One of the most integral aspects of museum management, collections stewardship, relies on the systematic development and implementation of policies, plans, and procedures to guide the proper management and care of collections and achieve mission-related goals and objectives.
At the Smithsonian, collections stewardship is guided by Smithsonian Directive 600, Collections Management. More information and additional guidance are available in the internal Directives Library.
Collections management policies establish governance standards and mission-oriented principles that guide collections-related activities, incorporating all aspects of management to fulfill the stewardship obligations inherent to museum collections.
A fully developed collections management policy offers comprehensive and practical instruction on the use and administration of objects to guarantee prudent and informed decision-making and allows management to demonstrate diligence when considering the museum’s position on all collections-related activities.Accreditation by national professional organizations requires collecting institutions to maintain a current, approved, comprehensive collections management policy that actively guides collections stewardship. While tailored to the specific discipline and organizational structure of the museum and its collections, several general components apply to all museums.
General Principles |
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Components |
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Approved strategic procedures guiding the content and development of collections, collections stewardship plans lead staff in a coordinated, uniform direction over a specified period to refine, shape, and expand the value and vision of the collection. Collections stewardship plans provide mechanisms to strengthen intellectual control over collections through logical assessments of collections and resources.
Collections stewardship plans engage staff and stakeholders to develop a compelling, shared vision for the collections and refocus collecting activities to move from idiosyncratic, reactive collecting to strategic, integrated, and proactive collecting – to shape, rather than build, collections.