Thank you, Jeff, for taking the time to address this. I have an added question. What is the advantage, then, for institutions to limit access based on professional affiliation or level of experience? Does this compromise the idea that cultural history is public knowledge?




----------------------------------------
> Date: Mon, 18 Dec 2006 14:08:57 -0500
> From: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: [MUSEUM-L] acessability to collections
> To: [log in to unmask]
> 
> I think you will find differing opinions, but most museum professionals
> probably would say that the greater responsibility is to protect the
> artifacts.  It's not so much curatorial filtering but rather
> institutional filtering, based on written policies.  Museums exist to
> collect, preserve and interpret cultural history artifacts and natural
> history specimens.  In order to preserve them for current and future
> generations, limits must be placed on their usage.  If no controls
> exist, then the artifacts/specimens would eventually deteriorate and be
> unavailable for any use.  By controlling access, their life is extended
> for as long as possible, while still allowing any reasonable use.  It is
> not a matter of denying access, but controlling access.   
> 
> Jeff Tenuth
> Indiana State Museum
> Indianapolis, Indiana
>   
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Museum discussion list [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On
> Behalf Of Adele Barbato
> Sent: Monday, December 18, 2006 11:45 AM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: [MUSEUM-L] acessability to collections
> 
> Hello, 
> 
> I am a graduate student in museum studies at the Harvard Extension
> School and am preparing for a paper concerning ethics within museum
> policies. My topic deals with the acessability of museum collections to
> students, scholars and really anyone inquiring for the abilty to
> research through cataloges, documentation and non-displayed holdings. My
> core question is this: if the generalized definition of a museum is to
> house, record and preserve the cultural material of humanity, shouldn't
> the artifacts/art and their associated documentation be available to the
> public without curatorial filtering? Does the museum have a greater
> responsibiliy to a researcher desiring specific information or to the
> integrity of the item? This question is assuming that there are no
> restrictions put on the collections by a donor or bequest and that the
> articles requested for research do not have any conservation or
> fragility issues. While this situation loosely relates to the issues
> brought to light with Kennewick Man a couple of years ago, I am also
> referring to closed-stacks libraries and archives associated with
> museums and schools that allow very restricted use.
> 
> I would appreciate any opinion or knowledge anyone has regarding these
> issues, and maybe references that may help.
> 
> Thank you!
> Adele Barbato
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