Thanks for the mention, Nancy!  The Please Touch Museum has a collections
policy based on a "red, yellow, green" theory.  I'm fairly new to the job
(two months next week!) and have inherited this system which has been
stagnant for about a year without a curator on staff.  Because of planning
for a move to a new facility...the collections policy is under review and
some changes will be taking place due to the nature of the new facility. The
"red, yellow, green" theory sounds really good on paper, but since arriving
here, I realize it has not been utilized as effectively as it could be.  I'm
working on that as we speak!!

The jist of it is:  (from the PTM CMP Manual)

In order to balance the museum’s obligations to its collections and to its
audiences, all objects, whether in the permanent or educational collections,
are to be divided into three categories:  Red (non-handling), Yellow
(supervised handling) and Green (unsupervised handling).  Every object is
assigned to the appropriate category.  The museums collects, catalogs,
exhibits and borrows only those objects for which it is able to care, to
store and to exhibit in a manner consistent with its educational purpose and
with generally accepted museum practice.

All collection and borrowed objects are assigned to one of three categories
to indicate handling status;  these are known familiarly as Red, Yellow and
Green.  Criteria for care, loans and documentation vary for each category.

1)      The Red (non-handling) category contains objects being preserved and
protected for future generations.  The artifacts are the finest examples in
the collection with good provenance or documentation and may be
one-of-a-kind, irreplaceable, rare or fragile.  These objects are formally
accessioned, may be handled only by trained staff and are subject to
standard museum care practices, including restrictions on use, loan and
exhibit.

2)      The Yellow (supervised handling) category contained objects which may be
carefully touched under strict staff supervision.  The objects consist of
objects with weaker provenance than those in the red category but may be
near duplicates of red category objects;  they are objects that can easily
withstand careful handling.  These objects are formally accessioned and may
be handled by visitors under supervision and at the discretion of the staff
member responsible for the program in which the object is being used.

3)      The Green (hands-on) category contains objects without provenance,
replaceable contemporary objects, durable objects, reproductions or one of a
quantity of duplicates. The objects are formally accessioned primarily to
permit inventory control and accountability.  these objects may be handled
by visitors.  Some, especially reproductions and duplicates, are considered
expendable in the long term and are part of the educational collection.
Their storage is planned for the convenience of the program staff rather
than for long-term preservation.  However, some objects in the hands-on
category, such as large metal sculptures, are part of the permanent
collection and are documented accordingly;  their handling status may be
changed to yellow or red if and when circumstances warrant.

If you have any questions, want to read the CP or hear about the problems
I've encountered with it :) so far, feel free to contact me.

Regards,
Stacey

Stacey A. Swigart
Curator of Collections
Please Touch Museum
210 N. 21st Street
Philadelphia, PA 19103
215-963-0667 x3143
215-963-0424 FAX

-----Original Message-----
From: Nancy S. Powell
Subject: Re: "Study" Collections and deaccessioning

<snip>

The Please Touch! children's museum in Philadelphia has a multi-tiered
collections system in place. You might contact them to see how they do it.

Nancy Powell

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