How Museums Collect

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HOW MUSEUMS COLLECT BY: ELLEN B. HIRZY. B.A AUTHOR OF EXCELLENCE & EQUITY: EDUCATION AND THE PUBLIC DIMENSION OF MUSEUMS AND OTHER PUBLICATIONS Most museums add objects to their collections through gifts and bequests (objects given to museums upon a person’s death), primarily from individuals. Museums actively develop relationships with potential donors to stimulate their interest in giving to the collection. People may decide to donate objects out of generosity, because they want to share what they have collected with the public. They may want to be sure that their collections or objects are safely preserved for future generations. Or they may seek the prestige of giving to a museum. In the United States and United Kingdom, people who donate objects to museums receive tax benefits. Some museums have dedicated budgets for acquiring new objects. Museums use these funds to purchase objects from collectors, dealers, or at public auction. Only larger museums can hope to be successful in competing in the marketplace for objects with great artistic, historical, or scientific importance. In some cases, museums directly acquire objects or artifacts through archaeological fieldwork sponsored by the museum or conducted by its staff. Museums also lend objects to other museums for educational, exhibition, or research purposes, either short-term or long-term. Since physical space limits the portion of a museum’s collection that can be on view, this arrangement is an opportunity to bring objects out of storage and broaden public access to them. It also permits the borrowing museum to supplement its own collection or present a well-rounded exhibition. Museums can build high-quality collections only by establishing and following clear acquisition policies and plans. These policies selectively limit the categories of objects, relate collecting activity to the museum’s stated

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