I don't know whether anyone has addressed this off-list to Todd, but the
Museum Store Association  has a code of ethics (available on their website:
www.museumdistrict.com).

janice

Janice Klein
Director, Mitchell Museum of the American Indian
[log in to unmask]
www.mitchellmuseum.org





-----Original Message-----
From: Museum discussion list [mailto:[log in to unmask]]On
Behalf Of Todd Bothel
Sent: Friday, September 16, 2005 10:37 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Gift Shop Antiques


This is a question regarding gift shops. We are in a stage of revamping
our gift shop and the director, several board members and volunteers want
to add antiques and other historic items to our inventory. It seems that
we want to change the gift shop into an antique store similar to our
city's historic shopping district. We are a history museum that tells the
story of our community and we also have a historic house museum. All of
our collection items are historic and "antique."

My question deals with some ethical issues. Is it proper for a history
museum to sell historic objects in its gift shop? I thought that I had
seen somewhere that reproductions were o.k. but not the genuine article. I
know at a former museum that I worked, we sold Native American items but
they were all reproductions. How would the public perceive that we are not
selling off our collection objects?

Second, if I, the curator, pass on the object for inclusion into the
museum's collection, is it then right for the director to request that the
objects be donated for sale in the gift shop? Again, I think we are
crossing an ethical line.

Any help that you all can give me would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

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