I'm with Mary Helen and Greg, whenever asked, unless it's just to 'see weapons', I make every effort to bring the requested swords/sabers or firearms out of storage and set someone up where I can keep an eye on them. The requests are few and far between for this research, but both here at the Sullivan and in my previous position, I never had a problem with a researcher and always made the objects accessible as best as I could. With that said, I am diligent to make sure the objects are handled appropriately and that, even though I have done it a hundred times by now, check to make sure the barrels are clear and the firearms aren't loaded. It's a safety habit from many years ago and one that I refuse to let go of at this point.
John Hart, Jr.
Museum Registrar
Sullivan Museum and History Center
Norwich University
158 Harmon Drive
Northfield, VT 05663
Direct Phone: (802) 485-3289
Sullivan Museum and History Center
-----Original Message-----
From: Museum discussion list [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Mary Helen Dellinger
Sent: Tuesday, February 10, 2015 8:52 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: [MUSEUM-L] Weapon handling and the public UK museums
I concur with what Greg is saying. I've worked a few places with a large weapons collection and we accepted every request to see them that we could manage. The person requesting to see the weapons had to have a legitimate reason and make an appointment in advance. I would pull the pieces requested and we either met in my office or the kids learning center as appropriate. I never felt like there was a security issue as I stayed with the researcher the entire time. Chris - perhaps you could clarify what you meant by that so we could better help you.
Mary Helen Dellinger, Curator
Manassas Museum System
-----Original Message-----
From: Museum discussion list [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Jackson, Gregory
Sent: Tuesday, February 10, 2015 8:33 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: [MUSEUM-L] Weapon handling and the public UK museums
We have a weapons collection (medieval swords, halberds, etc. up to 18th century Pennsylvania long rifes) and, while we don't just allow any casual drop-in browser to view our storage, we often welcome researchers or persons with special interests to make an appointment to see the weapons. I'm not sure what "unable to do this securely" means. Do you think the staff's safety is at stake? I personally escort visitors into the collections storage area so they can view the items in the rack or if they are just interested in one or two pieces then I bring them out to a table for viewing. No sense in having them if no one can ever see them.
Greg
Gregory A. Jackson, CA
Archives & Special Collections
Bryn Athyn Historic Landmark District
Glencairn Museum
www.glencairnmuseum.org
267.502.2421
-----Original Message-----
From: Museum discussion list [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Christopher James Young
Sent: Tuesday, February 10, 2015 5:48 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: [MUSEUM-L] Weapon handling and the public UK museums
My name is Chris Young and I am a collections access assistant at a local museum, I am contacting to see whether anyone can help with a quick query. In short we have a varied mix of weapons; from swords to firearms in our collection all of which we keep secured, lately we have had some enquiries to whether someone could view this type of object (one example is a professional fencer who wished to view several of our rapiers). On each occasion we have had to decline; either because we thought it unsuitable or we felt we were unable to do this securely for the member of staff who would monitor the viewing. So I have been tasked by my manager to see whether there is a safe procedure to which we might be able to give a member of public the ability to access and view a weapon that is not on display, such as sword, or whether this is not suitable unless it is on display within a secure display case?
If anyone could help with this query I would greatly appreciate it.
=========================================================
Important Subscriber Information:
The Museum-L FAQ file is located at http://www.finalchapter.com/museum-l-faq/ . You may obtain detailed information about the listserv commands by sending a one line e-mail message to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read "help" (without the quotes).
If you decide to leave Museum-L, please send a one line e-mail message to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read "Signoff Museum-L" (without the quotes).
=========================================================
Important Subscriber Information:
The Museum-L FAQ file is located at http://www.finalchapter.com/museum-l-faq/ . You may obtain detailed information about the listserv commands by sending a one line e-mail message to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read "help" (without the quotes).
If you decide to leave Museum-L, please send a one line e-mail message to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read "Signoff Museum-L" (without the quotes).
=========================================================
Important Subscriber Information:
The Museum-L FAQ file is located at http://www.finalchapter.com/museum-l-faq/ . You may obtain detailed information about the listserv commands by sending a one line e-mail message to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read "help" (without the quotes).
If you decide to leave Museum-L, please send a one line e-mail message to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read "Signoff Museum-L" (without the quotes).
=========================================================
Important Subscriber Information:
The Museum-L FAQ file is located at http://www.finalchapter.com/museum-l-faq/ . You may obtain detailed information about the listserv commands by sending a one line e-mail message to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read "help" (without the quotes).
If you decide to leave Museum-L, please send a one line e-mail message to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read "Signoff Museum-L" (without the quotes).
|
