The new museum registration methods

Abstract

INTRODUCTION and ACKNOWLEDGMENTSThe New Museum Registration Methods has been five years in the making. The initial project, to revise Museum Registration Methods, 3rd ed., quickly evolved into an entirely new book with a new format and expanded contents. There were times when we were certain that the process, which included eight section editors, over 70 authors, and an advisory panel of four, had broken down and was beyond repair. There were also exciting events that spurred us on: the arrival of the first full package of manuscripts; an interview on Aug. 30, 1994, with Irma B. Wilkinson; the discovery of correspondence and parts of the manuscript for the original Museum Registration Methods in the files of The Newark Museum, Dorothy Dudley's first museum. Irma Wilkinson did not like nonsense; she told us that everyone in the profession should first understand the importance of the object and that their professionalism would flow from that understanding. She said, I think one thing is basic in the beginning: making people feel the importance of a piece of art. That you just can never forget about it... you have got to know every minute where it is and how to account for it and so on. She went on to tell us that she and Dorothy Dudley got involved in writing the first Museum Registration Methods because so many people requested help, so many letters were written, and it seemed that the book might begin to give people the answers.We hope that The New Museum Registration Methods continues to answer questions and give the leads needed to continue the registration profession on its upward path. To a large degree it represents the collective wisdom of current toilers in the field. The authors volunteered their time, work, and knowledge; they are art, history, and science museum registrars, preparators, conservators, archivists, architects, scientists, lawyers, and museum administrators. The purpose of their work is to help us all improve the care, safety, and documentation of the collections with which we work.The contributors tried to include advice and procedures for all types of collections, in terms applicable to museums of various disciplines and sizes. These efforts were more successful in some instances than others. The resulting essays, if not directly pertinent to a given situation, are at least suggestive of the goals, standards, policies, procedures, sources, and areas of interest and concern to everyone professionally involved with collections today.

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