It’s good to share, isn’t it? Borrowing objects from other museums and private collections helps complete stories. Lending is the foundation of the museum economy. Let’s do more of it.
Tag: curatorship
Curator’s Advent. Day 13. The troublesome donor
Scotch egg without runny yolk The problem donor is like a fancy Scotch egg. Promises loads on the outside, loaded up with pretty (but tasteless) garnishes, yet when you cut into the business end of the egg you are met with a rather rubbery egg with a hard yolk. Donors who never give something for… Continue reading Curator’s Advent. Day 13. The troublesome donor
Curator’s Advent. Day 12. Show and tell
Show and tell is my most favourite activity as a curator. I don’t get to do it nearly as often as I should like. It’s quite simple. Choose a theme or subject, get some great stuff out from your stores – or even out of a showcase – and show your visitors. If you are… Continue reading Curator’s Advent. Day 12. Show and tell
Curator’s Advent. Day 11. Research enquiry
The research enquiry is a most basic way for a museum to share the knowledge and stories contained in its collections–and often that about its surroundings too. A publicly-minded museum curator will relish the opportunity to share openly and widely with researchers of all motivations and from all walks of life. Answering enquiries is a… Continue reading Curator’s Advent. Day 11. Research enquiry
Curator’s Advent. Day 10. Relative humidity
Mould, corrosion, warping, splitting, delamination, vinegar syndrome, desiccation, off-gassing are all symptoms of poor control of relative humidity and fluctuations in the moisture of the air surrounding a museum object remain the biggest threat to their long-term health and well-being. Too dry can be as bad as too wet. The whirling hygrometer spun purposefully around… Continue reading Curator’s Advent. Day 10. Relative humidity
Curator’s Advent. Day 9. The showcase
The museum showcase is the frontline defence system that repels all manner of undesirable effects on our hallowed collections: bandits, the environment and sticky fingers. You may laugh but most curators will have to specify a showcase made from anti-bandit glass at some point in their careers. But there is a more elevated purpose for the… Continue reading Curator’s Advent. Day 9. The showcase
Curator’s Advent. Day 8. Light and UV
Few of us use the p-word any longer – perpetuity but it would be nice if our museum objects could weather at least a few generations’ worth of abuse. Some wavelengths of light, especially sunlight, and ultra violet greedily snatch colour away from many of our written, painted, printed and dyed objects. This may reinforce… Continue reading Curator’s Advent. Day 8. Light and UV
Curator’s Advent. Day 7. Object record
They say that without provenance the museum object is worthless. The object record acts as a certificate of authenticity and contains everything from vital statistics on materials, dimensions, broken or worn bits, to ownership history, exhibition history, publication history… quite a lot of history. Index cards used to be the favoured medium of the curator’s record keeping… Continue reading Curator’s Advent. Day 7. Object record
Curator’s Advent. Day 6. Gloves
Museum objects are living gods and goddesses. Lords and Ladies of the material world. Most usually donning white cotton (or purple nitrile) gloves the curator is able to undertake her calling as high priest and footman. It’s vital museum purity laws are adhered to. Contamination of the museum object by greasy palm or sticky fingers… Continue reading Curator’s Advent. Day 6. Gloves
Curator’s Advent. Day 5. The accession number
The accession number imposes order on chaos. It turns a gaggle of tat into a collection and is a museum object’s status symbol.