It seems to me that deaccessioning objects from a public museum should involve more comprehensive review and opinion than the final approval of the CEO. I believe it is common practice in public museums in the US that the Board of Directors have final approval/disapproval of
deaccessioning, especially because in the US, the Board of Directors have ultimate organizational responsibility. From a practical standpoint, one person should not have the burden and/or responsibility of making long term collections decisions for a public institution.

Contacting donors can be a byzantine process and can create more trouble than good. Once property is accessioned into a museum collection, it ceases to become the property of the donor and his descendants. In the past, our museum has attempted to locate heirs/descendants of
abandoned property, only to discover that there is conflict among family members about ownership. Usually, museums do not want to arbitrate claims among multiple descendants.

It is fairly common practice in the US for art museums to sell deaccessioned property at auction. When our museum sells property at auction, museum employees and Board members are not allowed to make bids, because this could be seen as a conflict of interest. Often, US city and
state museums have policies whereby deaccessioned collections have to be offered first to other institutions in the same city or state.

Stephen Lockwood, Museum Registrar
Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco

Glyn Balkwill wrote:

> Hi! museum folk
>
> Its time to ask for help again.
>
> Our museum has recently amalgamated with a natural history museum and a
> military history museum.
>
> We are therefor rewriting all our policies. The latest is the deaccession
> policy. I have been to the museum-l archive but can't find any direct
> opinions on the following:
>
> 1.      Final approval for deaccesioning / alienation can be given by the
> CEO. No Board ratification needed.
>
> 2.      No attempt need be made to contact donors or their descendants
>
> 3.      Deaccessioned items can be sold, not necessarily to other museum but
> on the open market
>
> Coming form the cultural history side we have an almost instinctive horror
> of these suggestions. The natural historians seem not to be perturbed. Since
> the drafter of the policy and the CEO are natural historians the policy is
> likely to go to the board with these in.
>
> I would appreciate any opinions for or against, horror stories, etc.
>
> Thanks in advance for the help.
>
> Glyn
>
> ******************************************************************
> * Glyn Balkwill                     Tel (w)  : 27 (0)12 341-1320 *
> * Deputy Director                   Tel (h)  : 27 (0)12 664-1973 *
> * Collections Management            Cell     : 27 (0)82 770-7826 *
> * National Cultural History Museum  Fax      : 27 (0)12 341-6146 *
> * PO Box 28088                      Email    : [log in to unmask]   *
> * SUNNYSIDE                                                      *
> * 0132  RSA                                                      *
> * Any opinions expressed are strictly my own                     *
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