In a message dated 1/12/2005 2:56:44 PM Eastern Standard Time,
[log in to unmask] writes:
<< There seems to be some confusion in our institution about the difference
between an artifact and a prop, especially when thy are used in exhibits. I've
tried to explain the difference, but not always with success. I think part
of the problem stems from the company that designed and built some of the
permanent exhibits in new building. Sometimes they went to flea markets and junk
stores and bought "old stuff" to incorporate into their designs. Of course,
that "old stuff" tends to look like some of the artifacts from our collection
that are also on display. Does anyone have clear, simple definitions that I
can share with our staff? >>
I don't think you'll ever find such a definition. Since virtually anything
might be a potential collection artifact, especially in history museums, it's
more a question of what the museum chooses to DECLARE is or is not a collection
artifact. A museum declares or defines an object as part of its permanent
collection by accessioning it, cataloging it, and numbering and marking it
appropriately. If you're scrupulous and consistent about performing this
fundamental museum operation, there shouldn't be any difficulty in distinguishing a
collection artifact from a "prop" or other ancillary item--the "artifact" (long
ago we used to say "specimen") bears a museum number and the non-"artifact"
doesn't. Some museums, nervous that an accessioned object might accidentally
slip into an exhibit without its requisite number (and later get mistakenly
tossed out as a presumed prop), have insisted that even "props" be clearly
identified as such to avoid mixups.
One man's hunk of junk may be a museum's treasure. The museum, in its
curatorial wisdom, makes the call. Sometimes it may be a very arbitrary decision.
Frankly, I think that even an object contributed by an exhibit designer
deserves to be marked and tracked and/or catalogued if it's going on exhibit, even
if it's not going to be accessioned. Your catalog record can specify that it's
a low-value prop suitable for disposal if you wish.
Distinctions need to be made in some clear manner, but there's no clear,
simple "definition" per se.
David Haberstich
=========================================================
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).
|