I would seem to me that maintaining your historic structure is a part of the fiduciary responsibility of its governing body.  Since that is ultimately the municipality that owns it, they seem to be damaging the long-range structural integrity of an historic structure for a very minor and short term gain (Christmas decorations).  To prevent further deterioration, they are also going to have to repair the damage that's already been done.  Repairing damage that they caused or allowing the structure to deteriorate due to a lack of care doesn't seem very financially or politically prudent.  

If your museum has a governing board of its own, then its members are individually and collectively responsible for the maintenance and care of the building as both the site of your museum and an historic artifact in its own right.  I don't think they are going to like taking responsibility for detimental actions they had nothing to do with once they are aware that they have it whether they want it or not.  Nobody likes to carry the can for somebody else's mistakes. 

I had an occasion some years ago to protest the improper use of one of our historic house museums for a fund-raising event.  I was advised by a board member who was also a museum professional to develop a short but pointed written argument on why this action was contrary to both ethical museum practice and responsible fiduciary action by our board.  Since accusing people doesn't win you friends or converts, she suggest that I take the tack of providing this information in order to educate those on the board who were not museum professionals and therefore were probably not aware of these ramifications.  At her advice, I also quoted sections from several professional lcodes of ethics including those of AAM and AASLH.  The latter specifically mentions historic structures in the section on collections.

If you need some more ammunition and haven't already done so, I suggest you check out Marie Malaro's books, A Legal Primer on Managing Museum Collections and Museum Governance: Mission, Ethics, Policy.  In the "Primer" she sights many legal cases that speak to a number trustee stewardship issues.  "Governance" is directed specifically toward governing authorities.  In fact, Part 1 is entitled Lessons for Board Members.  You can get both via the AAM Bookstore.

I still had to go thru with the planned event, but was able to negotiate some modifications to it to reduce the threat to the structure and its contents.   Other staff and I later negotiated new procedures that significantly reduced the likelihood that this would happen again.  Ultimately the official designation of the historic structures as a collection artifact in its own right was incorporated  into the board approved collection management policies along with a staff/trustee monitoring process.

Good luck with your problem.  Hope this info helps.

Linda

PS:  By the way, I suggest you also start working now to develop exterior Christmas decorations (free-standing ??) for your museum that fit in with the city's plans, but are safe for your structure.  Since your decorations will be different, maybe your museum could be a visual as well as a community focal point rather than just another structure.  This may help to head off future problems while putting you in a more cooperative position than if you just said NO.

 
>>> Audra Oliver <[log in to unmask]> 03/18/00 11:10AM >>>

----- Original Message ----- 
From: Audra Oliver 
To: [log in to unmask] 
Sent: Saturday, March 18, 2000 1:06 AM
Subject: Fw: Policy on historic structure



----- Original Message ----- 
From: Audra Oliver 
To: Museum L 
Sent: Saturday, March 18, 2000 12:56 AM
Subject: Policy on historic structure


To rectify a problem, I am developing written policy restricting alterations and "use" of a historic building exterior.  We are a municipal museum housed in a historic building.  We regard the building as an artifact.  This winter "the city," without consulting with museum staff, hung Christmas decorations in a manner that caused serious damage to the historic sandstone building.  Given our severe climate (especially), we should hang nothing on the building unless we wish to damage it, much less attach the items with eyebolts in sandstone.  To avoid reinventing the wheel and to perhaps cover a few more bases, I am seeking other museums' policy addressing such issues as well as alterations to the building.  Our present thoughts lie in requiring that nothing be hung from or attached to the building; that any proposed alterations to the building exterior pass through staff, collections committee, and board before being approved.

I welcome copies of policy as well as thoughts on the topic.  You may respond to me off line at [log in to unmask] or post on line as you wish.

Thanks!  

Audra Oliver

Linda Bitley
Interim Registrar
Atlanta History Center
130 West Paces Ferry Road, NW
Atlanta, GA 30305-1366
T:  404/814-4053
F:  404/814-2041
E:  [log in to unmask]
W: atlantahistory.net