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Handle, Operate, Play or Research Objects
Handling
Collections are rarely kept entirely away from people, whether the public or staff. All objects will need to be handled or moved at some point, either to assess their condition, prepare them for display, move them to a new location or to use them for educational study. A number of factors need to be considered to ensure that the risks associated with handling objects are kept to a minimum while the benefits are maximised.
'Handling' collections & hands on exhibits
The following pages have been developed from 'Guidelines for Establishing, Managing and Using Handling Collections and Hands on Exhibits in Museums, Galleries and Children's Centres' published by MLA in 2002. The pages contain an analysis of the pros and cons of handling real artefacts and give valuable and comprehensive advice on how to go about it, together with a number of case studies.
- Handling Collection Guidelines
(series of web pages)
Library and archive materials
The following resources, produced by the National Preservation Office (NPO) and Public Records Office of Northern Ireland (PRONI) offer advice on handling records for staff and for the public.
- Good handling principles and practice for library and archive materials (NPO)
- Code of practice for staff handling records (PRONI)
- Guidance for public consultation of PRONI records (PRONI)s
Operating and Playing
Items that are still in working order or intended to be restored for use, bring with them their own challenges but can offer the public a unique insight into an object's real purpose. The following standards, were originally published by the Museums & Galleries Comission (MGC), now the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council (MLA). They were written by experts in the conservation and care of different types of collection and offer guidance on the specific considerations that apply to functioning objects.
- Standards in the Museum Care of Collections: Larger & Working Objects (MGC)
- Standards in the Museum Care of Collections: Musical Instruments (MLA, 2005))
This following extact from Standards in the Museum Curation of Musical Instruments 2005 (MLA) is useful if you are considering allowing a musical instrument to be played.
Research
Research is a fundamental part of the development and use of any collection and is essential if objects are to be used for display or educational purposes. These guidelines, taken from the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council series ‘Standards in the museum care of collections' offer simple advice on how best to approach the subject.
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