Museums and Collections

“Museums are sometimes described as the storehouses of the human
condition. While museums can house artifacts and specimens from
across time and place, it is how these items inspire others that truly
gives them value. The same object or specimen invokes something
different in each of us. The BMS has more than 750,000 objects and
artifacts in its collection—but why these items? What can they tell us?
Why should they matter? And how does safeguarding these collections
further our understanding of the world around us? Three years in
the making, Lost Beauty II: The Art of Museum Stories will
showcase a selection of 15 items from the Museum’s vast collection.
These small fragments inspired renowned artist, Alberto Rey, and
through his paintings, he asks us to look beyond the scale, label, or
fragment and appreciate the lost beauty within.”
Kathryn H. Leacock
Deputy Director, Buffalo Museum of Science

For more information, go to: www.albertorey.com  .

In de collecties van het Koninklijk Museum voor Schone Kunsten in Antwerpen (KMSKA), het Groeningemuseum in Brugge en het Museum voor Schone Kunsten in Gent (MSK) treft men een select aantal schilderijen dat gemaakt werd door gerenommeerde Italiaanse schilders. Ze verschillen danig van elkaar, zowel qua stijl, formaat, functie als thema. Elk heeft zijn kunsthistorische en esthetische waarde. Ze zijn uniek en onmisbaar en om die redenen werden ze gekwalificeerd als Vlaams Topstuk.

Facing multiple unprecedented calamities throughout 2020—a global pandemic, economic upheaval, social turmoil, and climate crisis—museums shuttered, decimated their staff, and gutted their organizational structures. Now, they seem to struggle to maintain outward relevance in these bleak and uncertain times. What if, instead of being reactive, museums are proactive; instead of being defensive, they model social change? What if this change comes first from within? What if they rebuild differently, not guided by an insidious corporate model but one that places access, diversity, community, care, and people at its center? What if overhauling the internal staff structure—the static, hierarchical power dynamic, departmental silos, and over-bureaucratization of larger institutions—results in a museum that reflects twenty-first-century ideals of democracy? Let’s envision a different museum staff structure inspired by feminist theory, social entrepreneurship, and grassroots organizations.

William and Elizabeth (Crozer) Campbell pioneered archaeological fieldwork in the deserts of Southern California in the early 1900s. The couple employed an early form of environmental archaeology in their reconnaissance of extinct stream channels, dry lakes, and ancient Pleistocene shorelines of the Mojave and Colorado deserts. Not formally educated in the field, but dedicated to properly collecting and curating the assemblages they amassed, the Campbells consulted with well-trained archaeologists and geologists and founded the Desert Branch of the Southwest Museum on their homestead in Twentynine Palms. This paper will highlight the many contributions made by the Campbells to the discipline.

It is seen that Nadir Shah once enthroned as a king in 1148/1736 in Persia, added his own name to the coins. Four types of coins were produced by him during his twelve years rule of Persia.
During the period of Ahmad Shah (Durrani) Abdali weight of silver coins (rupee) remained quite stable around 11g.
The weight standard is kept as per the practice of Mughals. Though the whole range of coinage of Durranis is of good and artistic quality, but the coins of Shah Zaman specially earn appreciation on account of theri high artistic quality, variety, stability in weight and are well struck. Second in beauty comes the issues of Ahmad Shah minted in Qandhar. No copper coins are included in the volume therefore these are not discussed here.

Eeva Holkeri, Marika Honkaniemi & Silja Lehtonen 2016. ”Elinkaari vai elossa pitäminen? Taideteosten materiaalivalintojen ja elinkaaren vaikutus poistoprosessiin” – Kokoelmapoistojen yhteiset käytännöt. Toim. Emilia Västi &
Minna Sarantola-Weiss. Suomen museoliiton julkaisuja 71, 55–63.

Nykytaidetta tarkastellessa taideteoksen elinkaareen liittyvät kysymykset nousevat usein esiin. Mitä tehdä,
kun teos ei lähemmin katsottuna olekaan yksi vaan monta, ja sen eri osat kuluvat kukin omaa tahtiaan? Nämä elinkaaret vaikuttavat koko taideteoksen matkaan: Kuinka monta yksittäistä osaa teoksesta on mahdollista korjata tai korvata kokonaan uudella, ennen kuin se lakkaa olemasta? Muun muassa näitä seikkoja pohdittiin kokoelmapoistohankeen myötä historian ja nykytaiteen museo Aboa Vetus & Ars
Novassa, joka huolehtii Matti Koivurinnan säätiön taidekokoelmasta.

The Indigenous People of the nordic countries, the Sámi, have historically been subjected to both the colonization of their customary regions (Sápmi) as well as four different nation states assimilation politics. The result of which has been felt by many in the sámi population as a loss of language, cultural heritage, both material and immaterial, and ethnic identities. Though the last 50 years or so have seen a revitalization amongst those suffering losses alongside a gradual return of political autonomy within some of these communities, substantial amounts of sámi cultural heritage are still located in non-sámi museums and have yet to be repatriated. In this article I examine how sámi duojars-the practicioners of sámi customary craftmanship (duodji)-are reproducing objects from museum collections, and I suggest that this is a way in which duojárs engage in a symbolic repatriation wherein both the material object and the árbediehtu (traditional knowledge) involved in the making of these is being re-appropriated.

The University of Cambridge Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology (hereafter, MAA) houses more than 250 objects that have been authoritatively traced to the three Pacific voyages led by James Cook. These include the largest documented collection of first-voyage artefacts anywhere in the world and many objects known to have been acquired during the second and third voyages, a number of which were once in the Leverian Museum. Some objects can be linked to specific encounters between local people and members of the expeditions that are described in detail in the voyage accounts.The collections have been the focus of considerable scholarly attention over the past half-century, and firm provenances have been established both for specific objects and component assemblages. At the same time, growing interest in these collections amongst Pacific peoples and the affordances of new information technologies suggest novel ways in which our understanding of these singular artefacts of encounter might be enhanced in the future.

The discovery in 1924/25 of Xiongnu burials in the mountains of Noin-Ula in northern Mongolia caused a revolution in the
knowledge of Russian and foreign researchers about the art, diplomacy and politics of ancient China. The exhibition of ancient
Chinese art in Berlin was the first time that the Noin-Ula collection had been shown in Europe. For the first time European
scholars were able to read the inscriptions on the Chinese cup which determined the dating of the kurgans. Photographs of the
artefacts taken during the preparations for the exhibition enable us to reconstruct some of the archaeological complexes. The
material in this article provides information about the initial stage of international museum collaboration in the Soviet state.3
Keywords: Noin-Ula; ancient Chinese art; lacquered cup; foreign exhibition; archaeological complexes

My Master's Thesis focuses on the integration of street art murals in museums and on the issues and challenges that emerge from these integrations and the decontextualization of an ephemeral art practice.
I chose two case studies to portray the different ways institutions approach the exhibition, collection and conservation of street art murals while also presenting the perspectives of street artists and museum staff on the subject.
NOTE:  This thesis is in French
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Mon travail dirigé de maitrise porte sur l'intégration de murales street art au sein des institutions muséales et sur les enjeux et défis qui emergent de ces intégrations et de la decontextualisation d'une pratique artistique éphémère celle-ci.
J'ai choisi deux études de cas pour montrer les différentes façons dont les institutions abordent l'exposition, la collection et la conservation des murales street art tout en présentant les perspectives des artistes urbains et du personnel du musée sur le sujet.

The Future of Digital Data, Heritage and Curation critiques digital cultural heritage concepts and their application to data, developing new theories, curatorial practices and a more-than-human museology for a contemporary and future world. Presenting a diverse range of case examples from around the globe, Cameron offers a critical and philosophical reflection on the ways in which digital cultural heritage is currently framed as societal data worth passing on to future generations in two distinct forms: digitally born and digitizations. Demonstrating that most perceptions of digital cultural heritage are distinctly western in nature, the book also examines the complicity of such heritage in climate change, and environmental destruction and injustice. Going further still, the book theorizes the future of digital data, heritage, curation and the notion of the human in the context of the profusion of new types of societal data and production processes driven by the intensification of data economies and through the emergence of new technologies. In so doing, the book makes a case for the development of new types of heritage that comprise AI, automated systems, biological entities, infrastructures, minerals and chemicalsall of which have their own forms of agency, intelligence and cognition. The Future of Digital Data, Heritage and Curation is essential reading for academics and students engaged in the study of museums, archives, libraries, galleries, archaeology, cultural heritage management, information management, curatorial studies and digital humanities.

The museum storage in Greece, for the visitors, is
a concept for an inaccessible sacred site (avaton),
a place where treasures are hidden in order to
be forgotten. For the greek reality, little is being
done for the vitiation of this concept, perhaps due
to the lack of special personnel, or because the
storage is not perfectly perfect, or even because
bureaucracy in the public sector accommodates
new ideas too slowly. This article mentions individuals
or groups of interest for the museum storage,
lists the options for access into museum storage
and poses a significant question: accessibility of
visitors versus preservation of the collections. The
conclusion is for the benefit of both - the museum
and the visitor. No long term preservation can be
achieved without the public support (sponsorships
and donations in particular), while -controlled-
access gives an experience to the visitor
who feels he/she truly saw something special.

Greek: full text
English: abstract

University collections have unquestionably played a central role in the production of knowledge. They are valuable resources for studying the construction of traditions and identities, proving particularly interesting for understanding how universities have shaped societies. Furthermore, they have also been mobilised as cultural mediators to legitimise academic institutions and bring the results of their activities into the public sphere. As such, academic collections undoubtedly enable reflection on the complex relationships between heritage, knowledge, scholars, and the public. Given their importance, the development of successful strategies in terms of public engagement has recently become a major concern for those working with these academic collections. However, the complexity of university heritage encompasses a diversity of issues that are connected with more than just the public sphere. This volume discusses some of the problems, challenges, and opportunities of academic heritage, beyond the mere concern for engaging with the public.

Climate change has become one of the most significant and fastest growing threats to cultural heritage around the globe. Yet cultural heritage sites and collections also serve as invaluable sources of resilience for communities to address climate change. In March 2020, the Smithsonian American Art Museum and the Smithsonian’s National Collections Program convened the symposium “Stemming the Tide: Global Strategies for Sustaining Cultural Heritage through Climate Change” to empower cultural heritage authorities, managers, and advocates to pursue more ambitious engagement and collaborative approaches to climate change. Speakers explored six categories of cultural heritage identified by the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS): Cultural Landscapes and Historic Urban Landscapes, Archaeological Sites, Built Heritage (Buildings and Structures), Cultural Communities, Intangible Cultural Heritage, and Museums and Collections.

The Australian AIDS Memorial Quilt is arguably the most recognizable artefact of the AIDS Crisis in Australia. Consisting of over 800 panels, most of the quilt is now divided between a public museum (Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences, Sydney) and a community organization (AIDS Memorial Candlelight Vigil & Quilt Project, Melbourne). This paper compares the accessibility and meaning of the quilt depending on its location. In doing so, it argues that neither is a 'better' custodian for these objects as their differences are also the source of their unique contribution to the care and interpretation of the quilts. The tensions that exist between museums and LGBTIQ communities were exposed when the proper residence of one of the panels was disputed. I use this case to suggest that equitable collaboration can only occur if museums take more cues from communities.

Resumo: O presente trabalho é um dos produtos do projeto de pesquisa intitulado Escritas da História no Museu Histórico Nacional (1922-2012), desenvolvido nesta mesma instituição, com o apoio da Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (FAPERJ). As autoras almejam analisar o processo de musealização de alguns objetos de autoria indígena que foram adquiridos ao longo da existência do MHN. Investigamos os casos no que se refere aos usos e significados que foram privilegiados tanto pelos doadores quanto pelo Museu, bem como as justificativas deste ao aceitá-los. Também analisamos como estes objetos foram exibidos em exposições. Deste modo, podemos compreender como a questão indígena foi inserida em diferentes projetos de escrita da história do MHN.

Abstract: This paper is one of the results of the research project called Escritas da História no Museu Histórico Nacional (1922-2012), which has been developed in this same institution and supported by Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (FAPERJ). The authors aim to analyze the musealisation process of some objects made by Brazillian Indigenous and acquired by the MHN along the years. We investigated the processes regarding the uses and meanings that were privileged by the donators and the Museum, as well the Museum’s reasons to accepted them. We also analyzed how these objects were displayed at the exhibitions. Thereby, we can understand how the Brazillian Indigenous’ issue was included in different projects of Writing History at the MHN.

In piena luce. Nove fotografi interpretano i Musei Vaticani.
Volume pubblicato in occasione della mostra omonima, Milano, Palazzo Reale, 24 maggio-1 luglio 2018, Roma, Contrasto/Edizioni Musei Vaticani, 2018
Autrice delle traduzioni dall'inglese /translations from English to Italian:
D. Campany, Arte dall’Arte [tit. orig.: Making Art from Art], pp. 53-58;
J. Lamoureux, La collezione si fa immagine [tit. orig.: The Collection Turned Image], pp. 117-124.

This paper is a result of work carried out at Las Cigarreras Cultural Centre, part of the Cultural Patrimony of Alicante City Council. It covers the organisation and classification of the greater part of the city MUSA museum’s coin collection. The collection has greatly improved thanks to the inclusion of items found at archaeological digs in and around the city, the city’s own collection, items from unknown sources and material already written about the collection. This paper aims to review existing material since many of the items have not been restored while others have yet to be studied since they are still together with other excavation findings. Over 3,700 coins have been classified covering a period between 3rd century BC and 20th century AD.

Facing multiple unprecedented calamities throughout 2020-a global pandemic, economic upheaval, social turmoil, and climate crisis-museums shuttered, decimated their staff, and gutted their organizational structures. Now, they seem to struggle to maintain outward relevance in these bleak and uncertain times. What if, instead of being reactive, museums are proactive; instead of being defensive, they model social change? What if this change comes first from within? What if they rebuild differently, not guided by an insidious corporate model but one that places access, diversity, community, care, and people at its center? What if overhauling the internal staff structure-the static, hierarchical power dynamic, departmental silos, and overbureaucratization of larger institutions-results in a museum that reflects twentyfirst-century ideals of democracy? Let's envision a different museum staff structure inspired by feminist theory, social entrepreneurship, and grassroots organizations.

Encyklopedie je výstupem výzkumného záměru Ministerstva zemědělství ČR MZE7507574101 Vědecké zhodnocení sbírkového fondu Národního zemědělského muzea, řešeného v letech 2005–2011.
V publikaci jsou představena elementární hesla z potravinářských oborů, která spadají pod sbírku Potravinářská výroba v Národním zemědělském muzeu. Konkrétně se jedná o CUKRÁŘSTVÍ, CUKROVARNICTVÍ, DROŽĎÁŘSTVÍ, ZPRACOVÁNÍ KÁVY, KÁVOVIN, LIHOVARNICTVÍ, MLÉKAŘSTVÍ A SÝRAŘSTVÍ, MLYNÁŘSTVÍ, OCTÁŘSTVÍ, OLEJNICTVÍ, PEKAŘSTVÍ, ŘEZNICTVÍ, SLADOVNICTVÍ A PIVOVARNICTVÍ, ŠKROBAŘSTVÍ A ZPRACOVÁNÍ TABÁKU.

L’article consacré aux 15 monnaies de l’empereur Nerva qui se trouvent dans le Musée archéologique et ethnographique: 7 deniers, 3 sesterces, 1 dupondius et 4 as. Toutes les monnaies ont été achetées. Sur la base d’une comparaison aux trouvailles, en particulier aux trésors, et sur la base des informations des maisons de ventes, l’auteur évalue leur popularité et leurs paramètres de poids.

The paper is dedicated to the 15 coins of the emperor Nerva from the collection of the Archaeological and Etnographical Museum in Łódź: 7 denarii, 3 sestertii, 1 dupondius and 4 ases. All the coins were purchased. Author evaluates them popularity and weight parameters based on a comparison to finds, especially hoards and informations from the auction houses.

In recent years, many museums have implemented sweeping changes in how they engage audiences. However, changes to the field’s approaches to collections stewardship have come much more slowly. Active Collections critically examines existing approaches to museum collections and explores practical, yet radical, ways that museums can better manage their collections to actively advance their missions.

Approaching the question of modern museum collection stewardship from a position of "tough love," the authors argue that the museum field risks being constrained by rigid ways of thinking about objects. Examining the field’s relationship to objects, artifacts, and specimens, the volume explores the question of stewardship through the dissection of a broad range of issues, including questions of "quality over quantity," emotional attachment, dispassionate cataloging, and cognitive biases in curatorship. The essays look to insights from fields as diverse as forest management, library science, and the psychology of compulsive hoarding, to inform and innovate collection practices.

Essay contributions come from both experienced museum professionals and scholars from disciplines as diverse as psychology, education, and history. The result is a critical exploration that makes the book essential reading for museum professionals, as well as those in training.

Faking is an act through which an object is provided with an identity not belonging to it, in order to deceive and to benefit from somebody’s detriment. Faking concerned archaeological finds, contemporary art sculptures, documents, furniture, paintings, relics and so on. Musical instruments were not spared by this phenomenon, which in contrast was a standard feature in the history of those artifacts. From the most ancient known cases in the middle of the 16th century until the most recent ones at the beginning of the new millennium, forgery of musical instruments has never ceased and counterfeited, plagiarized and altered products were spread nearly in every continent.
This kind of falsification flourished as it eased the availability of very sought-after works, which otherwise were scarcely achievable because of economic reasons or shortage of specimens. Namely it was able to exploit the widespread demand for high performing musical instruments, for evidences of early musical cultures and for goods to invest in. Therefore its actions were focused on the most important parameters of an instrument: age, place of origin and maker’s identity.
When the first detailed research into the Florentine antique dealer Leopoldo Franciolini was published forty years ago, organology began to link his name with forgery of musical instruments as automatically as excessively. Indeed several other forgers operated before, at the same time and after Franciolini. Some of them may be mentioned, for instance Isaac Ehe, the Voller brothers or Yuko Kanda. Yet most of the fakers remained anonymous.
Finally, on the one hand faking musical instruments was undoubtedly a common practice, but on the other hand detecting the nature of the fake must not be forced. If the purposeful intention of deceiving cannot be observed, then an unauthentic instrument – for example a replica – cannot be consequently judged to be false. In the same way, if the building of a musical instrument cannot be associated with one individual maker, it doesn’t necessarily mean it is not genuine.

This is the catalog of the exhibition Alexandru Lapedatu (1876-1950) organized by The National Museum of Transylvanian History in 2018, part of the MNIT Share project. The museum holds approximately 400 documents, photographs, correspondence, medals, and personal effects that belonged to Alexandru Lapedatu, a donation of his daughter, Ana Victoria Macavei. Currently, this is the most important collection covering the academic and political activity of the academician.