It probably goes without saying that those who have recommended the "board" approve acquisitions/deaccessions probably have board members who know a flue from a fuel pot. Not all museum boards consist of persons with that level of knowledge, and that's not necessarily a bad thing. Many of the non-railroad museums out there rely on the board for fund-raising efforts, publicity, setting/approving the budget and doing the "business" side of museum work, and hiring/firing personnel. Board members in these cases may not have an intimate knowledge of the artifacts, but rely on the recommendations of a committee of specialists.

One of the things I've noticed in these discussions is the position of "curator" has not been mentioned at all. Do most of the RR Museums out there have a person (or persons) assigned to that role (paid or not)?

If not, this is one way that RR museums seem to differ from our counterparts at the local, state, and national level. In some organizations, the curator heads up the group that evaluates acquisitions and deaccessions. Board approval may be necessary, but they rely on the recommendations of this committee (much like the one JohnB just described).

At any rate, a good curator can make or break a museum. Most are well educated, and know the "science" of artifact preservation, presentation and display. I have had the priviledge to work along side some wonderful curators, who opened my eyes to details that I never would have thought of. But they are professionals, and use visitor evaluations of displays to see what works and what doesn't. They also share this information with their peers at the regional and national meetings, often visiting local museums in the area of the convention.

If you haven't talked with, or worked with, a museum curator in your vicinity, I think it is time well spent. Yes, there are some "ogres" out there, but most curators I've met are down to earth and very willing to share their knowledge.

KES

> The way collections are handled at our
> facility, may not be typical. Being a
> government facility, deaccession is very
> structured for any state accessioned
> artifact. We also have our nonprofit
> Foundation that owns a sizeable chunk of the
> collection. The controlling factor between
> the two groups is the Rolling Stock
> Committee. Consists of about 6 people from
> both sides of the aisle.

> This committee is responsible for the
> periodic review of the collection, decisions
> on acquisition and deaccession and major
> restoration decisions. Deaccessions that I
> am familiar with include the sale of a
> baggage car to another group by our
> Foundation and the state's deaccession of a
> diesel locomotive to another Museum.

> The sale was at a re

asonable cost. Since the
> Foundation was the owner, no major
> bureaucratic headaches.

> The deaccession of the locomotive took a
> couple years from when we were first
> approached. It involved going before the
> state historical commission to justify and
> get permission for the donation. The way the
> regs are written made the direct donation
> the best thing to do. Part of the process
> involved a visit to the planned recipient
> and a written plan from them for the
> preservation of the locomotive. I'm pleased
> to report that the group had the locomotive
> properly painted in about two months from
> the time it was lifted off the flatcar.

> Acquisitions go through a similar process.
> The discussions are frequently lively, but
> everybody respects the groups decisions. We
> have a meeting next week that will involve
> discussions on an acquisition of another
> caboose. From the photos it looks like a
> fine use for a fusee. Should be interesting.


rrm@texas.net

Those of you who have mentioned the museum's mission statement are right on.

Further to my post last night, de-acessioning by definition means sending the item to another non-profit museum, not giving it to an individual, a profit making organization or a scrap drive.

And yes, funds made by changes in the collection should be spent on it. That is build a car barn, not use the money to re-stock the book store.

Another story that I like concerns our local submerine. They non-profit owners sent a common 5"deck gun back to the Mid-West in trade for a 5"x 35 caliber wet mount deck gun. Which is just what the Pampanito carried in service. But it gets better; the gun was saved from the USS Tautag
a highly decorated WWII sub when it was scrapped. So the Pampanito now has the correct gun and also is preserving an aftifact from WWII action in the Pacific.


ted_miles@NPS.gov

from all of us Curators out there, Thank you, yes paid or unpaid a person who is a museum specialist is a true treasure.

The reason that you have not heard the term much is that many volunteer museums have a lot of people who have a great knowledge of railroading or the specific rail line that the museum is dealing with.

What the volunteers sometimes need help with is some of the museum things. For example I recently solved a problem for a regional museum that I am a member of. Simple as photocopying a document about museum ethics. I know a lot about the Society for the Preservation of State and Local History, the boardmember did not. TM

ted_miles@NPS.gov

The people who don't know about museums ethics and many other basic museum matters and concerns are also on the volunteer boards of railroad museums. These people may know the difference between a tube sheet and an injector or a controller from a brake shoe, but they may not know about running a museum.

Hopefully these people are balanced by those who know about museums and about the history of railroads and of railroad technology. At some museums the board members get elected because they are the woman running the museum store or the guy who drove the truck bringing all of the cars to the site. In these cases, it is those of us who have educated ourselves about museums and history to make the recommendations. Just like staff making recommendations to the governing board.

Brian Norden

> from all of us Curators out there, Thank
> you, yes paid or unpaid a person who is a
> museum specialist is a true treasure.

> The reason that you have not heard the term
> much is that many volunteer museums have a
> lot of people who have a great knowledge of
> railroading or the specific rail line that
> the museum is dealing with.

> What the volunteers sometimes need help with
> is some of the museum things. For example I
> recently solved a problem for a regional
> museum that I am a member of. Simple as
> photocopying a document about museum ethics.
> I know a lot about the Society for the
> Preservation of State and Local History, the
> boardmember did not. TM


bnorden49@earthlink.net

> some museums the board members get elected
> because they are the woman running the
> museum store or the guy who drove the truck
> bringing all of the cars to the site. In
> these cases, it is those of us who have
> educated ourselves about museums and history
> to make the recommendations. Just like staff
> making recommendations to the governing
> board.

> Brian Norden

Which Board Members are charged with raising funds and Corporate Relations?


wyld@oc-net.com

> Which Board Members are charged with raising
> funds and Corporate Relations?

As it was put by a keynote speaker a couple ARM conventions ago - all of them. His specific language was "Get it, Give it our get out!"

Boards have no business in day to day management. That's what staff is for.

Dave

irondave@bellsouth.net

> One of the things I've noticed in these
> discussions is the position of
> "curator" has not been mentioned
> at all. Do most of the RR Museums out there
> have a person (or persons) assigned to that
> role (paid or not)?

> If not, this is one way that RR museums seem
> to differ from our counterparts at the
> local, state, and national level. In some
> organizations, the curator heads up the
> group that evaluates acquisitions and
> deaccessions. Board approval may be
> necessary, but they rely on the
> recommendations of this committee (much like
> the one JohnB just described).

> At any rate, a good curator can make or
> break a museum. Most are well educated, and
> know the "science" of artifact
> preservation, presentation and display. I
> have had the priviledge to work along side
> some wonderful curators, who opened my eyes
> to details that I never would have thought
> of. But they are professionals, and use
> visitor evaluations of displays to see what
> works and what doesn't. They also share this
> information with their peers at the regional
> and national meetings, often visiting local
> museums in the area of the convention.

> If you haven't talked with, or worked with,
> a museum curator in your vicinity, I think
> it is time well spent. Yes, there are some
> "ogres" out there, but most
> curators I've met are down to earth and very
> willing to share their knowledge.

> KES

Your talking to one, brother! What you listed above is in part why I chose to become a curator; it was the one area where I felt I could be a useful addition to the field rather than someone else standing around making lots of suggestions but doing nothing. By the way, thank you for mentioning the fact that the majority of us are not ogres, but it is our JOB to make sure that decisions like that are done with a high degree of professionalism and research, True, touching a steam locomotive, for instance, may not have the huge, long term effects that its does say, on a paper document, but it never ceases to amaze me how few museums (and not just railroad museums) forget the basics of maintianing constant temp., having a weathertight covering over your collection, etc.

Look, the majority of our collection is housed in a fomer 1904 Carnegie Library; I know all about how hard it is to promote climate control with an ancient boiler and more ancient pipes. To me, however, its the most important part you can do to keep your collection going. Remember guys (and gals) our first job is caretakers. If we don't take care of the object now, there will be little left in the future.

YJG

Port Huron Museum
tjgaffney@phmuseum.org