Collection management

Introduction

Collection management is the means by which museums go about their business, articulating the standards of care regarding objects in their possession.  This document therefore contains the policy and practices governing the museum’s collection of the 48^th Highlanders of Canada.

The Collections are all objects under the care of the 48^th Highlanders Trusts.

Collection policies

 The 48^th Highlanders Museum will collect only artefacts that fulfil the Museum’s mission, for which there is an ultimate use, and that can be properly stored, preserved, and protected.  It will be the responsibility of the museum manager and Curator to develop and supervise the implementation of this collection management policy.

The 48^th Highlanders Museum manages three collections on behalf of the 48^th Highlanders Trusts, the exhibit, research, and educational collections.

This policy is not intended to apply to properties such as equipment and furniture that the museum may possess or acquire in pursuing its mission. However, such properties are and will remain the property of the 48th Highlanders Trusts.

Exhibit collection

The exhibit collection consists of those artefacts on display and in storage that represent the physical legacy of the Regiment and are used for the sole purpose of being exhibited by the museum.  This collection is not to be used for public consumption in educational programs.  Artefacts such as documents which might be of research value are to be duplicated or reproduced for use in exhibits and placed in the research collection.

Research collection

The research collection consists of the Regiment’s records, photographs, magazines, pamphlets and other documents plus videos that make up the written or electronic images records of the Regiment.  The research collection exists for the use of furthering research pursuits and is not meant for permanent exhibits.  The research collection does not exist for the use of public educational programs.

Educational collection

The educational collection will consist only of artefacts that are not unique or of historical value to the 48^th Highlanders Museum.  This collection exists for public consumption in programs such as children’s discovery galleries, Remembrance Day parades, recruiting displays and historical re-enactment.  The educational collection exists to further the museum’s mission by allowing use by the public in programs approved by the museum manager of curator.  Objects from the exhibit collection will not be used for this purpose unless they have been first de-accessioned.

Acquisition policy

Objects may be acquired on the recommendation of the Manager and Curator so long as the acquisition is in line with the museum’s purpose and the object carries no restrictions.  Objects that have restrictions placed on them by donation may be acquired on the recommendation of the museum executive committee so long as these restrictions are limited in time.  Restrictions on objects that carry a life tenure may only be acquired by the museum with the approval of the 48^th Highlanders Trusts.

Museum staff will not appraise objects offered as gifts.  Where such evaluations are requested the museum will confine itself to co-operating with a qualified appraiser, who is retained and paid by the donor.

Objects will be considered abandoned if they are left at the museum without any information and have not been recovered by their owner in three months.