Managing the collections
This section is an introduction to how we manage our collections across all of our varied museum and gallery sites. From information about the type of objects we collect to What does a curator do? You may wish to borrow an object from us, read about care and conservation, or even how we document an object.
Loans
#SUBHEADING#Loan Requests#SUBHEADINGEND# Hull Museums and the Ferens Art Gallery have a responsibility to lend objects from their collections to other venues, to increase public access and enjoyment of these items. The objective is to lend to a wide a range of venues as possible within the constraints of museum professional standards and policies, both within the UK and abroad. We will try to meet all requests for loans from our collections, subject to the conditions of loan, display requirements and the needs of the objects in question. The decision to lend will be at the discretion of the curator in charge of the collection and is dependent on object condition, transport requirements, whether the item is available for loan, and suitability of the loan venue. Objects will not be loaned to institutions which cannot meet Museum Accreditation standards, so we would not lend to private individuals or venues not accessible to the public. #SUBHEADING#How to Request a Loan#SUBHEADINGEND# In the first instance, send us a written request by letter or email at least 3 months before the start of the loan. If it is less than this there is no guarantee that we will be able to agree the loan in time. Please include the following information in the letter/email: Name and address of organisation Contact details of the person dealing with loan List of items you wish to borrow Start and end dates of the loan Location of site where the objects are to be displayed Security arrangements for the protection of the objects The number of objects agreed for loan will depend on the resources available to prepare the objects before dispatch to the loan venue. A signed loan agreement and condition reports must be in place before objects are handed over into the care of the borrowing institution. The loan will be for a maximum period of 3 years, after which it must either be returned, or the loan reviewed by Hull Museums and a loan agreement signed for a further 3 years. The borrower is responsible for all costs related to the loan, including preparation, transport and packaging, couriers (if required), insurance, mounts and conservation to prepare an object for display. The loan items must be covered for all risks insurance by the borrower before the loan commences. #SUBHEADING#Contact Details#SUBHEADINGEND# (Name of Museum) Hull Culture and Leisure Limited Room 29 Dock Office Chambers New Cross Street Hull, HU1 3DU Telephone 01482 613902 Email museums@hcandl.co.uk
What We Do With Objects
When an object is accepted as a donation to the Museum Service it begins a journey that will eventually see it joining thousands of other items under our long-term care. It isn't just a matter of placing it on a shelf and forgetting about it, which is why we have to ensure that we have the time and resources to look after it both now and in the future. Sometimes this is the reason why we have to reject donations, simply because by accepting one object we are taking away the care from items already in the collections. #SUBHEADING#Paperwork, Databases and Lots of Tissue!#SUBHEADINGEND# It may sound boring but documentation is the backbone of all museums, without it we would not know where an object has come from, who owned it (maybe someone famous), whether it is associated with other items in the collection, or linked to an important person or event. Take for example the Needlers box above, which came into the collections in February 2014. It was given by a private donor to the Hull History Centre (sorry, but donor details are confidential, so we would never give out names and addresses), who then transferred it to our social history collection after it was agreed by our curatorial team. All the information about where it had come from, what it was, and date of transfer, was recorded onto a form which was signed by the donor to give us legal title to the object. Then comes the important bit, every single object in the collections is assigned an individual unique number so that we can track it wherever it goes. This box was given number 2014.43 by using a pencil to mark it underneath where it can't easily be seen when on display, and then the number was recorded in a log book called an accession register which lists everything in the entire collections. Following that we created an individual record on our computer database which links straight through to our collections website (have a look now by searching for 2014.43 in the search box above). The Needlers box was also photographed and we recorded its condition and measurements at the same time. The type of storage required for any object is vital if it is to survive a long time (hopefully forever!). Our Needlers box is made of cardboard with coloured text and decoration, so it needs to be kept dry, away from bright light and any insects that may like the taste of cardboard! We have all sorts of ways of packing up objects depending on what they are made from, but whatever we use whether a box, tissue, cover, or plastic sleeve, it all has to be archival, meaning the objects won't react with acids or other substances in the packing materials. We have all seen old plastic go sticky, or tissue paper turn yellow with age. We certainly don't want that for our museum objects. As you can see, any addition to the collections is very time consuming, but by making sure we record all the information correctly, the details can be used in future for enquiries, researchers, exhibition panels and labels, or even collections websites!
What We Collect
Hull Museums and the Ferens Art Gallery, like many other museums and galleries in the UK, have to follow strict national guidelines by having a written policy for which objects we are allowed to collect. We have hundreds of thousands of items in our collections across eight sites, all of which require gallery display or storage space, documentation, photography/scanning and conservation, and so taking in more objects has to be very carefully considered. The only reasons for accepting new objects are: Significant gaps in the collections Research or educational potential Important local significance where these are not already represented Each museum site has an individual list of what it will consider. These are as follows: FERENS ART GALLERY Portraits Maritime Paintings European Old Masters with emphasis on Dutch and Flemish 17th century works 19th and 20th century British works Contemporary collecting focusing on photography and new media Sculpture HULL & EAST RIDING MUSEUM Archaeological material illustrating human activity in the Hull and East Riding region Archaeological material relating to Hull Citadel (up to late 17th century) Natural history will only be collected in very exceptional circumstances HANDS ON HISTORY MUSEUM Coins, medallions, tokens and medals, if of unique importance 20th century male costume, specifically relating to Hull Women's costume dating to the 1940s, specifically relating to Hull Madame Clapham costume made in Hull Items relating to the Old Grammar School HULL MARITIME MUSEUM Whaling items if not already represented in collections, with strong links to Hull Original photographs of vessels and crew relating to Hull Artefacts linked to Hull's contribution to north and south pole expeditions Professionally made models of boats and ships with strong link to Hull Paintings of Hull's maritime heritage. Only in exceptional circumstances Significant items relating to Hull's fishing industry and decline, after 1970. Artefacts relating to Hull's merchant shipping, docks and dockers Items relating to maritime migration through Hull, especially 19th century objects Ship building artefacts relating to Hull (not plans) Artefacts relating to local gunsmiths, but only if unique STREETLIFE MUSEUM Carriages. Only in very exceptional circumstances, with local significance Motor cars. Only in very exceptional circumstances, with local significance Street furniture with direct local provenance and only in exceptional circumstances Items relating to Amy Johnson (East Riding Museums must be consulted first) WILBERFORCE HOUSE MUSEUM Hull silver dating from 17th century. High quality and identified maker Genuine 18th and 19th century anti-slavery items, particularly relating to specific individuals Contemporary slavery items on a case by case basis Social history items of high importance with strong local connections SPURN LIGHTSHIP Items not currently represented on the ship, to complete the displays Personal histories of individuals who worked on board the ship, but only unique experiences HULL GUILDHALL This is now a closed collection, so offers will no longer be accepted. If you think that you have an object that you wish to donate that fits with the above requirements, please contact us on 01482 613902, or email museums@hcandl.co.uk. If you could send us a photograph of your object that would be very helpful.
What Does a Curator Do?
The word Curator can mean anything from a person who looks after an entire museum on their own, to someone who just specialises in one subject such as a curator of Roman Archaeology. Here at Hull Museums we have several curators who look after particular areas of the collections, such as art, archaeology, social history, maritime history, transport, natural history, slavery and costume. There is also a Collections Curator who looks after the documentation and care of collections across the whole service. Caring for the collections is a continuous process and includes a large number of different tasks. When you visit a museum you may not realise that we are as busy behind the scenes as we are with the objects you see on display in the galleries. As a service we provide access to collections through: Public enquiries Pre-booked visits from researchers wanting to see specific objects Arranging loans of objects to other venues which allows people in other parts of the UK or the world to see our collections Constantly adding new records and images to our website Permanent and temporary exhibitions Family activities during the school holidays, or other events What you don't see: Documenting objects onto our database Finding out more information about the collections so we can hand this information on to the public Packing items for storage or transport Preparing objects for loan Cleaning storage areas and objects on display Creating exhibitions (these can be up to 2 years in the planning) Carrying out condition reports on vulnerable objects so we know if there is a problem with their condition Pest management checks to ensure the collections are not being damaged by insects or rodents Maintenance of long-term displays Ensuring gallery and storage areas do not become too damp or dry, too hot or cold Photography and scanning of collections Addressing accessibility issues to allow everyone to enjoy the collections A large number of individuals and organisations need daily access to collections and information, whether through visits to the museums, image and information enquiries, research visits, loan requests, temporary exhibition applications, educational visits, lectures and family holiday activities, so sometimes it is not always possible to respond to enquires immediately.
Care and Conservation
What is conservation? Answer - the opposite of restoration, which is returning an object to the way it looked when it was new. Museums have a responsibility to protect information about the full life of an artefact, so by wiping away all the dents, marks and scrapes, we could be destroying important clues as to how the object was used in the past. For example, if we 'restored' an archaeological object it would prevent us from carrying out scientific analysis in future because the residues of the past would no longer exist. The same goes for a vintage motorcar, by replacing all the parts we would eventually end up with a new car with nothing left of the original vehicle. So, conservation is stabilising an object so it doesn't deteriorate any further, which may be for the purpose of better storage or display. At Hull Museums we always use qualified conservators to give advice or carry out work on our collections. Most conservators are specialists in a certain field, such as textiles, furniture, leather, or paintings. This work can be time consuming and costly so it is important for us to prioritise objects dependent on their importance. #SUBHEADING#Food and drink#SUBHEADINGEND# Prevention is always better than cure, so we try and protect the collections by carrying out regular pest checks to make sure that our objects aren't being eaten by insects or rodents. This is the reason we ask visitors not to bring food and drink into our museums, as crumbs and sticky soft drinks will encourage pests into the buildings. If we do have events where food and drink is allowed we always confine it to certain areas away from the collections. Insects can have a devastating effect on collections if they take hold in a building, especially woodworm or clothes moths. Anyone who has had moths eat their best woollen jumper will know how destructive they can be. #SUBHEADING#What Causes Deterioration#SUBHEADINGEND# Apart from pests, the condition of an object can deteriorate in a variety of ways: Handling Damage from UV light Exposure to heat or damp Changes in humidity To prevent deterioration from the above we: Carefully consider the consequences before picking up an object, to check for weak points Lights are dimmed in galleries, or windows covered Radiators are turned off near to where objects are displayed or stored We continually check all areas for temperature and humidity to ensure these remain static #IMAGE# #SUBHEADING#Materials#SUBHEADINGEND# Knowing what an object is made of is essential to its long-term care. Different materials require specific environmental conditions to survive. That's why we have monitors to record temperature and humidity, and use humidifiers, de-humidifiers, or building management systems to control the environment. Some materials are also easily damaged by light, such as brightly coloured textiles or watercolour paintings. The following shows a selection of materials and their requirements: Oil paintings - not too dry as the paint will crack. Not too damp or it will cause mould Textiles - dry and cool as pests don't like these conditions Metal - dry to prevent corrosion Leather - needs some moisture in the air but not too wet as this will cause mould Photographs and negatives - dry and very cold (sometimes they are even frozen!) Paper - fairly dry, but not too much as it will become brittle As you can see it is quite complicated, and made even more difficult when a variety of materials are stored or displayed in the same areas, or one object is made from a composite of materials. For example a horse drawn carriage usually has a textile interior, metal frame, wooden body and leather hood. In such cases we have to decide on which material is the most fragile and tailor the environment to suit. If you would like to know more about conservation projects at Hull Museums, please go to 'What's New' above, or back to 'Behind the Scenes' and 'Adopt a Painting Scheme' or 'Collections Projects'.
