“Many museums – particularly those with large collections built up over decades or centuries – are unable to fully account for their material and its provenance. Collections information is often inadequate and not ready for the digital age. Stores are often full and valuable resources are wasted on items that don’t fit with current collections policies or are duplicated in collections elsewhere.”
Empowering Collections, Museums Association
The Empowering Collections report highlighted some critical issues in collections management. When we talk abut “Dynamic Collections” we are referring to the need to enable museum collections to evolve and change in their nature, rather than to remain static. This cannot happen without collections reviews and disposals. It is also vital that collections are relevant to audiences and this is dependent on truly participatory approaches being taken in the work that we do with collections in our care.