Collections Management
Museum Collections Management
During the summer of 2024, I studied Collections Management with the University of West Georgia at the Atlanta History Center. During this course, I completed several academic writings concerning this topic such as exhibit labels, digital database entries, preventative care briefs, etc.
Below there is some information about each of these assignments and links to the full writings.
Processing Museum Collections
As a midterm essay, I wrote a paper not only detailing the process an object goes through from its initial accession into a museum collection but also how collections management functions as a position within a museum team. For this paper, the concepts learned throughout the semester were key, along with New Museum Registration Methods by Buck and Gilmore.
The Future of Collections
As a final essay, I wrote about my perception of the direction of the future of museum collections and how current events have influenced my predictions for the fate of this sub-field within museums. I referenced relevant news articles and contemporary trends within the museum field to conclude to the best of my ability where the future of collections in museums will go.
Digital Database Entries
I also completed a practicum assignment where I interacted with a digital database to practice collections cataloging and entries. To complete this, I utilized ResourceMate, courtesy of the Sacred Harp Museum, and created entries for multiple item types-- a book and a DVD.
Preventative Care Brief
I also prepared a one-page brief on preventative care for a particular type of material or object that might be found in a museum collection. The material I chose was bone, which can be presented in a museum's collections in several different ways and must be cared for in relation to its environment, handling, and exhibition.
Exhibit Label Copy
I also prepared an essay detailing my label rewrite. While at the AHC, I found an object on display and wrote an exhibit label that I thought was more relevant and engaging than the current label, reflecting on proposed guidelines for good label copy and describing how I made the label more “active.”
Museum Ethics Essay
I also completed an essay that presents a current issue within the museum field and takes a position on the issue, using evidence from my research. The issue I chose was the repatriation of looted antiquities that are currently in museum collections. The essay delves into the ethical implications of the issue, how it is viewed in the field, and what actions are being taken in relation to the issue.
