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Deaccessioning is the process used to remove permanently an object from a museum's collection.
Disposal is the process of getting rid of the object that has been deaccessioned.
As you saw in your reading some museums used to be less picky about what they would take in. Museums may now decide to weed their collection for items that don't support their mission.
But once an object has been accessioned into the collection it can't just be discarded. There is a need for a formal process put into place for disposing of objects.
These procedures are designed to insure thoughtful, well-documented consideration of each proposed collection item in the context of the long term interest of the museum, the general public, and the collection item.
Deaccessioning is NOT a bad thing but there are ethical issues surrounding deaccessioning as well. The American Association of Museums and International Council of Museums prohibits the proceeds of such sales from being used for anything other than further acquisitions or direct care of collections. It is not ILLEGAL but it is considered UNETHICAL because a museum has a fiduciary responsibility to the collection.
In 2009 the National Academy sold two Hudson River School paintings from its collection to put money toward its operating budget.
There was a huge outcry from the museum community. A lot of museum professionals thought that if nothing was done about this than more museums would try to sell off part of their collections to cover expenses.
The American Association of Museum Directors went as far as asking other museums to never lend or transfer material to the National Academy ever again.
In 2011 the New York Board of Regents unanimously approved a permanent amendment to Regents Rule §3.27, relating to museum collections management policies. The new rules govern deaccession practices of all museums and historical societies chartered by the Regents.
Under the approved amendment, deaccession proceeds may be used only for “the acquisition of collections, or the preservation, conservation or direct care of collections. In no event shall proceeds derived from the deaccessioning of any property from the collection be used for operating expenses or for any [other] purposes.”
If museums do not follow the rules in the amendment they can lose their charter.
Reasons why an object might be removed from the collection
Reasons why an object might be removed from the collection
1. The item does not fit within the museum's "scope of the collection" or a museum's scope has changed.
Museum may change its focus or items may have been accessioned without considering the mission of the museum.
For example, the Albright-Knox Museum in Buffalo NY changed its mission from an encyclopedic art museum to one solely dedicated to contemporary art. The Museum’s antiquities and medieval and Renaissance art was sold at Sotheby’s to buy new contemporary pieces for the museum.
2. The museum cannot provide proper care for the object.
Collection storage is almost always limited and can sometimes be treated like a black hole.
Storage is costly especially since most storage needs to be controlled for temp. and humidity.
Above photo is copyright of the National Maritime Museum
In 2001 the UK National Maritime Museum deaccessioned this 1907 steam-paddle tug boat because it was too costly to preserve and store. Deaccessioning saved the museum 200,000 pounds a year on storage.
3. The museum objects is in poor physical condition, whether through accidental damage, vandalism, deterioration, infestation or inherent vice and which are beyond restoration to a level suitable for public display, scholarly use or other appropriate museum or educational purpose.
1780 pill case
4. The museum owns an abundance of like objects.
Museums will also often just sample objects. A standard sampling number is about 3-5. Imagine if a museum had 75 of the same type of sewing machine in the collection. This would take up an unnecessary amount of space. Maintaining 3-5 would allow the museum to rotate objects for exhibit and have some backups in case anything happens.
5. The object is hazardous to other collections or staff
- asbestos, common in domestic items of the early 20th century;
- old ammunition, which may be unstable;
- radioactive materials
- animal and bird specimens treated with arsenic or formalin as part of the original taxidermy process
- cellulose nitrate film, which can spontaneously combust
- poison darts
- allergen products in natural history collections
- lead items
- some mineral specimens
German WWII ammunition and weapons at Atlantic Wall Museum
6. Restitution and Repatriation
An object of personal or cultural property that must be returned to the original owner, the owner's descendants or other claimants (eg. material returned to a tribe under NAGPRA.)
This krater was purchased by the Metropolitan Museum of Art for $1 million from Robert Hecht. It was later realized that the krater had been illegally excavated and Italy and the Met agreed to arrange the return of the krater in exchange for other long term loans in 2008.
Deaccession Policy
Deaccession Policy
You can see now why it's important to follow the appropriate steps in the acquisition process. Like accessioning, Deaccessioning should be taken seriously. It's important to establish the institution's clear and unrestricted title to an object.
items found in collection which can include things left for authentication but never retrieved, unclaimed objects, or objects never properly accessioned that have little to no documentation can cause problems. Staff should make a real effort to find out where the item came from and document this research. Disposing of these objects can be sticky. Some museums allow it some don't.
Deaccessioning missing or stolen objects is discouraged since things can turn up.
Deaccessioning objects with Restrictions
Precatory Restriction- In some cases a donor may stipulate that the donation cannot be deaccessioned or can only be deaccessioned in a certain way, such as returning to donor or donor’s family.
One of the only ways out of this is through Cy Pres- Doctrine in the law of charities whereby when it becomes impossible, impractical, or illegal to carry out the particular purpose of the donor, a scheme will be framed by a court to carry out the general intention of applying the gift to charitable purposes that are closely related or similar to the original purposes.
For example: the Brooklyn Museum’s legal dilemma’s over trying to deaccession the 229 fakes, replicas, and misattributed art work in their collection. The donor had put a restriction on the entire collection stating that it must stay together.
Disposal
Disposal
What are the appropriate methods of disposal?
- Transfer the deaccession to another museum
- Transfer the deaccession to a non-accessioned collection within the museum
- Sell the object
- Destroy the object
- Repatriation
No matter what method is used, the museum must keep excellent records of the transaction, and keep that file.
Controversy
Controversy
A Museum is a public trust and deaccessioning and disposal can lead to public criticism and affect future collection donations.
A museum is chartered to provide the public with the social and educational benefits of access to the works over which it has custodianship.
There is an agreed upon policy throughout museum / collection management communities that funds from deaccessioning must go back into collection care and not into the operating budget. There are strong policies put in place throughout the museum community stating under what circumstances an object can be deaccessioned.
International Council of Museums (ICOM) Code of Ethics states that:
"Money or compensation received from the deaccessioning and disposal of objects and specimens from a museum collection should be used solely for the benefit of the collection and usually for acquisitions to that same collection"
The American Association of Museums Code of Ethics takes the position that "in no event shall they [deaccessioning proceeds] be used for anything other than acquisition or direct care of collections"
The American Association of State & Local History specifies that collections shall not be deaccessioned or disposed of in order to provide financial support for institutional operations, facilities maintenance, or any reason other than the preservation or acquisition of collections.
Discussion Topic
Discussion Topic
I would like us to have a discussion about deaccessioning. Select one of the following articles or videos to watch and discuss in the Google Classroom forum. If you have another deaccessioning topic in mind feel free to use that as an example instead but include links to your source(s).
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