Collections Reform Project
Collections Reform Project | Project overview | UK Maritime Collection Strategy | NMM Disposal Programme | Current research facilities | General questions
Collections Reform Project
Summary of seminar held on 23 March 2005
The National Maritime Museum (NMM) held an open seminar to discuss its Collections Reform Project with interested members of the public and professional stakeholders. It was attended by 53 people and proved to be a very useful open discussion of the Museum's plans for all participants. We are grateful to all participants, who gave up their own time to attend and contribute towards the development of the Project.
The seminar was chaired by Roy Clare, then Director of the National Maritime Museum and four short presentations were given by Museum staff on various aspects. A question and answer session followed each presentation and a final general forum at the end of proceedings. A representative from the Department of Culture, Media and Sport also contributed a few words regarding the general importance of the NMM Collection Reform Project, which they sponsor.
Introduction
Roy Clare provided a short introduction to the day and emphasised the central importance of the Collection Reform Project in taking forward the Museum's strategic ambition towards 2015. In particular the work would facilitate the creation of a totally new experience for Museum users. The goal is to enhance access to the archive and library collections, develop our education facilities and effectively to transform the Museum by integrating the presentation of our 2D and object collections on-site at Greenwich.
The reforms will lead to better stewardship of collections held for the nation and would afford much improved research and reading facilities for scholars and recreational users alike.
For more information about the Collections Reform Project, read the press release, issued 30 November 2004.
There are also some general questions and answers about the Project.
Collections Reform Project overview
Dr. Margarette Lincoln, Director Collections and Research, commenced proceedings by providing an overview of the Collection Reform Project. She explained how it consists of several components, all designed to enhance access to and preservation of the collections while ensuring effective use of resources:
- Comprehensive inventory programme/stocktaking of all collections at NMM, excepting manuscript collections which are the subject of an ongoing cataloguing programme
- Development of new archive and library facilities – to improve access to, and preservation of, core archival and library collections on site at Greenwich
- Collection review and rationalisation of collection storage – to prioritise collections according to significance, actual and potential demand, conservation and security need to identify those to remain in storage on-site, off-site but local to Greenwich, off-site and outside London in 'remote' storage
- Closure and decant of one of the stores in accordance with above collection rationalisation
- Dispersal/disposal of around 4000 items from the NMM's collections (which total over 2 million), primarily to other organizations better suited to providing access and stewardship
Questions afterwards focused upon the nature and extent of the inventory programme and the processes/people involved in rationalising collections storage. For example:
Q. Were more staff employed to man the inventory team?
A. Yes. Highly-qualified staff found this a useful entry into Museum work.
Q. What is the programme for inventorying historic photographs and ship plans?
A. Aspects of this work are underway: ship plans will be catalogued to box level by end 2006; major photographic collections have been prioritised for cataloguing.
Q. Did the inventory project just focus on one store or the entire NMM collection?
A. Entire NMM collection
Q. Were subject experts involved in the inventory project?
A. Yes, when appropriate. We are heavily-involved in the collections review process
UK Maritime Collection Strategy
Dr. Janet Owen, Head of Curatorial Group, provided a brief summary of the broader museums and cross-domain network within which the Collection Reform Project operates. The UK Maritime Collection Strategy (UKMCS) is a collegiate grouping of over 30 museums across the UK which aims to be a cross-domain maritime cultural community working together to promote public awareness and enjoyment of the UK's wealth of maritime collections, by facilitating the enhancement of their stewardship and interpretation.
Members have agreed collecting areas and remits for development of specialist expertise to avoid unnecessary duplication of work. They work in partnership to identify joint storage solutions and collections access initiatives. Further examples of their work can be found on the UKMCS website.
The UKMCS work is disseminated into the broader maritime heritage community through the Maritime Curators Group, an informal group of museum professionals who meet bi-annually. The NMM Collection Reform Project is undertaken within this broader context and the NMM is in discussion with its UKMCS colleagues regarding its dispersal programme. Several items are in the process of being dispersed to UKMCS museums.
Questions
Q. Membership of UKMCS: how can local organizations become involved?
A. Any organization with a genuine maritime heritage remit and collection can submit their information for inclusion on the web-site and can engage with UKMCS activity through the Maritime Curators Group. The UKMCS is also seeking to establish regional representatives – 'gateway museums' – in each English region, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales, that can encourage joined up maritime heritage activity at a regional and local level.
Q. How can an organization be considered as a possible recipient for items from the NMM dispersal programme?
A. Any organization with a genuine public maritime heritage remit can express an interest in the programme by writing to Roy Clare, Director. The team will log areas of interest and contact an organization if/when relevant material becomes available.
Q. Does UKMCS include archives and libraries?
A. UKMCS was established in 1998 with cross-domain aspirations in mind, and development of archive membership is identified as an action point in the UKMCS Forward Plan available for viewing on its website.
Q. What arrangements are there for maritime archaeology in the UKMCS?
A. The Mary Rose Trust is the lead museum representing maritime archaeology interests within the UKMCS and provide advice and expertise on methods and procedures for undertaking maritime archaeology. In terms of collecting material, the NMM and UKMCS colleagues, focus on collecting under particular subject themes rather than object types – and this may include material from maritime archaeology contexts. In terms of preservation, NMM advocates where possible, that preservation should be undertaken in-situ, given the considerable ongoing costs of preservation if excavated. English Heritage have formal responsibility for advising government on maritime archaeology issues in relation to territorial waters, and receive funding specifically to undertake this work.
Q. Can UKMCS assist organizations in finding the right home for maritime collections currently in 'private' hands? For example, the Thames barge sailing club and trust?
A. Yes. Please write to Roy Clare, Director, with details and we can discuss the collection with our UKMCS colleagues to determine the most appropriate home for such material.
Q. Does the NMM keep track of items it does not want to accept?
A. Not usually, but it will always seek to suggest alternative museums that may be interested in acquiring the material.
NMM Disposal Programme
This item was introduced by Angela Doane, Head of Collections Group, who firstly defined the terms 'disposal', and 'prop' and 'accessioned object':
- Disposal is the permanent removal of an item accessioned into the collection from the ownership of the Museum’s governing body by the process of gift, sale, exchange, or to the Museum’s handling collection.
- Museum objects are historic items of original intrinsic value to the maritime world story, such as weaponry and ordnance or polar exploration diaries.
- Props are materials that dress a display, or have been made by the Museum to illustrate a particular point in an exhibition
Angela Doane explained in detail the comprehensive workflow that is followed for every single item in terms of deciding whether to disperse or dispose and to whom. The process begins with a thorough review by curatorial and collections management staff (who consider the significance of an item in relation to NMM's mission and collecting policy, whether it may be more relevant to another public organization, is a duplicate, or is a health and safety hazard).
After checking the legal status of any object proposed for dispersal or disposal and identifying potential recipients, they provide recommendations that are considered by senior management and Trustees before final approval is sought from the Department of Culture, Media and Sport. No decision is made lightly and the key driver is collection access.
Questions
Q. Will the chart explaining the process of disposal/ dispersal be posted on the website?
A. Yes. Download the chart (PDF, 52KB - updated September 2008)
Q. Will items that are termed props and not accessioned items in the collections be available for sale to the public if no home can be found in other public bodies?
A. Our experience to date suggests that there will be no problem to disperse props as there is plenty of demand from other public bodies.
Q. What will be done with duplicate items from the library?
A. Library items that are rare and important will be found a new home following the due process of disposal dispersal process, there will be no short cuts. Duplicates of modern general reference works will be assessed according to normal library stock management procedures.
Q. For those items advertised for dispersal or disposal in the Museum Journal – will there also be a bulletin board at the National Maritime Museum?
A. Professional museum codes of ethics require the NMM to announce its intention to disperse through the Museums Journal, if an obvious new home in the public museums domain cannot be easily identified. This enables other registered museums and related bodies such as the National Trust to express an interest. Only if this approach is unsuccessful would non-museum public organizations such as relevant heritage societies and trusts be approached.
Q. What percentage of suggested items for dispersal or disposal have failed to remain within the public domain?
A. None yet. The programme is in its early stages.
Q. Will items that have gone through the dispersal/ disposal process be able to be traced at a later stage?
A. Yes, all items will be documented with where they went and why.
Q. What percentage of 3D objects are on the dispersal/ disposal list?
A. Approximately 9%
Q. How much space will be freed up by the dispersal/ disposal programme?
A. Approximately 2000 cubic metres
Q. Are larger objects targeted for dispersal/ disposal due to the expense of their display/ storage?
A. Many factors drive the decision regarding which potential dispersals/ disposals to pursue, and cost benefit is one variable
Q. The Reliant was taken off display and was disposed of due to lack of storage space - could this happen again?
A. It is extremely unlikely the Museum would take on a large vessel like Reliant again as it does not make financial sense in comparison to its significance and in terms of what it prevents us from collecting or doing with our collections. The Reliant cost £200,000 per annum to store. Nothing should be ruled out, but there are no easy answers to this question. Rigour is required when making decisions regarding whether to keep historic ships.
Current research facilities
Jill Terrell, Head of Library and Manuscripts, briefly outlined the current research facilities available for archive users at the NMM. She discussed how the work of a range of researchers, from maritime historians to family history researchers, is facilitated at Greenwich, but also summarised the key constraints which impact negatively upon the Museum’s ability to provide increased access to a wider group of users with current facilities.
The Caird Library was a visionary concept for the early-20th century but is becoming outdated by the demands and opportunities created by the new millennium.
Questions
Q. It is always useful to look through the paper catalogue of manuscripts, will this facility continue?
A. Yes, and these will be complemented by increasingly powerful online search facilities.
Q. Will it be possible to take digital photos of manuscripts that are not under copyright in the future?
A. The NMM holds material other than that in Crown Copyright, and it would not be possible for users of the library to take photos without supervision. Current facilities do not support easy supervision and due to constraints on space other users might be inconvenienced. However, this policy is being considered for review and certainly within the proposed new Archive, opportunities for photography will be designed into the solution.
Q. To help with digitising the Archives, would it be possible for users to provide their own cameras and provide photos which can then be the property of the NMM for use as required? Alternatively, could the NMM provide high resolution cameras under suitable conditions that researchers would operate to help reduce the cost of digitising the entire collection? In this way high resolution images could be produced on demand for researchers by them taking the images themselves and leaving the 'Master' image on your server.
A. When photographing manuscripts and text, very high quality is required to be useful online, thus this job has to be undertaken by a professional photographer.
Q. Sometimes it takes a long time to access items from off-site.
A. This is why the NMM plans to put a new Archive on-site which brings together core collections. It is acknowledged this is an issue.
Q. Cataloguing of the ephemera collections will need to use a different approach to the one currently used; for example, when a search using 'Chandlery catalogues' was made, only one result appeared.
A. Yes, there are shortfalls with the online catalogue, particularly regarding keywords, and the Museum is continuing to develop the search function of its catalogue to enhance access to all collections. A maritime thesaurus is currently under development.
Q. How many qualified Archivists does the Museum employ?
A. Three. The Manuscripts Cataloguers working on the Museum catalogue are supervised by a qualified archivist, and their work adheres to ISADG standards.
Q. Does the museum register its collections with the National Register of Archives?
A. This work has been undertaken in the past, and the Museum is in the process of re-initiating this registration work.
General questions
Q. Has the NMM been involved in discussions regarding the development of wharf buildings in Deptford (Convoy Wharf)? Are there opportunities to learn from the Chatham Historic Dockyard concept here?
A. NMM has knowledge of the project and has been involved in discussions regarding the future development of the site. As a matter of interest, the NMM is involved in very exploratory discussions with colleagues in East Kent regarding whether it is possible to display the Anglo-Saxon Graveney Boat near to its original location of discovery and use. One possible candidate is the Faversham Creek area, a redevelopment priority for local planning in the area.
Q. Has the Museum a cast of the Sutton Hoo boat?
A. The NMM borrowed a fibre glass positive of the Sutton Hoo boat from the British Museum to display in its archaeology galleries and was returned when taken off display. The NMM does, however, have a fibre glass positive of the Graveney Boat and a section of the original plaster cast.
Q. The Dolphin Sailing Club Trust in Faverhsam is having to give up its lease and seeks a new home, like some other small boat yards. Can the NMM give any support to this as part of any discussions re Graveney Boat?
A. The Director asked that a letter be written to him giving details. Stephen Riley (Director of Maritime Heritage) and Dr Janet Owen (Head of Curatorial Group) can give advice, but not money.
Q. Is the Museum monitoring staffing expertise to support a sustainable Collections Policy?
A. The NMM has a very active programme of investing in curatorial succession planning, with key areas of expertise identified and addressed. DCMS actively support this programme.
And finally, a vote of thanks was given to the Director and his colleagues for the information given in the seminar.
The Director accepted the thanks and stated that this dialogue is not a one-off measure. The NMM is keen to consult publicly about its plans and will continue to communicate via a further seminar should the demand exist.