Storage for public access has grown in popularity in the last decade, hardly surprising when you consider that approximately 95% of some museum collections are kept in storage. Funding bodies seem to have taken this into consideration and improved public access has now become one of the primary criteria to adhere to when applying for a collections related grant.
Publications such as “Collections for the People”, by Suzanne Keene, have also added to the debate, examining the viability of museum and galleries opening their stores to the public, as well as interpreting the way stored collections are currently being used by the public.
The general perception is that public demand to gain access to stored collections is growing, fueled by things such as enhanced marketing and promotion, the internet and popular culture such as television programmes like “Time Team” and “Who do you think you are” to name two of the most current.
Obviously this has major connotations for professionals in the museum and heritage industry who must take into account these considerations when creating a museum repository. The obvious concerns are naturally collection care and preservation; as a result security is high on the list.
However, as Keene notes in her study, “Museums should recognize that their collections are public resources and hence that they have an obligation to make them publicly available. They should heed the evidence of increasing public demand for access to them.” She goes further suggesting that “Curators should also consider the focus of their role: is it on exhibitions and office based activities such as enquiry answering, or on generating and facilitating greater use of collections?”
This challenge to the museum community continues to be met as organizations work towards providing enhanced levels of visitor experiences and move towards a more transparent approach to collection management for public access.
As a result there is much to be learnt from a best practice perspective with regard to the specification, design and creation of a repository suitable for public access. Visual and security requirements must be mutually beneficial as the ultimate goal remains the preservation of collections for future generations.
However, within a carefully constructed framework there is absolutely no reason for collections to be withheld from the public. Rather with appropriate resource management and promotion, use of collections by individuals and groups should be encouraged.
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