Rachael, as someone who has dealt with eccentric boards, I would start with the drafting and getting board passage of a collections management policy. Involve them with the drafting of the policy, showing them references and examples of how professional museums handle their collections and what the current museum standards are. Invite other museum professionals in to talk to them (I have found that sometimes they are more willing to listen to outside professionals rather than their own hired professional). Through the policy you can distinguish between museum collections and props.

Being the first professional at a site is sometimes an uphill battle. Keep up the fight, and if you can get them to see the value in protecting their artifacts and turn the organization into a professional one, that would be a feather in your cap.


-----Original Message-----
From: Rachael Ward <[log in to unmask]>
To: MUSEUM-L <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Fri, Jul 8, 2016 1:21 pm
Subject: [MUSEUM-L] Board Members and Artifacts

Hello All!

I am currently the director of a small historical society and museum where I am the first museum professional to be employed for their site. In a nut shell, there are no archival records of any sort, no collections room, collections policy, no provenance for a majority of the artifacts - essentially I’m starting from the ground up. Which, as trying as it is at times, isn’t why I’m writing to you all. 

The board of directors and I view the treatment of artifacts in drastically different manner. In the most recent scenario (and trust me when I say there are MANY scenarios), they came to me asking if they could use some of the artifacts (props as they termed them), on a float for local township parades. I explained that the artifacts could be harmed or stolen by exposing them to all the manner of variables a parade brings (rain, falling off a wagon and breaking, someone snatching the artifact when they weren’t looking), but they did not see the harm in this and continued to press the subject. I then tried to bring up other institutions and professional standards in the field of museums and let them know that it, quite frankly, is not acceptable, again not changing their minds. They ultimately have the final say and so I have expressed to them that I would respect their decisions regarding artifact usage outside the confines of museum, as is their right as the board. 

My question for you all is this: How do I convey to them that what they are choosing to do is harmful to the artifacts other than what I have already done? They claim to want to increase their professional standing in the museum community, but are unwilling to listen to my professional advice. I have had my fair share of ‘interesting’ situations regarding, shall we say, eccentric boards in my career, but this takes the cake. I’m at a loss on how to help them understand the ways of our field. Any advice on how you may have handled a similar situation would be greatly appreciated. I want to see this institution succeed, but right now that is looking rather bleak. 

--
Rachael Ward


"History is no longer a spotlight. We are turning up the stagelights to show the entire cast.”
 -David McCullough

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