Date: Wed, 4 Sep 2002 15:28:51 -0600
From: Lauraine Armstrong <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: non-gov't museums, who gets the stuff?
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If you are a regional museum run by a non-profit society I'd love to
hear who becomes responsible for the collection if the museum closes /
society dissolves.
Thanks in advance
Lauraine Armstrong
Curator of Collections
Northern Life Museum                    tel: 867-872-2859
PO Box 420                              fax: 867-872-5808
Fort Smith NT X0E 0P0
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Dear Lauraine,
        If the trustees of the regional non-profit are serious about their
collection, and if they value the work that the institution created during
the years of its existence, they could ensure that its contribution was not
in vain, so to speak, by offering to donate the collection to a larger
institution with a similar mission.  The donation might even be made with a
request that any future display of the object would include reference to
the donating organization.  In other words, "Ceremonial Object on view is
from the XYZ Regional Historical Society Collection."
        That way, the smaller institution's contribution is valued and
preserved.  More importantly--for the region--the institution has not
broken promises or contracts (explicit or implied) with the object's
original donor who, presumably, may still live in the area.  The larger
institution benefits if the donated collection fits well within its mission
and, better yet, if the objects fill a "hole" in the scope of its
collection.
        Anna Fariello

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Anna Fariello, Curatorial InSight, Box 505, Christiansburg VA 24068
www.curatorialinsight.com;  540-382-3946;  [log in to unmask]
Center for Interdisciplinary Studies, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg VA 24061-0227
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