Collections Review Project
The Coventry Transport Museum is currently undertaking a review of the objects and items within our collections.
This is part of the preparation work ahead of the move to the former IKEA building in Coventry and gives us an opportunity to assess what we have and whether it's publicly accessible and aligns with our collections development poilcy.
You can find out more about the project via our FAQs below as well as read a case study at the bottom of this page:
FAQs
Why are we undertaking a collections review and why now?
Collection review is a crucial component to effective collection management and development. Collections reviews provide an opportunity to review plans and practices relating to acquisition, disposal and loans to ensure that the collection is being used effectively for public benefit.
The large scale move we are planning of collections to the former IKEA building in Coventry is an opportunity for us to take stock and review what we have got to ensure it is relevant, publicly accessible and aligns to our collections development policy ahead of moving them.
The review also provides the opportunity to address historical collecting practices which tended to be broader in scope, and in some cases led to acquiring objects which we would not acquire today in order to prioritise objects with a strong public benefit and relevancy- and in retaining them would have negative benefit in the development of our collections for the future.
One of the outcomes following a collections review may be to dispose of items no longer suitable for retention within the collections.
Why are we disposing of the items?
Sometimes museums dispose of collection items through a process of deaccessioning, which is the legal process to remove accessioned items from the museum’s collection. Reasons why we may decide to deaccession an item from the collection may be because.
- The item was collected at a time when museum collecting practices were broader in scope and it’s no longer within the scope of the collecting policy
- The item is a duplicate item
- The item has low public engagement potential.
- The item is in poor condition- beyond conservation repair, or poses a health and safety risk which cannot be removed making it unsuitable for retention within the collection
Why these items specifically?
These items have gone through a rigorous collections review process undertaken by museum collections/curatorial staff and subject specialist experts who assess each item against its suitability to remain in the collection based on the item’s relevancy, uniqueness to our collections, teaching and research potential, public engagement potential and the conservation condition of items.
Following assessment items confirmed as not being suitable for retention in the collection where appropriate are offered to other museums or heritage organisations for inclusion within their collection, if relevant to their collecting policy.
How will that impact the cultural offer?
The decisions we make about the long-term care and management of our collections are guided by our Collections Development, Collections Information, Collections Access, and Collections Care & Conservation policies. These policies ensure our collections are cared for and managed with public benefit at the forefront.
The collections review process provides opportunities to acquire new items for the collection, increasing the cultural offer in the city. In this way we review collections regularly to ensure that we are reflecting the full diversity of the city’s population and we can seek to address any gaps in collecting.
The process provides opportunities to research collections, learn and share knowledge with audiences.
New acquisitions provide opportunities to bring a range of community groups together creating a sense of place.
The transfer of collections to other heritage institutions outside of Coventry provide wider opportunities for communities outside of Coventry city region to access and connect with collections and collections information.
Disposals can lead to freeing up otherwise inaccessible storage space which can be used to house new acquisitions. It also enables us to allocate more resources to the care of the retained collections.
Are we making money out of disposing of objects?
Museum disposal is not about making money. Our collections are reviewed using an ethical framework which focuses on public benefit and assesses significance and relevance to our collections.
When carrying out museum disposal we follow national and international standards set out for the long-term management and care of museum collections which include the disposal of museum objects.
Items are only sold if all other appropriate options have been exhausted to ensure the item remains within the public domain.
Any money made following the disposal of items, is ring-fenced and used solely for the purpose of maintaining, persevering and developing collections in the long term.
Are we making money out of disposing of objects?
Museum disposal is not about making money. Our collections are reviewed using an ethical framework which focuses on public benefit and assesses significance and relevance to our collections.
When carrying out museum disposal we follow national and international standards set out for the long-term management and care of museum collections which include the disposal of museum objects.
Items are only sold if all other appropriate options have been exhausted to ensure the item remains within the public domain.
Any money made following the disposal of items, is ring-fenced and used solely for the purpose of maintaining, persevering and developing collections in the long term.
What is the disposal process?
We follow the Museums Association’s process for Ethical Disposal toolkit and the Code of Ethics for Museum.
- The collections team identify collections suitable for review which may be part of a larger collections project.
- The collections team consisting of collections, curatorial, conservation and external subject specialist experts assess the collections against the review criteria. Collection reviews do not always lead to disposal. One outcome of the review may be to identify priority areas for future collections work -such as a storage improvement project.
- Following review, the collections team may decide to propose items for disposal. Items proposed for disposal are researched by the curatorial team to check relevance and significance to our collections and their condition assessed by conservation staff.
- A disposal proposal form is completed listing reasons for the proposed disposal and tabled at the monthly collections meeting- attended by representatives from curatorial, collections and senior management, who approve or decline the disposal request.
- If approved a recommendation for disposal then goes to Culture Coventry board of trustees for approval.
- If Culture Coventry board approve the disposal request, the request goes to the Coventry City Council Cabinet Member for Housing and Communities for a decision. Coventry Council are the owners of the collection and therefore need to approve the disposal recommendation.
- If approved and appropriate the items are offered firstly to other accredited museums and advertised on the Museums Association website in the ‘Find and Object’ section.
- Expressions of interest are assessed on the relevance of the item to their collection and commitment to keep the item within the public domain.
- If no interest has been received by appropriate museums or heritage organisations, other appropriate organisations are identified, which include local community groups.
Why aren’t all the collections you care for on display?
A museum is only able to display around 2-5% of its total collection holdings at any one time due to available display space. This number is incredibly small relative to the size of its collections.
We hold approximately 300,000 objects in our collection and as a result our museum staff think carefully about which items from our collections to display at any one time. We have a programme of regular changing temporary exhibitions and displays which provide an opportunity to show collections currently not on display.
Are you legally able to dispose of museum collections?
Before disposing of accessioned collections, collections staff undertake checks and research into the item to confirm its legal status. In some cases, the museum does not hold legal title or there may be a specific statute in place which prevents disposal from taking place.
What is an accessioned object?
An object which our governing body has taken legal ownership of and has formally committed to adding it to its permanent collection through the process of accessioning.
What is museum disposal?
Museum disposal refers to the permanent removal of an accessioned item from the museum’s collections. Culture Coventry Trust manages the collections on behalf of Coventry Council who own the objects.