Morgan-Manning House Policies
600 BUILDINGS AND GROUNDS / PRESERVATION AND CURATORIAL
Table of Contents
600.10 - Collections
600 BUILDINGS AND GROUNDS / PRESERVATION AND CURATORIAL
600.10
Collections
Policy
The Morgan -Manning House (WHMS) shall acquire, and retain in its holdings, those objects, documents, and other archival materials related to the Morgan-Manning family, which will facilitate the research and enhance service to the community, and which are consistent with its written mission statement and policies. Materials outside this range may be collected if they are deemed useful for interpretation or illustration of local culture, history or natural history. Museum collection categories include permanent, educational, prop and others as designated by the committee.
Criterion
Objects may be acquired by gift, purchase, exchange, bequest, or by copy with permission of the owner. There should be a clear understanding of the possible costs for conservation, preservation and storage.
Objects acquired shall be consistent with the relevant scope and activity of the House.
Objects acquired shall be from the mid 19th century to the 1st quarter of the 20th century and appropriate and typical of upper middle class households.
Due to the documentary evidence contained in the original inventory, made upon the death of Mrs. Manning, which indicated the presence in the house of many family heirlooms dating from the 18th century and earlier, the collection and display of such objects is entirely acceptable and within the scope of these collection guidelines.
The House shall provide proper care and storage of the object. The object shall if at all possible have a record of authenticity and provenance with free and clear title. Donor information shall be supplemented, whenever possible, through additional research.
Legal instruments of conveyance of title shall set forth an adequate description of the object. It shall state how the object was acquired and a confirmation that said owner has the right to dispose of the object. This condition of transfer shall remain with the House.
All acquisitions shall be outright and unconditional.
Separate guidelines shall be established for the acquisition of archival articles not intended for display.
Accession Process
Acquisitions shall conform with the following rules.
No staff or Board member shall obligate the House to the accession of any objects/s not consistent with the aforesaid intent or purpose of the House.
Accessions shall be approved by the curatorial committee or the Board of Trustees.
The House does not guarantee that accessions shall be on display.
A record of each accession shall be maintained by the House.
Gifts may be deductible in accordance with State and Federal tax law. Donors shall be solely responsible for an appraisal of the object if they wish to avail themselves of such.
The Donor:
Shall contact the curatorial committee, historian or office staff to propose a donation.
Once an agreement is made to accept a gift, the donor shall be asked to complete the donor questionnaire.
Shall read, sign and retain a copy of the Deed of Gift form.
An official written confirmation of the gift shall be provided to the donor by the Society.
De-accession
Disposal of accessioned property of the WMHS shall conform with the following rules:
The process shall be deliberate and cautious.
The reasons for de-accession shall be as stated:
The object lacks relevance to the mission or needs of the Society.
The object was lost or stolen.
The object duplicates other materials or is no longer necessary for research or educational purposes.
The Society is unable to conserve the object in a responsible manner.
The object will be replaced by an example that better suits the needs of the Society.
A written de-accession recommendation shall be made by the curatorial committee to the Board for action, once satisfied that the object shall not be of use to the Society in any way.
The curatorial committee shall submit a recommendation for de-accession with all of the information pertinent to the object and a proposal for disposal - sale, donation, gift or destruction.
All records of the object's previous existence in the collection shall remain, including de-accession criterion and data. Proceeds from the de-accession shall only be used for acquisition, preservation or care of the collection.
Members of the Board and employees, and members of their immediate families, shall be prohibited from acquiring the object through the de-accession process whether from private sale, gift or loan.
Approved: May 13th, 2008; revised August 10th, 2010
600 BUILDINGS AND GROUNDS / PRESERVATION AND CURATORIAL
Table of Contents
600.10 - Collections
- Policy
- Criterion
- Accession Process
- The Donor
- De-accession
600 BUILDINGS AND GROUNDS / PRESERVATION AND CURATORIAL
600.10
Collections
Policy
The Morgan -Manning House (WHMS) shall acquire, and retain in its holdings, those objects, documents, and other archival materials related to the Morgan-Manning family, which will facilitate the research and enhance service to the community, and which are consistent with its written mission statement and policies. Materials outside this range may be collected if they are deemed useful for interpretation or illustration of local culture, history or natural history. Museum collection categories include permanent, educational, prop and others as designated by the committee.
Criterion
Objects may be acquired by gift, purchase, exchange, bequest, or by copy with permission of the owner. There should be a clear understanding of the possible costs for conservation, preservation and storage.
Objects acquired shall be consistent with the relevant scope and activity of the House.
Objects acquired shall be from the mid 19th century to the 1st quarter of the 20th century and appropriate and typical of upper middle class households.
Due to the documentary evidence contained in the original inventory, made upon the death of Mrs. Manning, which indicated the presence in the house of many family heirlooms dating from the 18th century and earlier, the collection and display of such objects is entirely acceptable and within the scope of these collection guidelines.
The House shall provide proper care and storage of the object. The object shall if at all possible have a record of authenticity and provenance with free and clear title. Donor information shall be supplemented, whenever possible, through additional research.
Legal instruments of conveyance of title shall set forth an adequate description of the object. It shall state how the object was acquired and a confirmation that said owner has the right to dispose of the object. This condition of transfer shall remain with the House.
All acquisitions shall be outright and unconditional.
Separate guidelines shall be established for the acquisition of archival articles not intended for display.
Accession Process
Acquisitions shall conform with the following rules.
No staff or Board member shall obligate the House to the accession of any objects/s not consistent with the aforesaid intent or purpose of the House.
Accessions shall be approved by the curatorial committee or the Board of Trustees.
The House does not guarantee that accessions shall be on display.
A record of each accession shall be maintained by the House.
Gifts may be deductible in accordance with State and Federal tax law. Donors shall be solely responsible for an appraisal of the object if they wish to avail themselves of such.
The Donor:
Shall contact the curatorial committee, historian or office staff to propose a donation.
Once an agreement is made to accept a gift, the donor shall be asked to complete the donor questionnaire.
Shall read, sign and retain a copy of the Deed of Gift form.
An official written confirmation of the gift shall be provided to the donor by the Society.
De-accession
Disposal of accessioned property of the WMHS shall conform with the following rules:
The process shall be deliberate and cautious.
The reasons for de-accession shall be as stated:
The object lacks relevance to the mission or needs of the Society.
The object was lost or stolen.
The object duplicates other materials or is no longer necessary for research or educational purposes.
The Society is unable to conserve the object in a responsible manner.
The object will be replaced by an example that better suits the needs of the Society.
A written de-accession recommendation shall be made by the curatorial committee to the Board for action, once satisfied that the object shall not be of use to the Society in any way.
The curatorial committee shall submit a recommendation for de-accession with all of the information pertinent to the object and a proposal for disposal - sale, donation, gift or destruction.
All records of the object's previous existence in the collection shall remain, including de-accession criterion and data. Proceeds from the de-accession shall only be used for acquisition, preservation or care of the collection.
Members of the Board and employees, and members of their immediate families, shall be prohibited from acquiring the object through the de-accession process whether from private sale, gift or loan.
Approved: May 13th, 2008; revised August 10th, 2010
