There is some complication in defining contemporary collecting. In this section we will define contemporary collecting as adding objects to a museum collection that are from or reflect society in the recent past.
All museums must determine their own definition of contemporary collecting that is more specific and meets their own needs and perspective. An organisations Collection Development Policy ideally should include contemporary collecting and define it for its needs. For example, for some organisations the term contemporary might include only the last few years, whereas others might include the later part of the 20th century in this too.