Collection (museum)

A museum is distinguished by a collection of often unique objects that forms the core of its activities for exhibitions, education, research, etc.

This differentiates it from an archive or library, where the contents may be more paper-based, replaceable and less exhibition oriented, or a private collection of art formed by an individual, family or institution that may grant no public access.

[citation needed] In art museums, special care is given to objects that changed hands in European countries during World War II and archaeological objects unearthed after the 1970 UNESCO Convention covering the transport of cultural property.

However, such restrictions can prevent museums from changing their exhibits as scholarship evolves and may introduce conservation issues for delicate objects not suited to continued display.

Final decision to accept an object generally lies with the museum's board of trustees.

Once the decision has been made to accept an object, it is formally accessioned through a Deed of Gift and entered into the museum's catalog records.

Object safety also include providing appropriate security, and planning for disasters and other threats, and making sure that museum staff are trained in proper handling procedures.

For example, material from underwater archaeological sites may need to be kept wet, and some very rare and badly deteriorated objects require oxygen-free environments.

In addition, certain objects, particularly works on paper and textiles, are damaged by light and must only be displayed for short periods of time.

The biggest conservation issue for museum collections is the fluctuations in relative humidity and temperature.

[3] This has become widely accepted because the lower limit was set at 45% since damage to organic materials begin to occur below this point.

[5] There is some exception when it comes to tropical climates since the indigenous artifacts are acclimated to RH levels higher than the "museum norm".

There are ethical issues to consider since many donors of objects typically expect the museum to care for them in perpetuity.

The American Alliance of Museums and other regional associations often operate lists or boards to help facilitate such transfers.

A controversial example occurred when the last remaining complete dodo mount in a museum collection at Oxford University was deaccessioned due to its deterioration in 1775.

[9] The American Alliance of Museums Code of Ethics takes the position that "in no event shall they [deaccessioning proceeds] be used for anything other than acquisition or direct care of collections".

Selling artwork to fund budget deficits and pay salaries has been compared to "burning down your house to heat the kitchen.