Museum Basics

Timothy Ambrose is an international consultant working in the field of museums and cultural heritage. He is a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of London, a Fellow of the Museums Association, and a Visiting Fellow at the Open University, UK. He has a particular interest in the role of museums in destination development and has published widely on museums and cultural heritage issues. Crispin Paine is a former curator and museum consultant, now an author and museum volunteer. He is a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of London and a Fellow of the Museums Association. He has particular interests in local community museums and in the material culture of religion.

List of figures

List of boxes

Acknowledgements

Foreword

SECTION 1 INTRODUCTORY

UNIT 1 ABOUT THIS BOOK

UNIT 2 ABOUT MUSEUMS

UNIT 3 TYPES OF MUSEUMS

UNIT 4 MAKING THE CASE FOR MUSEUMS

UNIT 5 MUSEUMS AND SUSTAINABILITY

UNIT 6 MUSEUMS AND SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

UNIT 7 MUSEUMS AND THEORY

UNIT 8 MUSEUMS AND ETHICS

SECTION 2 THE MUSEUM AND ITS USERS

UNIT 9 MUSEUMS AND THEIR LOCATION

UNIT 10 MUSEUMS ARE FOR PEOPLE

UNIT 11 ACCESS AND ACCESSIBILITY

UNIT 12 UNDERSTANDING YOUR MARKET

UNIT 13 MARKETING YOUR MUSEUM

UNIT 14 DEVELOPING NEW AUDIENCES

UNIT 15 SPECIAL AUDIENCES: MUSEUMS AND PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES AND SPECIAL NEEDS

UNIT 16 THE MUSEUM VISIT

UNIT 17 LEARNING IN MUSEUMS

UNIT 18 LEARNING: INSIDE THE MUSEUM

UNIT 19 LEARNING: BEYOND THE MUSEUM

UNIT 20 EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES: CREATING PROGRAMMES

UNIT 21 FACILITIES FOR VISITORS

UNIT 22 PROVIDING SERVICES: SHOPS AND SALES POINTS

UNIT 23 PROVIDING SERVICES: FOOD AND DRINK

UNIT 24 PROVIDING FACILITIES FOR HIRE

UNIT 25 INFORMATION SERVICES

UNIT 26 PUBLICATIONS

UNIT 27 MUSEUM WEBSITES

UNIT 28 SOCIAL MEDIA AND MUSEUMS

UNIT 29 PUBLIC RELATIONS AND THE MEDIA

UNIT 30 WORKING WITH FRIENDS’ AND VOLUNTEER GROUPS

UNIT 31 RESEARCHERS AS USERS

SECTION 3 PRESENTING AND INTERPRETING COLLECTIONS

UNIT 32 INTRODUCING INTERPRETATION

UNIT 33 PRESENTATION TECHNIQUES: GRAPHICS

UNIT 34 PRESENTATION TECHNIQUES: THREE-DIMENSIONAL

UNIT 35 PRESENTATION TECHNIQUES: AUDIO-VISUAL

UNIT 36 PRESENTATION TECHNIQUES: INTERACTIVES

UNIT 37 PRESENTATION TECHNIQUES: USING PEOPLE

UNIT 38 MUSEUM LIGHTING

UNIT 39 MUSEUM SHOWCASES

UNIT 40 PLANNING NEW DISPLAYS AND EXHIBITIONS

UNIT 41 RESEARCH FOR DISPLAYS AND EXHIBITIONS

UNIT 42 WRITING TEXT

UNIT 43 BRIEFING A DESIGNER

UNIT 44 DISPLAY AND EXHIBITION DESIGN AND PRODUCTION

UNIT 45 NEW MEDIA

UNIT 46 EVALUATING DISPLAYS AND EXHIBITIONS

SECTION 4 COLLECTING AND COLLECTIONS

UNIT 47 TYPES OF COLLECTIONS

UNIT 48 POLICIES FOR COLLECTING

UNIT 49 POLICIES FOR DISPOSAL

UNIT 50 DONATIONS, PURCHASES AND LOANS

UNIT 51 COLLECTING AND FIELD DOCUMENTATION

UNIT 52 OBJECT RESEARCH

UNIT 53 FIELDWORK AND RECORD CENTRES

UNIT 54 PHOTOGRAPHY, FILM AND VIDEO

UNIT 55 AUDIO-RECORDING AND ORAL HISTORY

UNIT 56 THE ROLE OF COLLECTIONS IN RESEARCH

UNIT 57 ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS AND REPATRIATION

UNIT 58 MUSEUM ARCHIVES AND MUSEUM HISTORY

SECTION 5 MANAGING AND CARING FOR COLLECTIONS

UNIT 59 COLLECTIONS MANAGEMENT PLANS

UNIT 60 COLLECTIONS AUDITS

UNIT 61 DOCUMENTATION SYSTEMS

UNIT 62 WORKING WITH CONSERVATORS AND CONSERVATION PLANS

UNIT 63 PREVENTIVE CONSERVATION: PRINCIPLES

UNIT 64 ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND CONTROL: LIGHT

UNIT 65 ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND CONTROL: HUMIDITY AND TEMPERATURE

UNIT 66 ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND CONTROL: AIR POLLUTION/PEST AND INSECT ATTACK

UNIT 67 MATERIALS TESTING

UNIT 68 COLLECTIONS STORAGE: PRINCIPLES

UNIT 69 COLLECTIONS STORAGE: PRACTICE

UNIT 70 HANDLING, PACKING AND MOVING COLLECTIONS

UNIT 71 REMEDIAL CONSERVATION: PRINCIPLES

UNIT 72 REMEDIAL CONSERVATION: PRACTICE

UNIT 73 DISASTER PLANNING

UNIT 74 INSURANCE

UNIT 75 COLLECTIONS SECURITY: PHYSICAL AND ELECTRONIC

UNIT 76 COLLECTIONS SECURITY: SYSTEMS AND PROCEDURES

UNIT 77 COPYRIGHT

SECTION 6 THE MUSEUM AND ITS BUILDINGS

UNIT 78 MUSEUM BUILDINGS: FORM AND FUNCTION

UNIT 79 MUSEUMS AND THEIR PHYSICAL SETTING

UNIT 80 MUSEUM BUILDINGS: PLANNING FOR ACCESS

UNIT 81 OPTIONS ANALYSIS AND FEASIBILITY ASSESSMENT

UNIT 82 WORKING WITH ARCHITECTS

UNIT 83 MUSEUM BUILDINGS: PHYSICAL SECURITY

UNIT 84 MUSEUM BUILDINGS: MANAGEMENT AND MAINTENANCE

UNIT 85 MUSEUM BUILDINGS: SUSTAINABILITY

UNIT 86 MOVING THE MUSEUM

UNIT 87 ORIENTATION AND SIGNAGE

UNIT 88 ATMOSPHERE, PACE AND FLOW

SECTION 7 THE MUSEUM AND ITS MANAGEMENT

UNIT 89 LEGAL STATUS, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT STRUCTURES

UNIT 90 PARTNERSHIPS

UNIT 91 NETWORKING

UNIT 92 POLICY DEVELOPMENT AND MANAGEMENT PLANNING

UNIT 93 DEVELOPING A FORWARD PLAN

UNIT 94 MEASURING PERFORMANCE IN MUSEUMS

UNIT 95 EVALUATING THE MUSEUM’S SUCCESS

UNIT 96 PROJECT MANAGEMENT

UNIT 97 FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT

UNIT 98 NEW SOURCES OF INCOME

UNIT 99 FUND-RAISING

UNIT 100 MANAGEMENT OF CHANGE

UNIT 101 INTERNAL COMMUNICATIONS

UNIT 102 STAFF STRUCTURES

UNIT 103 VOLUNTEERS IN MUSEUMS

UNIT 104 RECRUITING MUSEUM STAFF

UNIT 105 CONDITIONS OF SERVICE

UNIT 106 PERFORMANCE STANDARDS FOR THE INDIVIDUAL

UNIT 107 JOB APPRAISAL AND ASSESSING PERFORMANCE

UNIT 108 STAFF TRAINING AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

UNIT 109 USING CONSULTANTS AND OUTSOURCING

UNIT 110 HEALTH AND SAFETY

UNIT 111 ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURES

UNIT 112 INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AND THE MUSEUM

SECTION 8 SUPPORTING RESOURCES

UNIT 113 SOURCES OF INFORMATION AND SUPPORT

UNIT 114 RESOURCES FOR MUSEUMS ON THE INTERNET

Glossary

Select bibliography

Index