So, I was hired as a Curator for a small museum that had long been volunteer run. In the 1980s they had an AAM MAP assessment that told them to accession their collection. So, they did -- they accessioned EVERYTHING from the copier to the office chairs to the actual artifacts AND loaned items.

It was a record keeping NIGHTMARE! We technically could not get a new copier because the city council had to approve all deaccessions. So, there I went with 20 page report justifying the deaccessioning of office furniture, etc to the city council meeting and took up their valuable time going through every item with them.

The moral of this story is...DON'T accession the gift shop! It's a gift shop! The stuff is meant to be SOLD to unsuspecting tourists. The story you OUGHT to be collecting is NOT the story of the museum it's the story of the town, the people, the buildings. Don't curse future curators with having to figure out what that was all about. It's NOT standard practice -- ANYWHERE!

Michelle Zupan

Curator

Hickory Hill & the Tom Watson Birthplace

502 Hickory Hill Drive

Thomson, GA 30824

706-595-7777

FAX: 706-595-7177

Visit us at www.hickory-hill.org or on Facebook.

Historic homes of the Watson-Brown Foundation, Inc.