the public in understanding, appreciating,
and caring for the heritage of Kansas.
The vision of the Society is to enrich people’s lives by connecting them to the past.
The Society is directed by state statute to collect material culture illustrative of the history
of Kansas specifically, and of the western United States in general, and to preserve those
collections for the future. To fulfill this directive, the Museum gathers, evaluates, and
maintains information about the artifacts in the collections, interprets the history and
culture of Kansas to the public, responds to inquiries within the areas of museum
jurisdiction and staff expertise, and seeks to implement professional museum standards.
2. Scope of collections
The collections are the most important asset of the museum. Exhibits, research, and
programs are all dependent on a growing, changing collection. No institution benefits
from indiscriminate collecting, and this museum also must be guided by reasonable
criteria.
The criteria for collections development include the following:
a. The museum will collect material culture of significance to Kansas history in
particular. Objects also may fall within the context of the history of the West in general.
b. Common objects are collected as well as fine. An object’s acquisition is justified by
its significance to the history of the state and its people, not by its market value.
c. Materials from all Kansas’ cultures and ethnic groups will be collected and preserved.
The museum has a commitment to build inroads into these groups and to acquire
collections reflecting current issues impacting the state and its citizens.
d. Collecting also is guided by the museum’s ability to provide proper care for
acquisitions, and by the needs of interpretive programs.
e. The museum’s collecting focus is almost exclusively three-dimensional objects. It
cooperates with the Society’s other divisions to build a comprehensive collection for the
agency. Some duplicative materials may be necessary to interpret the historic buildings
and interpretive centers at the State Historic Sites. The Library/Archives collects books,
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archives, photos, manuscripts, and maps; and Cultural Resources collects archeological
and ethnographic materials.
f. The museum will not collect human remains, live ammunition and explosives, or any
objects gained in contravention of any federal, state, or local law, or any resolution of the
UNESCO Convention of 1970.
g. Acquisitions are monitored and guided according to the Kansas State Historical
Society’s Code of Ethics.
3. Acquisitions policy
Proper care and management of the museum’s collections is central to the mission. The
collections department of the museum division endeavors to maintain high standards in
all matters of collections growth and management.
It is the responsibility of the Museum’s Collections Committee to manage accessions and
deaccessions. This committee evaluates and accepts or declines all acquisitions whether
for the permanent collection or as non-collection items. This includes acquisitions by
gift, bequest, exchange, or purchase.
The six-person standing committee is composed of two Curators, the Registrar, a
representative from the Historic Sites Division, the Assistant Museum Director, and the
Museum Director. The Registrar is the committee chair. The Assistant Registrar and
Assistant Curator attend meetings as non-voting members.
Committee members have the following responsibilities:
Museum Director (or, in his/her absence, the Assistant Museum Director):
a. Protects/oversees the interests of the Museum, Society, and citizens of Kansas.
b. Acts as liaison between the Museum and the Society’s executive officers and Board.
Curators and Assistant Director:
a. Evaluate significance of artifacts for interpretive and research purposes.
b. Initiate recommendations for acquisitions and deaccessions.
Registrar:
a. Acts as chair and records all decisions in official minutes.
b. Provides advice on legal and policy matters as they impact accessions/deaccessions.
c. Searches records to clarify legal status of artifacts recommended for deaccessioning.
Historic Sites representative:
a. Acts as liaison between the committee and the Historic Sites Division staff.
b. Evaluates significance of artifacts as they relate to historic sites.
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A Collections Committee quorum consists of the Museum Director (or, in his/her
absence, the Assistant Director), the Registrar, and at least two Curators. All decisions
are made by majority vote, however, the Museum Director and the Society’s Executive
Director have the authority to overrule the committee’s decision. If, at any time, a
decision regarding an intended donation must be made within a short time period,
committee members may be polled by the pertinent Curator.
In determining whether an object should be added to the collection, the following
guidelines are considered:
a. The object is relevant to the museum’s purpose and activities as stated in the mission.
b. The museum can obtain clear legal title to all gifts, purchases, and trades. The donor’s
ownership of the object is not in question.
c. The object is not encumbered with conditions imposed by the donor regarding its use
or future disposition.
d. The museum is able to provide for the storage, protection, and preservation of the
object under conditions in keeping with accepted professional standards.
e. The object is in reasonably good physical condition or can be conserved within the
museum’s resources.
f. The object has exhibition value.
g. The object is not heavily duplicated with the museum’s collections.
h. The object’s provenance can be documented.
i. The use of the object is not restricted or encumbered by intellectual property rights
(copyright, patent, trademark, or trade secret).
Curators make recommendations to the committee based upon an informed overview of
collections needs, understanding the strengths and weaknesses as well as anticipating the
needs for interpretation. Condition, care and conservation (determined through
consultation with the Conservator), usefulness, storage, and avoidance of undue
duplication are all important considerations when framing recommendations for
acquisition.
The Registrar generates and maintains all permanent records relating to acquisitions.
These records include the Deed of Gift (or bill of sale for purchases), Committee minutes,
correspondence, provenance notes, conservation reports, photographs, and database
records. The Deed of Gift, setting forth a basic description of the object(s) and the
conditions of transfer, accompanies all gifts, exchanges, and purchases.
Restrictions should not be allowed on donations unless exceptional circumstances dictate
otherwise. Acquisitions with restrictions require approval of the Museum Director and/or
the KSHS Executive Director. If objects are accepted with limitations, the conditions
must be stated clearly on the deed of gift and be made part of the permanent accession
records.
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4. Loans
Loans to or from the museum are made for specific reasons and for defined periods of
time. Borrowing or loaning of objects should be consistent with the mission and with the
policies and procedures that flow from that mission. The Curator(s) typically initiates
incoming-loans or is the initial contact for outgoing-loans. The Curator(s), Conservator,
and Registrar are involved in the decision to borrow or loan objects. If unusual
restrictions are placed on a proposed incoming or outgoing loan, the Museum Director
has final approval of the transaction.
The Registrar monitors all loans, reviewing them on an annual basis for renewal or
termination. The Curator(s), Conservator, and the Museum Director are notified as
necessary. All loan paperwork is retained in the Registration office. Each loan file
includes loan agreement forms, correspondence, memos, incoming and outgoing receipts,
certificates of insurance, and condition reports.
Incoming Loans:
Incoming Loans are accepted from individuals and other cultural institutions, most
commonly for temporary, long-term or traveling exhibition. Loans are occasionally
made for potential donations already in the museum’s custody and for storage of artifacts
belonging to other state agencies. All borrowed objects receive the same care in
handling, environment, and security as is given the permanent collections. All incomingloan objects are insured by wall-to-wall coverage for the duration of the loan. A
certificate of insurance is sent to the Lender. Evidence of damage will be reported
immediately to the Lender. No treatment or alteration of the loaned objects will be
undertaken without written authorization from the Lender.
If the Lender cannot be located or fails to take possession of loaned object(s) at the end of
the loan period, the object(s) may be considered abandoned property. The museum may
pursue title to the object(s) under the provisions of the museum property act K.S.A. 584001 et seq. and K.S.A. 33-104. This requires an extensive process of attempted contacts
and proper documentation. The Museum Director gives approval for this course of
action.
Outgoing Loans:
Outgoing loans are made to qualified cultural institutions for the purpose of exhibition.
Initial contact for loan requests should be made to the Curator(s) for selection of artifacts
and to determine availability. The borrowing institution must then make a formal written
request to the Curator(s) or Museum Director and fill out a standard facility report, as
developed by the Registrar’s Committee of the American Association of Museums
(AAM). The borrowing institution must meet acceptable security and environmental
levels as determined by the Curator(s), Conservator, and Registrar. The museum will not
loan artifacts for non-educational purposes to individuals, corporations, or other private
bodies. The museum will not loan artifacts currently on exhibit, in fragile condition,
requiring special care, or unable to be shipped safely, unless expressly authorized by the
Museum Director and/or KSHS Executive Director.
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Costs of conservation/preparation, packing, shipping, and possible curatorial research
fees are the responsibility of the Borrower. The Borrower is responsible for providing
wall-to-wall insurance coverage for the duration of the loan for the value placed on
artifacts by the Curator(s). The Borrower must send a certificate of insurance to the
Registrar. Costs and insurance may be negotiated with the Museum, subject to approval
by the Museum Director.
Outgoing loans are occasionally made for the purpose of conservation. In this situation,
the Museum provides insurance coverage and incurs all costs associated with packing and
shipping of the artifact(s).
5. Deaccessions
Deaccessioning is part of a long-term, thoughtful decision on the part of the museum
about how to best fulfill its mission with available resources. It is conducted in
accordance with standards and best practices in the field, and with the museum's own
code of ethics, collections planning, and collections policies.
The Kansas Museum of History is considered a permanent repository for the state’s
material culture. The museum recognizes its role as trustee of collections held for the
benefit of the public. Objects in the collection should be retained permanently if they
continue to be relevant and useful to the mission and can be adequately stored, preserved,
or used. Periodic reviews, though, may reveal duplicative, inappropriate, or deteriorated
artifacts which should be removed by deaccessioning, thereby contributing to the
continued improvement and refinement of the collections.
All steps in the deaccessioning process are guided by the Kansas State Historical Society
Deaccessioning Act (K.A.R. 118-1). Per this regulation, an object may be deaccessioned
when it:
a. Is a duplicate property.
b. Falls outside the mission and scope of the Society’s collections and/or is unsuitable for
research, reference, or other educational purposes.
c. Has insufficient research, educational, or exhibit value.
d. Lacks sufficient provenance to be of use.
e. Is so deteriorated or damaged that it lacks research, reference, or other educational
value.
f. Cannot be repaired or conserved through reasonable expenditures of time, materials,
and money.
g. Presents a hazard to the rest of the collections, staff, patrons, volunteers, or facilities.
Curators initiate deaccession recommendations before the Collections Committee,
including rationale that conforms to the criteria outlined above. Objects to which the
museum lacks clear title may not be deaccessioned; the museum must first claim title
through the Kansas Museum Property Act (K.S.A. 58-4001 through 58-4013).
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When property being considered for deaccession has been donated within 20 years,
reasonable effort shall be made to notify the donor or the donor’s immediate family of the
decision. This will be accomplished by the Registrar in the form of a letter to the donor
or any known family members (spouse or children) at the last known address.
A ballot listing all property approved for deaccession by the Collections Committee is
submitted to the Deaccession Review Committee. This external committee is made up of
six professionals (an archivist, historian, archeologist, museum professional, librarian,
and genealogist) who are not Society staff members, plus the KSHS Executive Director
and Assistant Executive Director. They serve two-year terms by the appointment of the
Executive Director.
If no members of the Review Committee object to the ballot, the deaccession is
authorized. If there are objections, a meeting of the committee is called. Five members
constitute a quorum. If the committee reaches a two-thirds majority approval of the
deaccession, it is authorized. The museum must retain the artifacts if a two-thirds
majority approval cannot be reached.
State statute spells out disposition options for deaccessioned materials. Reasonable
efforts will be made to offer deaccessions to other historical societies and museums in the
state. Disposition may be accomplished through exchange, sale, donation, or disposal,
with the preference being that the property remains in public ownership or domain (i.e.,
cultural or scholarly organizations, or baring that, community organizations):
a. Hazardous property is disposed of according to existing state and federal laws.
b. Property may be traded to a public or private institution or an individual for property
the museum wishes to obtain.
c. Donation or sale to libraries, museums, historical societies, educational institutions,
and other non-profit repositories (public or private) is acceptable.
d. Property may be sold to the general public.
e. Property not disposed of by trade, donation, or sale may be destroyed.
The AAM Code of Ethics for Museums specifies that proceeds from sales resulting from
deaccessioning can only be used for acquisitions or direct care of collections. In keeping
with this standard, proceeds from deaccession sales at the Kansas Museum of History
must be used to purchase artifacts for the collections, or for conservation services that
will better the care of the permanent collections. Property offered for sale to the general
public shall not be purchased by Society employees, trustees, or Deaccession Review
Committee members. If disposal is to be by sale, preference is given to public auction.
Records on deaccessions are generated and maintained by the Registrar in the
Registration Office. These include deaccession forms (with rationale for deaccessioning
and date of transaction), a photograph and description of each object, and the date and
method of disposition. All permanent records are marked to indicate an object’s
deaccessioned status.
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6. Conservation & Care
Collections are held in trust for the public, and a primary responsibility of the governing
authority is to safeguard this trust. Every museum must provide reasonable care for the
objects entrusted to it. This springs from the museum’s charitable trust status and its
legal responsibility to preserve trust property. It follows that all staff members of the
museum have the responsibility of caring for and preserving collection objects. The
museum’s most valuable asset is its collection, which includes many unique,
irreplaceable items of historical value. The staff should be always be vigilant to
safeguard the collection.
The museum seeks to create and maintain the best possible physical environment for its
artifacts. Every attention will be given to the environmental concerns of light, heat, and
humidity, as well as security from deterioration caused by human or other organic agents.
Collections in the museum facility—whether on exhibition or in storage—are protected
against fire, theft, and vandalism through a climate-control system, an electronic security
system, and a fire suppression system.
The museum also provides professional care and treatment to preserve the integrity of its
collections. Conservation needs are audited by a professional conservator whose duties
include monitoring the environment, directing an integrated pest management system for
the galleries and storage areas, determining the best storage materials and supplies, and
keeping up-to-date on professional practices.
It is generally the policy of this museum not to restore objects to their original
appearance, but to conserve them to preserve their history of use. Treatment will focus
on cleaning objects and stabilizing their condition so further deterioration does not occur.
The museum maintains adequate laboratory spaces and equipment to render conservation
treatment possible. Periodic condition surveys of the collections (both groupings and
individual objects) are done by the conservator.
The packing and shipping of collections is monitored by the Registrar. Only staff
members authorized by the Assistant Museum Director may move collections between
storage areas, labs, and galleries.
The museum regularly exhibits its collections at the agency’s state historic sites. Often, it
is impossible to achieve ideal environmental conditions for these artifacts due to the need
to balance the care and interpretation of historic buildings with the care of the artifacts
displayed within. In these cases, staff will strive to achieve the best possible environment
for both buildings and contents.
7. Records & Inventory
A museum's collections are valuable only insofar as they are accessible to the public and
to scholars, and the information inherent in them is preserved through documentation and
the knowledge of those who care for them. The Kansas Museum of History’s policy is to
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document its collections through permanent written records. Without records, the
collections and their provenance are lost to both the museum and its public. The
collections staff aspires to create and maintain accurate and complete records on every
artifact in the permanent collections. This information is made available (except as
legally restricted) to researchers, the general public, and staff.
Responsibilities of Registration Office. The Registration Office maintains all records
(both paper and electronic) on the permanent collection, which is accessioned. These
records primarily document the legal status of an object within the museum and its
movement and care. Records include but are not limited to: accession files, evidence of
legal ownership (including transfer correspondence and wills), loan records, catalog and
donor records, photographs, insurance documents, theft and damage reports, inventory
records, and conservation and treatment reports. Records are linked to objects by a
unique number and provide for easy retrieval of both the information and the object itself.
The Registrar maintains a Registration Manual spelling out all details on recordkeeping at
the museum. Records on new accessions are generated in a timely manner and created in
standardized formats in the Registration Office. Public access to the records is approved
and monitored by the Registrar or the Assistant Museum Director, under the provisions of
the Kansas Open Records Act (K.S.A. 45-215). Registration staff also is responsible for
monitoring movement of all museum and loan artifacts, both within and outside the
museum. Duplicate copies are made whenever feasible.
Items regularly are left in the temporary custody of the museum for such purposes as
attribution, identification, study, or examination for possible gift or purchase. The
Registrar monitors the status of these items, which are provided the same care as the
permanent collections.
Responsibilities of Curatorial Office. Records associated with curatorial functions
provide a broad body of information about an object to establish its proper place and
importance within a cultural sphere. Curators are largely responsible for adding this
information to the collections records in the Registration Office for both new (incoming)
and existing accessions.
Curators also maintain a Cataloging Manual detailing the effective cataloging of museum
collections, and are responsible for monitoring artifact conservation needs, initiating
requests for conservation treatment, and consulting with the conservation staff on specific
courses of action.
Responsibilities of Conservation Office. Written and photographic records associated
with conservation functions provide important information about the collections’ care and
treatment over time. The conservation staff generates records on condition surveys,
examinations of loans and potential donations, and conservation treatments. The actual
conservation documentation and treatment is performed by museum conservation staff or
approved external contractors, and is guided by the code of ethics of the American
Institute for the Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works.
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Inventories. Regular inventories of the permanent and temporary collections are
performed to provide statistical information useful to collections maintenance.
Inventories provide data on physical location, condition, and cataloging status. Primarily,
the Registration staff conducts inventories, though at times other staff may assist.
8. Access
Access to the collections and records should be non-discriminatory, however, safety and
security dictate that it will be under controlled conditions at all times. The safety and
security of an artifact is the paramount consideration when evaluating requests. Access
to collections records and storage areas is granted only after review by the Museum
Director and Assistant Museum Director. Members of the public always must be
accompanied by an authorized staff member.
Research pertaining to artifacts and their historical and cultural context provides the
information base for all museum programs. Information derived from research becomes
a tool for expanding the public’s knowledge and understanding of Kansas history. In
addition to generating research for its own programs, the Museum seeks to serve outside
researchers interested in the material culture and history of Kansas and the American
West.
To this end, all records, except those exempted by state law, are open to the public and
staff as provided in the Kansas Open Records Act (K.S.A. 45-215). Public access to the
collections records is authorized and monitored by the Registrar. The public may not
remove original records from the Registration Office, and authorized staff must be
present when files are in use.
Both permanent and temporary storage arrangements for artifacts are established and
monitored by the Curators. Curators are directed to maintain storage in an orderly
manner so that all artifacts, like their records, are retrievable. Access to the collections
storage area is monitored by the Curators. Access by other individuals may be granted
only after review by the Assistant Museum Director and/or Museum Director, and will be
limited to exceptional situations only.
9. Insurance
The State of Kansas is self-insured and does not allow agencies to purchase insurance on
property, including buildings and their contents, vehicles, and equipment. This includes
the museum collections.
The museum maintains a limited fine arts insurance policy for the purpose of covering
mainly incoming loans and items held in temporary custody. Riders are purchased to
cover incoming loans of objects whose valuation exceeds the limits of the policy.
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The Registration Office provides specifications and documentation necessary to purchase
collections insurance. The Registrar monitors the policy’s limits and requests rider(s).
The Museum Director approves deviations from general insurance policies.
The Registrar is the museum’s liaison with the insurance provider. Among the
Registrar’s duties in this regard are issuing certificates of insurance to lenders and
securing the same from borrowers, providing an up-to-date facilities report, maintaining
accurate records on all insurance transactions (including loans), and promptly filing
claims on damaged, lost, or stolen artifacts. The Registrar also coordinates investigations
when artifacts are stolen, and ensures that damage reports are generated by the Curators.
To mitigate potential losses to the collection, the museum participates in the agency’s
comprehensive Disaster Plan which provides for protection of the public, staff,
collections, and buildings.
10. Laws
The Kansas State Historical Society is by law a state institution with the specific purpose
of holding “all its present and future collections of property for the state, and shall not
sell, mortgage, transfer or dispose . . . of any property . . . without authority of law”
(K.S.A. 75-2701).
Deaccessioning at the museum is primarily governed by the Kansas State Historical
Society Deaccessioning Act (K.A.R. 118-1). Other pertinent laws include the Kansas
State Historical Society’s enabling legislation (K.S.A. 75-2701 through 2702) and the
Kansas Museum Property Act (K.S.A. 1989 Supp. 58-4001 et. seq.).
When artifacts held by the Museum have become separated from their provenance, or
have not received a number and have no retrievable records, then their ownership must be
determined (if deemed necessary by the Museum Director) according to either the Kansas
Abandoned Property Act (K.S.A. 33-104) or the Kansas Museum Property Act (K.S.A.
Supp. 58-4001 et. seq.).
All records, except those exempted by state law, are open to the public and staff as
provided in the Kansas Open Records Act (K.S.A. 45-215).
The museum subscribes to the provisions of the International Council of Museums’ and
the American Association of Museums’ codes of ethics. The museum shall refuse to
acquire objects where there is cause to believe the circumstances of their collections
involved illegal destruction of historic sites, buildings, structures, habitats, districts, or
objects. The museum shall not purchase objects owned by staff members, trustees, or
other persons linked to the museum, although AcCom may suspend this rule if a
compelling reason exists for the acquisition.
No items shall be knowingly or willfully accepted or acquired which are known to have
been illegally imported into, or illegally collected in, the United States contrary to the
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laws of Kansas, federal law, regulation, treaty and convention. In questionable cases, the
museum will abide by the advice of its legal counsel, the Kansas Attorney General.
Human remains and funerary and sacred objects are outside the scope and mission of the
Kansas Museum of History, therefore, NAGPRA (Native American Graves Protection
and Repatriation Act) does not apply.
The museum does not own, nor will it acquire, objects that may have been unlawfully
appropriated during the Nazi era (1933-1945) as a result of actions in furtherance of the
Holocaust or that were taken by the Nazis or their collaborators.
11. Education or Research Collections
The museum occasionally acquires objects which are not added to the permanent
collections for various reasons (e.g., they are heavily duplicated in the existing collection,
they lack provenance, they are purchased as exhibit props). These items are used in
circumstances where original objects cannot be displayed due to their fragility, or for
“hands-on” activities in which wear and tear preclude the use of permanent collections.
These items fall into the recordkeeping category of R/P (for Reproduction/Prop).
R/Ps are cleared through the Collections Committee prior to acquisition, and are made
distinguishable from the permanent collections through a unique number or other mark.
Hands-on objects have a limited life-span due to excessive handling. The museum
cannot accept a long-term obligation for their preservation and they are considered
expendable. When non-collection items deteriorate they may be discarded.
12. Public Disclosure
A list of major donors is published yearly in the Society’s Annual Report. A complete
list of donors is kept on file in the Registration Office and is available upon request. The
identity of donors who wish to remain anonymous is kept confidential as allowed by
Kansas state law.
13. Special Ethical Situations
Museums hold collections in trust for the public. As stewards, museums fulfill their
fiduciary and ethical responsibilities by preserving, caring for, and providing access to
collection objects for the benefit of the public.
Loans to Non-Museum Entities
The American Association of Museum’s Accreditation Commission has issued a position
statement on the practice of loaning collections to non-museum entities (revised
November 10, 2000):
“In some instances, loaning objects from collection(s) to non-museum entities may
jeopardize the level of care provided for items in the collection. This may constitute a
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breach of a museum's public trust responsibility and be perceived as an inappropriate or
unethical use of objects held and maintained for the benefit of the public. Further, loaning
objects from the collection(s) to non-museum entities may result in inappropriate or
inadequate practices in collections documentation and limit public access to items in the
collection.
“If a museum participating in the Accreditation Program engages in the practice of
loaning objects from the collection to organizations other than museums, such a practice
should:
 “be thoughtfully managed with the utmost care and in compliance with the most
prudent practices in collections stewardship; and
 “be governed by clearly defined and approved institutional policies and procedures
ensuring that loaned objects receive the level of care, documentation and control at least
equal to that given to the objects that remain on the museum premises.”
The Kansas Museum of History may be called upon to loan artifacts for display in the
offices of other state agencies and officials. For such a loan to be approved, certain
conditions will apply:
a. The KSHS Executive Director approves the loan.
b. The loan will be made for a specific period of time stipulated in the loan agreement.
c. The agency will be asked to limit handling of artifacts to specific procedures and
materials outlined by the museum staff.
d. The agency may be asked to improve environmental conditions, if necessary, to
minimize the impact on the loaned collections.
e. The agency will allow periodic inspections of the artifact(s) by Museum staff.
Appraisals
The Kansas State Historical Society does not offer appraisals of the monetary value of
materials offered as gifts, brought in for identification, or submitted for any other
purpose. Staff members are not schooled in current market information because they do
not buy and sell on a daily basis, therefore, they are unable to offer accurate appraisals.
Also, the Internal Revenue Service regards libraries and museums as interested parties
and considers appraisals prepared by them subject to question.
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Glossary
Access. Visual inspection, handling, photography, or other uses of the collections on the
museum premises.
Accessioning. The formal process of accepting and recording an object as a collection
item. The creation of an immediate, brief, and permanent record utilizing a control
number for an object or group of objects added to the collection from the same source at
the same time, and for which the museum has custody, right, or title.
Appraisal. A valuation of an object by the estimate of a recognized appraiser.
Artifact. An object produced or shaped by human workmanship.
Cataloging. A full record, in complete descriptive detail, of all information about an
object, cross-referenced to other records and files and containing a photograph.
Collection item. An object that has been or will be accessioned into the collection.
Collections. Objects both animate and inanimate that have intrinsic value to science,
history, art, or culture. Collections reflect, in both scope and significance, the museum's
stated purpose.
Conservation. Scientific examination and treatment of objects, and the study of the
environment in which they are placed.
Deaccessioning. The formal process used to permanently remove an item from the
collection.
Deed of Gift. A contract that transfers legal title of ownership to the museum.
Disposition/Disposal. The process of physically divesting the museum of an object in its
possession.
Donor. An individual who has signed over title of ownership of objects to the museum
free of charge.
Inventory. The creation of an itemized list of objects, assemblies, and lots that identifies
each object’s or lot’s physical location.
Loans. Temporary transfers of collection items from the museum, or temporary transfers
of similar items to the museum for stated purposes. The transfers do not involve a
change of ownership.
Non-collections. Objects which are not accessioned into the permanent collections, but
which are considered expendable.
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Provenance. The context or associations an artifact has with people, places, or events.
Includes the background and history of ownership.
Temporary Custody. The temporary receipt of an object by a museum, so that the
object may be evaluated as a potential donation or for study (etc.).
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