The Collections Policy

1
The Collections Policy
2
Why a Collections Policy

• Set the purpose of a museums collection
• Guide the staff in adding to the collection
• Guide the staff in future use of collection
  artifacts
• Help explain the purpose of the museum and its
  collections to those looking to donate

3
A Look at a Collections Policy

• National Model Aviation Museum
• Education Collection

4
Mission Statement

• The education collection of the National Model
  Aviation Museum provides the visitor with
  hands-on, interactive, interesting ways to learn
  about model aviation, as well as aviation in
  general.

5
Scope of the Collection

• Artifacts that demonstrate the history of model
  aviation, the history of flight, or the technical
  aspects of flight may be placed in the education
  collection. This may include hands-on exhibits,
  model airplanes, flight demonstration models,
  radio equipment, tools, and other objects, as
  well as artifacts that supplement gallery
  exhibits but do not fit into the scope of the
  permanent collection. The artifacts in the
  education collection may be original or
  reproductions, but they may not be of lasting
  historical value to the National Model Aviation
  Museum.

6
Uses of the Collection

• The education collection will be used to create
  interactive exhibits, supplement general
  exhibits, demonstrate models in flight, and allow
  visitors to handle models and equipment.

7
Authority over the Collection

• Artifacts in the education collection will be
  solely under the authority of Museum staff
  (director, registrar, archivist, and educator).
  The Museum staff will make decisions relating to
  accepting donations to the education collection,
  accessioning purchased or made-for-museum
  artifacts into the education collection, or
  deaccessioning artifacts from the education
  collection.

8
Acquiring

• Artifacts will be accepted into the Museums
  education collection based on whether or not they
  fit the scope of the education collection and
  whether or not they are likely to be used in the
  future. The decision to accept an artifact into
  the education collection will be made by the
  Museum staff. Artifacts may be received into the
  education collection through a number of
  different sources

9

• Artifacts may be donated directly to the
  education collection. This occurs either when the
  donor specifies donating an artifact to the
  education collection or when the Museum staff
  decide to place a donation in the education
  collection, with the knowledge of the donor.
• Artifacts may be deaccessioned from the permanent
  collection into the education collection. This
  occurs either when Museum staff decide that an
  artifact in the permanent collection better fits
  the scope and purpose of the education collection
  than the permanent collection, or when an
  artifact which is being deaccessioned from the
  permanent collection for regular reasons happens
  to fit the scope and purpose of the education
  collection.
• Items that are found in the museums care with no
  provenance may be placed in the education
  collection.
• Items that are collected by Academy of Model
  Aeronautics staff and approved by Museum staff
  may be placed in the education collection.
• Museum staff may purchase artifacts for the
  education collection. This should only be done if
  Museum staff have compelling reasons why the
  purchase of new artifacts is necessary and in the
  best interests of the collection and the Museum.
• Museum staff may make artifacts for the
  education collection. This should be done if
  Museum staff have compelling reasons why the
  manufacturing of new artifacts is necessary and
  in the best interests of the collection and the
  Museum.
• Items that the AMA has created (posters,
  trophies, patches) may be placed in the
  collection.

10
Record Keeping

• Museum staff will make every effort to keep
  careful records of the artifacts in the education
  collection, and will record donations and
  artifacts in a computerized database. Donations
  will be tracked together as accessions, and each
  individual artifact will be catalogued separately
  with its own collection number. Careful note
  should be made in the computerized database (and
  anywhere else that makes sense) of each
  artifacts condition and where it is stored, and
  this should be updated when the artifact moves
  location. Deeds of gift and other important
  documents should be carefully saved.

11
Loans

• Exhibits made up of education collection
  artifacts may be loaned out to other
  institutions such cases must follow all of the
  policies and procedures followed for loans of
  artifacts in the permanent collection.

12
Preservation

• Because artifacts in the education collection are
  intentionally set apart for handling and use,
  they are expected to deteriorate or break down
  over time. Nevertheless, this is not an excuse
  for intentionally shoddy handling or care,
  misuse, or abuse of artifacts rather, artifacts
  in the education collection should receive an
  appropriately high level of care.

13
Access

• The education collection may be accessed by
  Museum staff as well as approved volunteers. The
  artifacts may be removed from their storage
  locations for use with visitors as needed.
  Artifacts in the education collection have little
  research value, and will most likely not need to
  be accessed for research purposes. If such a case
  does arise, see permanent collection policy and
  procedures.

14
Deaccessioning

• Artifacts may be deaccessioned from the
  education collection when they no longer serve
  the purpose of the education collection because
  of the following reasons
• The artifact has experienced too much wear or
  degradation to be useful.
• The artifact, for one reason or another, will
  very likely not be used in the future.
• The decision to deaccession an artifact in the
  education collection will be made by the Museum
  Staff. Museum staff may seek to replace
  deaccessioned artifacts if they feel that that is
  in the best interests of the collection.

15
Disposal

• Artifacts that have been deaccessioned from the
  education collection will be sold at public
  auctions (with the proceedings going into the
  collections fund) or disposed of completely.
  Under no circumstances will any Academy of Model
  Aeronautics staff benefit from the deaccessioning
  of disposal of any education collection artifact.
  

16
Changes to the Policy

• All policy changes must be initiated by Museum
  staff and approved by the Museum Steering
  Committee.

17

• Collections Policy 
• National Model Aviation Museum Education
  Collection
•   
• Mission Statement The education collection of
  the National Model Aviation Museum provides the
  visitor with hands-on, interactive, interesting
  ways to learn about model aviation, as well as
  aviation in general.
•  
• Scope of the Collection Artifacts that
  demonstrate the history of model aviation, the
  history of flight, or the technical aspects of
  flight may be placed in the education collection.
  This may include hands-on exhibits, model
  airplanes, flight demonstration models, radio
  equipment, tools, and other objects, as well as
  artifacts that supplement gallery exhibits but do
  not fit into the scope of the permanent
  collection. The artifacts in the education
  collection may be original or reproductions, but
  they may not be of lasting historical value to
  the National Model Aviation Museum.
•  
• Uses of the Collection The education collection
  will be used to create interactive exhibits,
  supplement general exhibits, demonstrate models
  in flight, and allow visitors to handle models
  and equipment.
•  
• Authority over the Collection Artifacts in the
  education collection will be solely under the
  authority of Museum staff (director, registrar,
  archivist, and educator). The Museum staff will
  make decisions relating to accepting donations to
  the education collection, accessioning purchased
  or made-for-museum artifacts into the education
  collection, or deaccessioning artifacts from the
  education collection.
•  
• Acquiring Artifacts will be accepted into the
  Museums education collection based on whether or
  not they fit the scope of the education
  collection and whether or not they are likely to
  be used in the future. The decision to accept an
  artifact into the education collection will be
  made by the Museum staff. Artifacts may be
  received into the education collection through a
  number of different sources
• Artifacts may be donated directly to the
  education collection. This occurs either when the
  donor specifies donating an artifact to the
  education collection or when the Museum staff
  decide to place a donation in the education
  collection, with the knowledge of the donor.
• Artifacts may be deaccessioned from the permanent
  collection into the education collection. This
  occurs either when Museum staff decide that an
  artifact in the permanent collection better fits
  the scope and purpose of the education collection
  than the permanent collection, or when an
  artifact which is being deaccessioned from the
  permanent collection for regular reasons happens
  to fit the scope and purpose of the education
  collection.
• Items that are found in the museums care with no
  provenance may be placed in the education
  collection.
• Items that are collected by Academy of Model
  Aeronautics staff and approved by Museum staff
  may be placed in the education collection.

• Museum staff may purchase artifacts for the
  education collection. This should only be done if
  Museum staff have compelling reasons why the
  purchase of new artifacts is necessary and in the
  best interests of the collection and the Museum.
• Museum staff may make artifacts for the
  education collection. This should be done if
  Museum staff have compelling reasons why the
  manufacturing of new artifacts is necessary and
  in the best interests of the collection and the
  Museum.
• Items that the AMA has created (posters,
  trophies, patches) may be placed in the
  collection.
• Record Keeping Museum staff will make every
  effort to keep careful records of the artifacts
  in the education collection, and will record
  donations and artifacts in a computerized
  database. Donations will be tracked together as
  accessions, and each individual artifact will be
  catalogued separately with its own collection
  number. Careful note should be made in the
  computerized database (and anywhere else that
  makes sense) of each artifacts condition and
  where it is stored, and this should be updated
  when the artifact moves location. Deeds of gift
  and other important documents should be carefully
  saved.
•  
• Loans Exhibits made up of education collection
  artifacts may be loaned out to other
  institutions such cases must follow all of the
  policies and procedures followed for loans of
  artifacts in the permanent collection.
•  
• Preservation Because artifacts in the education
  collection are intentionally set apart for
  handling and use, they are expected to
  deteriorate or break down over time.
  Nevertheless, this is not an excuse for
  intentionally shoddy handling or care, misuse, or
  abuse of artifacts rather, artifacts in the
  education collection should receive an
  appropriately high level of care.
•  
• Access The education collection may be accessed
  by Museum staff as well as approved volunteers.
  The artifacts may be removed from their storage
  locations for use with visitors as needed.
  Artifacts in the education collection have little
  research value, and will most likely not need to
  be accessed for research purposes. If such a case
  does arise, see permanent collection policy and
  procedures.
•  
• Deaccessioning Artifacts may be deaccessioned
  from the education collection when they no longer
  serve the purpose of the education collection
  because of the following reasons
• The artifact has experienced too much wear or
  degradation to be useful.
• The artifact, for one reason or another, will
  very likely not be used in the future.
• The decision to deaccession an artifact in the
  education collection will be made by the Museum
  Staff. Museum staff may seek to replace
  deaccessioned artifacts if they feel that that is
  in the best interests of the collection.
•  
• Disposal Artifacts that have been deaccessioned
  from the education collection will be sold at
  public auctions (with the proceedings going into
  the collections fund) or disposed of completely.
  Under no circumstances will any Academy of Model
  Aeronautics staff benefit from the deaccessioning
  of disposal of any education collection artifact.
  
•  

18

• For additional information, see the written
  Procedures for the National Model Aviation
  Museums Education Collection.

19
Procedures

• National Model Aviation Museum
• Education Collection
• (A seven page document)

20
Accessioning

• Accession Numbers
• Donations solely to the Education Collection
• Donations to the Education Collection as part of
  larger donations
• Artifacts deaccessioned from Permanent to
  Education Collection
• Artifacts that were
• Found in the Museums care
• Collected by AMA staff
• Purchased by the Museum
• Made by the Museum
• Originally created for the AMA
• Filing All Accessions

21
Cataloguing

• Catalogue Numbers
• Cataloguing Artifacts

22
Handling of Objects

• Tours and Programs
• Access to Artifacts
• Care of Artifacts
• Location of Artifacts

23

• Tours and Programs
• Artifacts in the edu collection may be used in
  tours and programs, as well as as parts of
  exhibits.
• When artifacts are to be used for tours or
  programs, they may be removed from their storage
  locations. If it is helpful, the artifacts may be
  brought to one centralized location beforehand.
• Artifacts may be placed on top of display cases
  and elsewhere around the Museum for hands-on use
  in tours. These artifacts should be removed from
  the Museum as soon as possible after a tour.
• After a tour or program, the artifacts should be
  returned to their storage location within a
  reasonable amount of time. If the artifacts are
  going to be another tour or program in the
  relatively near future, they may be kept at a
  centralized location rather than immediately
  returned to their storage locations.

24

• Deaccessioning
• The Process of Deaccessioning
• How to Deaccession
• Disposal of Artifacts
• Changes to the Procedures
• Any changes of these procedures must be
  discussed and decided upon by Museum staff.

25

• Collections Policy
• Collections Procedures