Tom Hanchett wrote:
>
> Dear friends --
>
> I've been asked to draft an Exhibits Policy for our museum. Does anyone
> have such a document that they might share?
>
> Or do you have a page outlining the steps by which your museum reviews
> and decides upon exhibit topics?
>


Short of sharing a full document, could list members please simply list
what areas and concerns they think should be covered in an exhibit
policy document...?

We could start with:

Who or what group makes exhibit (or exhibition) recommendations; who
reviews and makes final decisions.

Mission statement;

Criteria for how exhibits would be chosen or developed to meet the
mission.

(...Perhaps a check list would be useful with rating scale for such
items as: "not relevant to our community" to "highly relevant"; exhibit
materials and artifacts readily available (or not); amount of research
required; etc.)

... Collection handling and care in exhibits,

... Label writing standards

... Suggestion of balance of artifacts vs graphics

... Something about use of effective interpretative techniques

... etc.

Our mostly volunteer museum works extensively with other organizations
in the community in developing (and installing) exhibits, and we also
need to develop a policy document, with clear policy for authority and
responsibility as well as policies for content and execution.

Well, I've started the list and I'm hoping you all can feed in short
lists of that which comes immediately to mind, as you did for the
question on content of Board Manuals. That was very helpful. It allowed
those of us who needed it to compile content as suited our own situation
and needs.

For those of us in volunteer run organizations, it is a big help to be
able to take the information (even if we could have come up with it
ourselves) and be able to say "this is what has come from museum
professionals on Museum-L"

Thanks,
Lucy Sperlin
Chico Museum Association
Chico, CA

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