From: IN%"[log in to unmask]" 28-JUN-1994 15:49:11.45 To: IN%"[log in to unmask]" CC: Subj: Valuation Conference Return-path: <@norse.mcc.ac.uk:[log in to unmask]> Delivery-receipt-to: [log in to unmask] X-PMrqc: 1 Received: from UKACRL.BITNET (MAILER@UKACRL) by KUHUB.CC.UKANS.EDU (PMDF V4.3-8 #5489) id <[log in to unmask]>; Tue, 28 Jun 1994 15:47:56 CDT Received: from RL.IB by UKACRL.BITNET (Mailer R2.07) with BSMTP id 9235; Tue, 28 Jun 94 16:01:42 BST Received: from letterbox.rl.ac.uk by ib.rl.ac.uk (IBM VM SMTP V2R1) with TCP; Tue, 28 Jun 94 16:01:39 BST Received: from mh1.mcc.ac.uk by norse.mcc.ac.uk with SMTP (PP); Tue, 28 Jun 1994 15:34:30 +0100 Received: from MCC-MAIL1/MAILQUEUE by mh1.mcc.ac.uk (Mercury 1.11); Tue, 28 Jun 94 15:34:31 GMT Received: from MAILQUEUE by MCC-MAIL1 (Mercury 1.11); Tue, 28 Jun 94 15:34:19 GMT Date: Tue, 28 Jun 1994 15:34:13 -0300 (BST) From: [log in to unmask] Subject: Valuation Conference To: [log in to unmask] Message-id: <[log in to unmask]> X-Mailer: Pegasus Mail v2.3 (R4). Content-transfer-encoding: 7BIT Priority: normal Via: uk.ac.nrs.server; Tue, 28 Jun 1994 15:32:29 +0100 Dear John Kathie Way at the NHM in London has fowarded some of the email about the valuation conference that has been flying around MUSEUM-L. There seems to be a misconception growing about the purpose of the conference here in Manchester [19-21 April 1995]. There is no intention to prejudge the issue of whether we should put monetary value on natural history collections, merely a desire to debate fully the issue and try and arrive at a consensus. I append the 'Aims of the Conference', and an outline of the Scientific Programme. There is a lot of support in the UK, Europe, and the Antipodes, in particular. In total we have had 150+ replies to the first circular from 24 countries to date, and 30+ papers offered. A list of the institutions and organisations who have formally declared support for the aims of the conference is appended also. It occurs to me to wonder whether the marked difference in the economic culture between the USA and the others (ie. public purse funding of museums being much more common outside the US) underlies the difference in veiwpoint? The 'real world' has a nasty way of catching one unawares, and I would like to see all Nat.Hist. curators presenting as united a front as possible on this problem, especially to them out there as might threaten the collections we hold in trust. In the immortal words of the desk sergeant in 'Hill Street Blues' - "Let's do it to them before they do it to us!" Finally, may I ask your good offices in getting me put on the mailing list for MUSEUM-L, as [log in to unmask] - info. on how I broadcast to the list would be helpful. Would you mind fowarding this message and appendices to everyone on MUSEUM-L for me? Thanks. ================================================================== International Conference on the Value and Valuation of Natural Science Collections AIMS Natural science collections have scientific, cultural and monetary values. The conference will explore the nature of these various values and will reflect the experience of those involved in the care and use of such collections It is often said that natural science collections are undervalued (in all senses of the word) when compared with humanities-based collections, particularly those of fine art objects. Is this true? If so, is it a consequence of the way society views the arts and the sciences? Or is it because art collections can have such high financial values? What can be done to increase society's appreciation of the many values of natural science collections? What pressures are there upon museums to put financial values on their natural science collections, and should such pressures be welcomed or resisted? In responding to such pressures, is there a risk that the intrinsic scientific and cultural value of natural science collections is at best undermined, and at worst sold out? The publication resulting from the conference will help to answer some of these questions, and inform future policy decisions about natural science collections. ================================================= Scientific Programme. Reflecting the Aims of the Conference, three major themes will be pursued during the various scientific sessions. These sessions will examine the scientific value and cultural impact of natural history collections, and address the question of the financial value and valuation of these collections. The latter theme presents four aspects - what pressures are there to provide financial valuations for natural history collections, what commercial valuations are de facto in existence already, what are the arguments for and against assessing such monetary values and, if we have to value, how best should it be done to minimise the inherent risks to the collection? The final debate session will endeavour to draw together all these disparate threads, and to attempt the formulation of a concord that will inform future policy decisions about natural history collections. ================================================== LIST OF ORGANISATIONS SUPPORTING AIMS OF CONFERENCE as at 28 June 1994 Association of Systematics Collections British Society for Plant Pathology Biology Curators' Group Canadian Museum of Nature, Ottawa Federation for Natural Sciences Collections Research Freshwater Biological Association Geological Association Geological Conservation Unit, Sedgwick Mus.,Cambridge Geological Curators' Group Glasgow Museum and Art Gallery Institute of Biology Linnean Society of London Musee Zoologique, Lausanne Museu de Zoologia, Barcelona Museums and Galleries Commission Muzeul de Istoria Naturale "Grigore Antipa",Romania National Audit Office National Museum of Ireland National Museum of Wales National Museum, Prague National Museums of Scotland National Museums on Merseyside National Museums and Galleries on Merseyside Natural Environment Research Council Natural History Museum, London Naturhistorisches Museum, Basel Naturhistoriska Museet, Goteborg North of England Museums Service North West Museums Service North West Collections Research Unit Palaeontological Association Rijksherbarium, Leiden Strecker Museum, Baylor University, Texas South Eastern Museums Service Swedish Museums Association Tyne and Wear Museums UK Institute for Conservation (Natural History) UK Museums Association Ulster Museum University of Victoria Geology Dept, Australia Western Australian Museum West Midlands Area Museums Service Yorks and Humberside Museums Council ================================================ Regards, Bill P. ********************************************************************** * Charles (Bill) Pettitt * Keeper of Invertebrates * * * (& network supervisor) * * E-mail: [log in to unmask] * Manchester Museum * * * University of Manchester * * Tel: +44.61.275.2666 * Manchester M13 9PL * * Fax: +44.61.275.2676 * United Kingdom * **********************************************************************