Getting Your House in Order Workshop 2: Ownership of Collections

Illustrated image of a vase, painting and shell

The Getting Your House in Order online programme uses the framework of Spectrum 5.1 and its procedures to focus on the planning and work required for museums to get their collections documentation in order.  There are six workshops in the programme led by staff at the Collections Trust.  For more information visit here.

In this session about ownership, we will focus on the Spectrum 5.1 procedures involved in assessing and documenting new acquisitions, focusing on two primary procedures:

Object entry – Logging all objects coming into your care for whatever reason, including loans, enquiries and potential acquisitions.

Acquisition and accessioning – Taking legal ownership of objects, especially (but not always) to add to your long-term collection through the process of accessioning: the formal commitment by your governing body to care for objects over the long term.

We will examine topics such as due diligence, ethics, policy driven decision-making, and recording written evidence of transfer of title.

Please note – this session focuses on managing and documenting upcoming acquisitions and will not cover resolving historic issues.

By the end of the session, delegates will:

  • Understand which Spectrum procedures are most relevant to ownership and how they might work together.
  • Understand the role of the Spectrum standard in relation to museum Accreditation.
  • Know where to find more information and guidance.

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