I think the gist of the discussion boils down to, "it depends." Many times it's appropriate and necessary as respondents have pointed out.

I try to avoid it whenever possible because I think that the average, occasional, museum-goer doesn't know what an object # is for, doesn't know who the donor is or what collection it's from (and doesn't care), and sees that information as part of the mystification of the museum that alienates many people. That assumes they actually read that far down the object label. But even if they don't, the visual mass of text in any label affects people's willingness to start or keep reading. Less is always better so why add mass if few people read it and it may actually read less because of it?

My take is that the people who want to know more specifics about an object or the donor are the same people who are museum-savvy enough to know who to ask and what to ask for to get that information.

Dan


On Tue, Jul 2, 2013 at 11:33 AM, Candace Perry <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

I agree – and for my institution, where the identities of the donors are usually key to the history of the objects, it’s terribly important to include that information.

Candace Perry

 

From: Museum discussion list [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Jeffrey Ray
Sent: Tuesday, July 02, 2013 10:37 AM


To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: [MUSEUM-L] Identifying Lenders

 

Greetings Everyone,

 

In my 30 years as a curator at the Philadelphia History Museum (AKA Atwater Kent Museum) donors of to the collections usually say one thing to me and then ask a question, the statement is something like, "I am so happy that this is going somewhere that it is going to be taken care of and be seen."  The questions is, almost inevitably, "When you put this on exhibit will there be a plaque(label) with my name on it where people can see it?" 

 

I have insisted (through 6 directors) that, unless instructed not to by the donor or lender, that they be acknowledged in the identification labels in our exhibitions.  There are four reasons for this:1) it honors the donor/lender contribution to the institution; 2) most donors and lenders want to be acknowledged; 3) it lets people know that they can donate to the collections or lend to exhibitions; and 4) when one of my directors did not allow the donors to be listed on exhibit labels I had to stand in a gallery and take it when a donor ripped me a new one because her name was not on a label.  I took her up to meet the Director so that she could make her feelings known to the person responsible.  That donor's name appeared on the label the next day and donors have been acknowledged ever since.  

 

Donors and lenders are being very generous and their generosity needs to be acknowledged publically and not just in a letter from the director for their tax returns. I am quite happy to list a donation or loan as anonymous if I am instructed to on the gift or loan forms. 

 

Jeffrey R. Ray

Senior Curator

Philadelphia History Museum at the Atwater Kent

On Mon, Jul 1, 2013 at 1:54 PM, lucysperlin <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

Maybe it’s outdated, but I was taught that having donor information on an exhibit label is of interest only to the donors and people who know them – for everyone else it just a distraction that dilutes the message of the label and clutters it visually.

 

I suppose that’s one of those typical museum ‘balancing act’ decision - deciding if having such information on the label encourages important donations to a degree that outweighs the negative impact on our interpretive message.  Probably the approach that you take on recreated historical settings could also be used for all other exhibits as well.

 

Cathy’s comment about security for the donors is definitely another factor to weigh in.

 

Lucy Sperlin

 

 

From: Museum discussion list [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Jackson, Martha
Sent: Friday, June 28, 2013 8:53 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: [MUSEUM-L] Identifying Lenders

 

A few years ago, we began adding the source of the artifact to the bottom of the object label, along with the accession number.  When the donor(s) sign(s) the Deed of Gift, he/she also checks the block seeking permission to use name in exhibits, publications, etc. The source includes name, city, state.  For example,

 

HS.2013.1.1    Gift of Mr. & Mrs. John Doe, Anywhere, N.C.

 

If the donor(s) did not give permission, then we list it as an anonymous donation.

 

We use the same format for loans--IF we have permission of the lender.  Otherwise we note that it was loaned anonymously.

 

We began using this format as a way to acknowledge donors and lenders, and the public seems to like it.  If we are exhibiting objects in a recreated historical setting, we list all donors and lenders on a separate panel without noting which objects were given/loaned.

 

Martha Battle Jackson, Chief Curator

North Carolina Division of State Historic Sites and Properties
Mailing Address: 4620 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC  27699-4620
Street Address:  430 North Salisbury Street, Suite 1115, Raleigh, NC  27604
919/733-7862; ext. 236; FAX: 919/733-9515

E-mail correspondence to and from this sender may be subject to the
North Carolina Public Records Law and may be disclosed to third parties.
The views expressed by the sender may not reflect those of my agency.

From: Cathy Osterman [[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Friday, June 28, 2013 10:48 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: [MUSEUM-L] Identifying Lenders

Good morning everyone,
 
What is your museum's policy regarding identifying object lenders on labels within an exhibit? Are items and objects matched up on labels or do you utilize a common panel to list all lenders together? I was taught not to match up lenders and items within the exhibit for security purposes but I've seen it done both ways.  Also, do you label every object as coming from your own collection or is it assumed?
 
My museum is trying to write an exhibits policy and we've looked at the Smithsonian's policy, among others. More than a standard to follow, I am interested in learning why a museum would choose one way over another. Would anyone care to share with me your museum's exhibit philosophy?
 
Thanks!
 
Cathy Osterman
Curator/ Archivist
Northfield Historical Society
Northfield, MN
 

 

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Jeffrey R. Ray
Senior Curator
Philadelphia History Museum at the Atwater Kent
15 South 7th Street
Philadelphia, PA 19106-2313
215.843.1713 voice 215.685.4837 fax




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Dan Bartlett
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Instructor of Museum Studies
Logan Museum of Anthropology
Beloit College

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