Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums Acquisition and Disposal Policy For
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Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums Acquisition and Disposal Policy for museums and galleries 1 Table of Contents Page 1. Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums’ statement of 5 purpose 2. Existing collections, including the subjects or themes and the periods of time and /or geographic areas to 5 which the collections relate 3. Criteria governing future acquisition policy including the subjects or themes, periods of time and/or 5 geographic areas and any collections which will not be subject to further acquisition 4. Limitations on collecting 6 5. Collecting policies of other museums 6 6. Policy review procedure 7 7. Acquisitions not covered by the policy 7 8. Acquisition procedures 7 9. Spoliation 8 10. The Repatriation and Restitution of objects and human 8 remains 11. Management of archives in museums 9 12. Disposal procedures 9 Disposal preliminaries 9 Motivation for disposal and method of disposal 9 The disposal decision-making process 9 Responsibility for disposal decision-making 10 Use of proceeds of sale 10 Disposal by gift or sale 10 Disposal by exchange 11 Documenting disposal 11 Appendix A: TWAM Collection Information 12 1 Collection: Archaeology 12 1.1 Existing collections 12 1.1.1 South Tyneside 12 1.1.2 North Tyneside 12 1.1.3 Newcastle 12 1.2 Criteria governing future acquisition policy 12 1.3 Collecting policies of other museums 14 2 Collection: Maritime 15 2.1 Existing collections 15 2.2 Criteria governing future acquisition policy 16 2.3 Collecting policies of other museums 18 3 Collection: Social History 19 3.1 Existing collections 19 3.1.1 Background 19 3.1.2 Current position 19 3.2 Criteria governing future acquisition policy 20 3.3 Limitations on collecting 20 3.4 Collecting policies of other museums 22 2 4 Collection: Science and Industry 23 4.1 Existing collections 23 4.1.1 A brief history of the collections to 1975 23 4.1.2 The development of the collection since 1975 24 4.2 Criteria governing future acquisition policy 24 4.3 Limitations on collecting 26 4.4 Collecting policies of other museums 26 5 Collection: Costume and Textiles 27 5.1 Existing collections 27 5.2 Criteria governing future acquisition policy 27 5.3 Collecting policies of other museums 29 6 Collection: Fine Art 30 6.1 Existing collections 30 6.1.1 Laing Art Gallery, Newcastle 30 6.1.2 Shipley Art Gallery, Gateshead 30 6.1.3 South Shields Museum & Art Gallery 30 6.2 Criteria governing future acquisition policy 31 6.2.1 Laing Art Gallery, Newcastle 31 6.2.2 Shipley Art Gallery, Gateshead 31 6.2.3 South Shields Museum & Art Gallery 32 6.3 Collecting policies of other museums 32 7 Collection: Decorative Art 33 7.1 Existing collections 33 7.1.1 Laing Art Gallery, Newcastle 33 7.1.2 Shipley Art Gallery, Gateshead 33 7.1.3 South Shields Museum & Art Gallery 33 7.2 Criteria governing future acquisition policy 34 7.2.1 Laing Art Gallery, Newcastle 34 7.2.2 Shipley Art Gallery, Gateshead 34 7.2.3 South Shields Museum & Art Gallery 34 7.3 Collecting policies of other museums 35 8 Collection: Contemporary Craft 36 8.1 Existing collections 36 8.2 Criteria governing future acquisition policy 37 8.3 Collecting policies of other museums 37 9 Collection: Design 39 9.1 Existing collections 39 9.2 Criteria governing future acquisition policy 39 9.3 Collecting policies of other museums 41 10 Collection: Ethnography 42 10.1 Existing collections 42 10.1.1 South Shields Museum and Art Gallery 42 10.1.2 Laing Art Gallery 42 10.2 Criteria governing future acquisition policy 42 10.3 Limitations on collecting 42 10.4 Collecting policies of other museums 42 11 Collection: Biology 43 11.1 Existing collections 43 3 11.1.1 South Shields Museum and Art Gallery 43 11.1.2 Shipley Art Gallery and Saltwell Towers, 43 Gateshead 11.2 Criteria governing future acquisition policy 43 12 Collection: Geology 44 12.1 Existing collections 44 12.1.1 South Shields Museum 44 12.1.2 Shipley Art Gallery and Saltwell Towers 44 12.2 Criteria governing future acquisition policy 44 Appendix B: Supporting Documents 45 4 1. Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums’ statement of purpose Our mission is to help people determine their place in the world and define their identities, so enhancing their self-respect and their respect for others. Our vision for the future is for everyone to have access to museum and archive provision in Tyne and Wear, to use this access and to value it for the significant and positive impact that it makes upon their lives. We will provide real or virtual, worldwide access to our museums and archives and their collections. Our commitment is to a World-class service that is innovative, imaginative, creative, totally inclusive, secure and sustainable. 2. Existing collections, including the subjects or themes and the periods of time and /or geographic areas to which the collections relate Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums (TWAM) holds collections in the fields of archaeology, art (including fine art, decorative art, contemporary craft and design), history (including social history, costume, maritime history and engineering, science and industry) and natural sciences (including geology and biology). Please see Appendix A for more detailed descriptions of the existing collections. Please also see the Acquisition and Disposal Policy for the Great North Museum (revised August 2009), which is governed by a separate body and so requires a separate policy document. Please note that the collections held by Tyne & Wear Archives are covered by a separate Collection, Acquisition and Disposal Policy (revised November 2012). 3. Criteria governing future acquisition policy including the subjects or themes, periods of time and/or geographic areas and any collections which will not be subject to further acquisition. All collecting activity must take account of the following principles: • Items collected should normally have a strong connection with North East England or with existing collections. • Where appropriate, items collected should be in good condition and require minimal conservation treatment (with the exception of archaeological items). 5 • Items collected should not contain materials that pose a risk to health or safety and should take account of current legislation, for example, Ionising Radiation Regulations 1999 (IRR99) and the associated approved code of practice (IRR99 ACoP). • Items collected must not duplicate items already in the collection unless an exceptional case can be made, for example, group value for display purposes. • Items that are in better condition or have better provenance may be collected to replace items already in the collections; the items replaced will be disposed of in accordance with the Disposal section of this Policy (see 12 below). • Where appropriate, transfer to TWAM of copyright/and or reproduction rights will be sought at the time of acquisition. If this is not possible, then permission to make and use reproductions will be requested. • Maximum use will be made of all available sources of funding for purchases. • Loans will be accepted where these would enhance displays. Five years is the maximum period before review with the lender. • Advice will be sought from qualified persons outside TWAM where existing curatorial advice in the particular field is limited. Please see Appendix A for more detailed information relating to future acquisitions by collection and/or venue. 4. Limitations on collecting TWAM recognises its responsibility, in acquiring additions to its collections, to ensure that care of collections, documentation arrangements and use of collections will meet the requirements of the Accreditation Standard. It will take into account limitations on collecting imposed by such factors as staffing, storage and care of collection arrangements. 5. Collecting policies of other museums TWAM will take account of the collecting policies of other museums and other organisations collecting in the same or related areas or subject fields. It will consult with these organisations where conflicts of interest may arise or to define areas of specialism, in order to avoid unnecessary duplication and waste of resources. 6 6. Policy review procedure The Acquisition and Disposal Policy will be published and reviewed from time to time, at least once every five years. The date when the policy is next due for review is August 2018. Arts Council England will be notified of any changes to the Acquisition and Disposal Policy, and the implications of any such changes for the future of existing collections. 7. Acquisitions not covered by the policy Acquisitions outside the current stated policy will only be made in very exceptional circumstances, and then only after proper consideration by the governing body of the museum itself, having regard to the interests of other museums. 8. Acquisition procedures a. TWAM will exercise due diligence and make every effort not to acquire, whether by purchase, gift, bequest or exchange, any object or specimen unless the governing body or responsible officer is satisfied that the museum can acquire a valid title to the item in question. b. In particular, TWAM will not acquire any object or specimen unless it is satisfied that the object or specimen has not been acquired in, or exported from, its country of origin (or any intermediate country in which it may have been legally owned) in violation of that country’s laws. (For the purposes of this paragraph ‘country of origin’ includes the United Kingdom). c. In accordance with the provisions of the UNESCO 1970 Convention on the Means of Prohibiting and Preventing the Illicit Import, Export and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural Property, which the UK ratified with effect from November 1 2002, and the Dealing in Cultural Objects (Offences) Act 2003, TWAM will reject any items that have been illicitly traded.