Museums of Prince Edward County
COLLECTIONS MANAGEMENT POLICY
Adopted by the Museum Advisory Committee on April 20, 2009 and
amended on November 14, 2011
1. Statement of Purpose
The Museums of Prince Edward County are dedicated to the preservation and
interpretation of the history of Prince Edward County from the first settlers to the
present. The purpose of the Museums is to increase the knowledge and
understanding of the history of Prince Edward County in all its facets. To achieve
this purpose, the Museums will actively pursue the establishment, the expansion,
and the maintenance of its collections in natural history, history, and objects of art.
Accordingly, the Museums’ collections are to provide a basis for its exhibition and
educational programs for research and study, for special lectures and symposia, and
for the cultural and educational enrichment of the community of Prince Edward.
2. Acquisitions
2.1
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2.2
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2.3
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Artifacts that represent the past industrial, cultural, social and political
development of Prince Edward County, and meet the Museum’s respective
mandate, will be accepted. The collections are made for the purpose of
documentation, preservation, research, exhibition and education.
The collection is made available to the public for research purposes.
A budget line is provided in the annual operating budget for the cataloguing,
storage and care of objects.
The collection is held and managed in the public trust.
Artifacts must be specific to Prince Edward County:
Artifacts produced in Prince Edward County.
Artifacts related to historically important people, places and events.
Artifacts sold in Prince Edward County.
Artifacts used/owned in Prince Edward County.
Artifacts made, utilized, sold or imported prior to or after the mandated
collection period may be collected if their provenance is seen as an asset to
the collection.
Artifacts should be well documented and include:
Original owner and/or manufacturer.
Original use of the artifact.
History of the artifact.
Other details associated with the object
2.4
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2.5
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Museums of Prince Edward County will not acquire objects that:
Have been collected under circumstances to be exploitive, unethical, illegal or
otherwise incompatible with professional standards.
Are curiosities or other items that do not signify the history or development of
Prince Edward County.
Are firearms produced later than1890. Any changes to this policy must be in
accordance with all federal laws governing the responsible and legal storage,
use and collecting of restricted weapons.
Are insensitive to the concerns of Indigenous Persons; under no
circumstances shall the museum pursue the acquisition and/or display of
human remains, burial objects, or other sacred artifacts.
Museums of Prince Edward County will meet municipal, provincial and federal
legislative requirements that impact on:
Collecting activities (including illicit or illegal materials).
Collections management and documentation (firearms, hazardous materials).
3.
Modes of Acquisition
3.1
Objects/artifacts will be acquired through means of: donation, bequest,
exchange or purchase.
3.2
The Head Curator has discretionary power to refuse objects that do not meet
the stated criteria and procedures for acquisitions.
3.3
The Head Curator will be consulted before the purchase of any item for the
collection.
3.4
All donations are received free and clear
and future disposition, unless otherwise
meeting of the Acquisitions Committee.
acquisition, every effort will be made to
for which they shall apply.
3.5
All donations to the Museums’ collections are irrevocable upon the formal and
physical transfer to the museum.
3.6
Acquisitions involving transfer of ownership and/or responsibility must be
accompanied by a signed donor form or other proof of legal title to the object,
such as a transfer or title form a bill of sale.
3.7
No item will be collected that requires extensive conservation treatment
without the approval of the Head Curator.
3.8
The Acquisitions Committee, at minimum on an annual basis, will formally
accept artifacts. The Site Curator will provide a report listing all pending gifts
for approval. Acceptance or rejection of objects under consideration will be set
forth in the minutes of the Museum Advisory Committee.
of restricting conditions as to the use
agreed in special circumstances at a
Where conditions are attached to an
place a reasonable date on the time
4.
Collections Management
Method to process a new acquisition into the collection
4.1
Collections Management activities will be the responsibility of the Site Curator.
The Site Curator will ensure that all collection records are current and up to
date.
4.2
Collection records will be documented using a combination of manually
(paper) and electronically generated records.
4.3
All artifacts will be registered by current collection management standards.
This would include:
a) temporary receipt
b) gift form
c) accession number
d) catalogue sheet – to include:
 donor name and address
 region
 period used
 provenance
 description
 manufacturer name and addresses
 location – room and shelf number
e) condition report (at the time of donation and/or as they receive
treatment).
4.4
All artifacts must be recorded in an accession register, have a catalogue card
with donor and classification information, and a signed gift form.
4.5
Electronically generated records will be duplicated frequently, with discs
stored in a fireproof enclosure (i.e. the safe.) Manual records – specifically
the accession register – will be duplicated once per year. At the end of each
season, updated collections records on disc will be delivered to the Head
Curator’s office for storage.
4.6
Artifacts will be catalogued using a three-part number system consisting of
the year of the donation, the number of the donation and the number of
artifacts in the donation. (2009.1.1).The number must be physically attached
to the artifact in a uniform, inconspicuous area.
4.7
Artifacts will be stored and handled according to current professional
standards. The Site Curator will ensure that adequate time and a proper
workspace are available for the purpose of collections management activities.
4.8
Museums of Prince Edward County will demonstrate a commitment to
conservation standards in the labeling, care and handling of artifacts.
4.9
An inventory will be maintained in order to ensure current information about
the collection for management and insurance purposes.
4.10 Duplication of artifacts or artifacts that do not meet the Collections Mandate
but may be useful to the museum will not be accessioned, but may be
considered for the Research or Educational Collection.
4.11 In the event of accidental loss or damage or destruction, the Head Curator
will be notified and given a written report on the incident.
4.12 The Museums of Prince Edward County may issue tax receipts to donors of
artifacts that are accepted into the permanent collection. Appraisals must be
completed by an accredited appraiser and will be done at the donor’s
expense.
4.13 All artifacts must have a signed donor form before a tax receipt is issued.
4.14 The Head Curator will maintain a percentage of the Museums’ administrative
budget to be used for staff training and professional memberships.
4.15 The Site Curator, under the direction of the Head Curator, will ensure that a
percentage of each individual Museum operating budget be used for the
purchase of conservation and curatorial supplies.
5.
Loans
5.1
General terms of all loans are laid out in the Loans Forms and must be met
before a loan may be considered.
5.2
Incoming loans will be accepted only for a defined period of time and for
definite purpose of display, research, special project or education.
5.3
Long-term loans or conditional donations of artifacts will not be accepted.
5.4
Museums of Prince Edward County will be responsible for all incoming loans,
and will exercise the same care given to the Museum collection.
5.5
Incoming loans remain the responsibility of the owner for insurance purposes
unless other arrangements are made between the owner and the Museum.
5.6
Outgoing loans of museum artifacts may be made to other institutions judged
to have properly maintained exhibition standards, environmental conditions,
security and insurance.
5.7
Outgoing loans will be for a specified length of time and may be extended
upon the agreement of both parties.
5.8
All out-going loans will be insured by the borrowing institution.
6.
De-accessioning
De-accessioning refers to the permanent removal of one or more artifacts from the
permanent collection. In order to maintain proper museum standards and in
accordance with site mandates de-accessioning is occasionally necessary.
6.1
De-accessions will be approached with caution and only upon the
recommendation of the Site Curator and the Head Curator to the Acquisitions
Committee.
6.2
Museums of Prince Edward County have the right to de-accession any artifact
that:
a) Does not fit the collections mandate.
b) Is a duplication/triplication.
c) Is not significant to the history of Prince Edward County.
d) Is a danger to staff, volunteers, the public or the collection.
e) Is deteriorating due to natural decay, insect infestation or damage.
6.3
De-accessioning artifacts will occur in the following order:
a) Repatriation.
b) Used as part of the educational or research collection.
c) Offered to another non-profit educational, heritage or cultural
institution, as a gift or for exchange.
d) Physically destroyed on the advice of a conservator or provincial
police/armed forces or if the object is in extremely poor condition.
e) Sale or auction (only as a last resort when all other avenues have been
exhausted will this method be chosen.) No Museum staff nor Advisory
Committee member nor volunteer will or their representative or
immediate family be sold, given, or otherwise obtain possession of deaccessioned objects.
f) Any monies earned by the sale of the de-accessioned artifact(s) will be
sent to the Museum and placed in a fund for the purchase of artifacts.)
6.4
Documentation information will be retained in a de-accession file.
6.5
No artifact will be de-accessioned for the sole purpose of profit.
6.6
No Museum staff nor Advisory Committee member nor volunteer may profit
financially or otherwise from an object’s de-accession.
7.
Care of Collections
7.1
The Museums shall maintain in its annual budget funding for the on-going
care and conservation of objects in the collections.
7.2
It shall be the Site Curator’s responsibility, through regular periodic
inspections, to assess the physical needs of objects in the collection and make
the appropriate adjustments.
7.3
It is the responsibility of the Site Curator and Head Curator to ensure that the
collections are adequately protected against fire, theft, vandalism, natural
and/or environmental disasters (via site inspections and an applicable
Emergency Plan.)
This policy shall be reviewed annually.