collections for people: making stores work harder
DESCRIPTION
Speaker: Dr Suzanne Keene, Reader Emeritus in Museum Studies, UCLWith the recent National media interest, it is more important than ever that museumscan put their stored collections to work and make them accessible to the visitingpublic. Building on the Collections for People research, this seminar will look atpractical ways of making stored collections more accessible.TRANSCRIPT
Collections for People:making stores work harder
1 – About collections
www.ucl.ac.uk/storedcollections/www.suzannekeene.info
Pilgrim Trust
Those difficult questionsI
suppose you use
the objects
to change
the things in
the exhibitio
ns?Hmm, exhibitions don’t work quite like
that
I suppose people
come and work on
the objects for research?
Please don’t ask how
many people ...
Why do you have
collections when you
can’t display them?
Ah, they’re the heart
of the museum, you see
But can you afford the
storage cost if they are only useful for a few
researchers?
But they’re for the future!
Urban development - archaeology
Cataloguing the natural world
Disappearing worlds - ethnography
How did we get here?
Mass production and consumerism
Admit it, we just love to collect
Collections - 1001 kinds
Art / aesthetic
Functional objects
Archives for research
Places & people collections
Why should people want museums to have collections?
Economists and the cultural value debate …
Kinds of cultural value
• Authenticity value
• Symbolic value
• Historical value
• Spiritual value
• Aesthetic value
Authenticity value – researcheg, authenticating Vermeer: depends on 100’s of humbler objects
Symbolic value – identity
Canada
Europe (Vienna)
Australia
UK
Historical value – learning
Spiritual value - creativity
These massless bodies have
been made visible through the
effective exploitation of their
inherent flatness.
The thin, pentagonal shapes
are ... composed with both
harmony and sobriety ... ‘
Byrne & Smith, sound installation, The sculpture of the Grant Museum
Brittle stars are found in …
Spiritual values - history, memory, discovery
Aesthetic value – enjoyment of beauty
Values >> Uses
• Authenticity value >> Research
• Symbolic value>> Memory, identity
• Historical value >> Learning
• Spiritual value >> Creativity
• Aesthetic value >> Enjoyment of beauty
Use values and even “Non-use” values
Existence value
Option value
Bequest value
Prestige value
Future museums?
Future museums?
My hero! Mark Dion,
installation artist
Next, some evidence
www.ucl.ac.uk/storedcollections/www.suzannekeene.info
2 - Some evidence
Pilgrim Trust
How many people use / access collections?
80% - fewer than 400 users a year(10 a week)
20% - 400 or more users a year
So, what
made a
difference??
?
Kind or size of museum? The top 20% - 400+ users
7 Small local museums 7 Large local museums 6 University museums 6 Highly specialised collections 5 Large object collections3 English Heritage archaeology
regional stores2 Large national museums “It’s the old story. Small museums
are far behind the bigger ones.”
Difference: Why more users?1: Promote access
1999 - 98% of respondents offered access to stored material, less than 22% promoted it in museum literature
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
'More users' museums 'Fewer users' museums
Per
ce
nt o
f m
useu
ms
(N =
146
) StronglyWeakly or not
Difference: How promote access?
Six of the 36 ‘more users’ museums used the press to promote access: Only two of the 135 with ‘fewer users’
The website was the most common medium
Many museums used talks, society newsletters and outreach activities as well
Difference: Why more users?2: Provide access
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Tim
ed o
pen s
tore
Visib
le d
ispla
y st
ore
Adverti
sed s
tore
vis
its
User w
orksp
ace
Perm
anen
t open
sto
re
Visits
at g
roup re
quest
By ap
ptmt,
work
in s
tore
By ap
ptmt,
object
brt
to u
ser
Oth
er m
eans
Per
cen
t. o
f m
use
um
s (N
= 1
76)
'More users' museums'Fewer users' museums
‘Open storage’Often (not always) for large/industrial objects
Access usually by tours/open days
May be permanently open
Often includes access to observe or talk to staff
May be attached to the museum or a separate location
May combine more than one museum’s collection
What about the numbers?
Visited by many
The general public: visits to the collections
in general, e.g. store tours, open stores
Inspiration to some
Special interests: programmes, events,
special days, societies
to a significant
few
Pivotal exper-ience
One-to-one engagement:
researchers, artists, for social benefits,
volunteers
What about the numbers?
Visited by many
Inspiration to some
to a significant
few
Pivotal exper-ience
Thanks to the National Trust, Tyntesfield, who developed this concept
Visited by manyAccess days to sections of store once a month
Usually 4 advertised store tours per year
Strong links with schools, local colleges/uni’s, community groups, other museums and Archive Service users … we preserve working
practices… People come to see this …… nothing in the reserve is of
consequence. EVERYTHING worthwhile is on display.
Several enthusiast groups who are well acquainted with the collectionMainly local and
specialist groups …
Visited by many-open days
Visited by many – stores tours
Inspiration to someRugby enthusiasts, family history, sports historians
Musical instrument makers & designersDissertation students, volunteers,
Cold War researchers, archaeological researchers/academics People interested in
pierhead painters …Gypsy Travellers to see our Gypsy Wagons and Gypsy Floral Tribute
A level textile students City & Guilds patchwork & quilting students
Women with a specialist interest in our collections
Visiting professors from Russia
Inspiration to some - research
Inspiration to some … artists
Dario Lanzardo, ‘Arca Naturae’Collections of the Turin Museumduring a move
Mrs Janet Knell, drawingGrant Museum, UCL
Collections as medium
What do users say?We contacted -Research usersSome users who came to workshopsMystery Shoppers
Research users said …Sometimes I’ve had great success and fun, other times it’s been like pulling teeth
Only positive is staff – consistently helpful and positive
The readiness to allow the viewing and photographing of collections, made my task remarkably easy.
Make the first statement: “We want to make our stored collections more accessible … Please come in”Employ a collections
interpreter who can assist people
Do it! The collections are a brilliant resource for secondary schools
I have had a positive experience in accessing museum archives because the majority of museum staff have been keen to help and have taken an interest in my research.
Some museums found thorns among the roses …
We have suffered at the hands of unscrupulous researchers who systematically ‘nick’ documents and images
… would only consider even giving me the number to call to arrange a visit … once I had produced my Student ID to prove I was a post-graduate student.
Phone calls never returned, no specific email given, general email elicited no response.
We caught one visitor with a specialist group stuffing objects into his pockets - very embarassing
A pivotal experience
Pivotal experience“Volunteers come from a wide range of backgrounds and organisations including local mental health charities and disability organisations”
Volunteer … long periods out of work due to depression … regularly since 2004 … important collections management with archaeology …
Placement via … Association for the Blind … now full time employment in admin., having developed new skills …
Pivotal experienceCollections work: a safe, secure, calm well
ordered placeMuseums should be humble …Offer collections work (conservation and
collections care?) as a service to other organisations
Tick many objectives on local authority agenda
Why not more?
“We’d love to, but …”
Not enough staff Not enough spaceStore too far away
The storage loft is accessible by loft ladder …
Main store is 2 miles away and difficult for public to access. It is not staffed.
Current fashion … to promote “use it or lose it” without supplying the means and support
… conservation attitudes based on deep packaging and reducing exposure and handling.
What, no space?
Museums have -Housed their archival collection in the local Record
Office, available to researchers on specific days
Equipped the Registrar’s office for researchers - she can continue with her own work while they study objects
Replaced four separate rooms for different collections with a single study room staffed by curators on a published rota
Used collections study rooms for curators to do collections work alongside researchers and users
What, no staff?
Museums have - Equipped a wider range of staffMuseum interpreter team members sent on a course
in Roman history, can now conduct public tours
Collections management staff provide many kinds of collections access in an off-site collections centre
A collections access officer makes the practical arrangements and develops relationships with outside bodies
Paid Guide Enablers – they train themselves to conduct tours
Specific collections access staff (not specialist curators)
What, no staff?
Museums have - Used external resourcesA budget to pay external tutors to deliver
courses, sessions, etc., using the collections
Partnerships with sectors outside museums who would largely supply the resources
A visible store that will be staffed and managed by library staff
Store too far away?There’s always the car! Restricted target
market segment not necessarily bad.
How to have popular collections?
All in the mind(set)?
“People if they express an interest are warmly invited to see the reserve collection”
“… as long as they have academic approval”
“Aimless visitors are directed to the exhibition except for occasional special public tours”
“There isn't much interest in the stored collections”
“Only person who researches is me”
How to have popular collections!
Advertise collections - press, local radio, leaflets
Open the stores for groups, days, special events
Tell users what’s in the collections - online catalogues, website collections descriptions
Think inreach
Use more of the staff
Offer a service – work with collections - to local and specialist organisations and individuals - let them drive
The last word – from a museum
“… break down the market for use into a
series of niche markets, understanding the
needs of each, without abandoning the
core market use by researchers in favour of
new potential users.”
www.ucl.ac.uk/storedcollections/
And thank you to …
Collections for PeopleSuzanne Keene, Alice Stevenson, Francesca Monti
Pilgrim Trust
+
Open stores, open days
+
+Visited by many-offsite open days
Birmingham Museums & Galleries
Oxfordshire Museums ServiceScience Museum large objects
London Transport Museum
+
Birmingham Museums & GalleriesLots and lots of inspirational ideas & events, e.g.:
opening at 4am in the morning for a special photography event as part of Birmingham's City of Culture bid last year)
a Halloween evening on the last Friday in Octoberwhich was attended by 547 people in 2 hours!
two big free open days every year. These are normally attended by c. 1000 people each
Collection visitor figures
2005-06 5002006-07 21002007-08 34002008-09 40002009-10 45002010-11 4000
to date
+
Oxfordshire Museum Services –Offsite store Open Days
Two open weekends a year. Staff and volunteer guides attend, have days off in lieu, so no extra staff cost.
Store tours and a room with tables where staff demonstrate processes, eg conservation, documentation
Most common visitor comment: Interesting … Very interesting …
+Science Museum Wroughton –Events for collectors or enthusiasts
BBC Wiltshire:“The Science Museum Wroughton is opening up one of its vast aircraft hangers to the public, this weekend, for an exhibition following the history and uses of wood and paper... “
+
London Transport MuseumThe Depot – offsite store
Open Weekends
Open stores a weekend every month
“To avoid the queues, tickets can be booked in advance …”
+
Not just transport anoraks …
Websites+movie\Creative Review - Down the Depot.html