Columnists
Hug a museum
It’s Sunday. This year was supposed to be better than last and so far, not so much. I’ll just plough ahead with this column and address one of those items I said I would address a couple of weeks ago. I know. I know. It’s a surprise, right?
I decided that today I’d be all over the words “museum quality”. Stop. Just stop. Chances are you don’t have anything in your possession or in your showroom that is “museum quality” because you don’t know what that means. Oh, how I cringe when I hear someone tell me they’ve got a “museum quality” something or another in their possession. You might even be one of those people who’ve told me, or another museum person, about your “museum quality” doodad.
If you know me, and some of you might, you know I have a little bit of a museum background. I, like just about everyone else who works or volunteers in a museum, can’t begin to tell you how many times, over the years, we have heard someone describe how they have a piece of furniture (or whatever) that is “museum quality.” Maybe they say it to impress. Often it’s a family heirloom that someone spent time, and dollars, on refinishing it or having it refinished. Maybe it was Grannie’s dining chair or side table from the front hall or something wellloved and “in need” of purpose. Sometimes the piece has never seen a moment of sunlight, a sweaty glass or a hot pot. You feel that its pristine condition makes it a surefire pick for the museum near you. Oh me. Oh my.
First of all, kudos to anyone who undertakes a repair and refinishing project on a family piece. You are more patient that I am, or will ever be. When it comes to refinishing old furniture, I start off with great intentions and the end result is always a variable. Let’s just say, I’ve painted more family pieces than I’ve refinished. To be honest, I don’t often engage in refinishing projects. But my point is, and I do have one, all y’all would be surprised by what “museum quality” truly means to the institution.
Perhaps some of you have been to our local museum sites. If you’ve ever really had a good look at what is on exhibit at our local historic sites or in collection storage areas, you’d know—straight away—that the collection isn’t about accessioning a beautifully repaired and refinished piece that someone picked up in a bargain barn or antique shop or an estate sale. The function of a historic site, or a museum, is to give visitors a glimpse into the culture and history of the community it represents. This happens with artifacts that are representative of the community. This happens with artifacts that have provenance, a story to tell and a record of ownership linking it to the site or the mission of the site. Indeed, a museum exists by virtue of its collections and its educational service to the public. A museum collection imposes legal, social and ethical obligations upon the institution to provide proper storage, documentation, care and intellectual control for the objects.
Our local museums have a collective and a site-specific, mission and purpose. Many of the artifacts are from local businesses, local family homes and local farms. Each piece has been documented, catalogued, cleaned and stabilized. Each artifact is a part of the story of the site and the community. To a museum worker or volunteer, “museum quality” means the items have a cultural, historic or educational value. If you have a piece that you feel tells a story of this community, by all means let the staff know about it. Any museum professional worth their certification will do the research before accepting a piece into the collection. Keep in mind, most museums (even the big places) can’t afford to purchase an artifact. Museums aren’t in the antique buying and selling business.
May is Museum Month. On the two-four weekend, our local museums will open to the public for the 2017 season. Get out and give your local museums a hug!
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