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1. What is a museum collection? |
A museum collection is a group of artifacts (including archives)
and/or scientific specimens that are relevant to museum’s
mission, mandates, history, and themes, and which the museum
curators, preserve, and makes available for access (through
research, exhibits, and other media) for the public benefit.
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| 2. Why should museums acquire
and manage museum collections?
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Museum collections (objects, specimens, and archival and manuscripts
collections) are important museum resources in their own right as well
as being valuable for the information they provide about processes,
events, and interactions among people and the environment. Natural
and cultural objects and their associated records provide baseline data,
serving as scientific and historical documentation of the museum’s
resources and purpose. All museum records that are directly associated
with museum objects are managed as museum property. These and
other museum records are preserved as part of the archival and
manuscript collection because they document and provide as information
base for the understanding of the museum’s mission. Museum objects
used in exhibits, furnished historic structures, and other interpretative
programs help visitors gain better understanding of cultural and
natural heritage of the region. |
