In article <[log in to unmask]>, Joanna Newman
<[log in to unmask]> writes
>I would be interested to know if anyone is using a classification system
>which will  cater for both objects and subjects in a museum.  Ours is an
>integrated museum holding, among other things, art, history and photographic
>collections, so we require an integrated classification system.
>
>Hope to hear from someone.
>
>Joanna Newman
>Collections Information Manager
>Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa
>[log in to unmask]
Lots of museums in the UK use SHIC - the Social History and Industrial
Classification system. It is hierachically based, using a fourfold
scheme - eg garden spade used by a park-keeper and made by a local firm
would have the following numbers
1.621, 2.925 and 4.4351

These come from the following hierachies:-
1  COMMUNITY LIFE
1.6  AMENITIES, ENTERTAINMENT AND SPORT
1.62  OPEN SPACES
1.621  PARKS
   eg, bandstand, shelter, ornamental gates, ornamental fountain,
gardening tool (parks department), park keeper s uniform

2  DOMESTIC LIFE
2.9  DOMESTIC LIFE NOT ELSEWHERE SPECIFIED
2.92 GARDENING
2.925 PLANT HUSBANDRY
   Includes preparation, tillage, growth, pruning and harvesting,
transport, crop storage and plant containment.
   eg. compost bin, spade, fork, rake, etc

4  WORKING LIFE
4.4  EXTRACTION OF METALLIC ORES; MANUFACTURE OF METALS AND METAL GOODS;
ENGINEERING INDUSTRIES
4.43 MANUFACTURE OF METAL GOODS
4.435  HAND TOOLS AND CUTLERY
4.4351  HAND TOOLS AND IMPLEMENTS
   Includes the manufacture of agricultural, horticultural and
foresters  hand tools...

The third section is personal life - covering clothing etc.

It is useful for general collections, the content of photographs etc,
but is of no use for classifying fine art.

SHIC is available from MDA in Cambridge for 25 UK Pounds + carriage, if
you are interested.

There is also the Powerhouse classification scheme from Austrailia
(Sydney I think) but I have only looked at it briefly or AAT (which is
better for art). I am sure others will be able to give a good view on
the use of AAT.
David Dawson                    email: [log in to unmask]
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