Gentlemen!
As a museum worker and called out by Brian, I feel compelled to write few words from museum point of view.
First, I’m happy that you are all so well informed about museums situation. Everything what you have written is true and actually I could just stop right here. I do not have any brand new idea how to change things. There are people whose job is thinking how to manage museums, they are creating theories, plans etc., most of them are with great museum experience. But unfortunately none of them could pass the problems called money. Because this is the root of the many museums problems nowadays.
You’ve quoted here many of the problems, with good understanding of them. Now I’ll try to explain some of them but basing on my museum’s situation. By the way, I’m totally surprised with the Brian’s description of how bad in British museum things are, because I always imagined that in Great Britain this institutions are managed perfectly, without such problems as a lack of money, lack of experts or properly back-up facilities. Now I know this was only my imagination and a dream about ideal place, while problems are the same here and there, maybe only the range is different.
My museum, as the biggest in Poland, it is the place where all the possible problems appearing and they’re very visible. Well, one problem is not existent. My museum as a National can’t be disband. However, it must have survived anyway in very hard times, when government finances were low (today is a little better). Biggest problems with that are in small towns or other cities where museums are under municipal administration. If city is small and poor, such museums are on the edge of insolvency.
First of all, in my opinion, Museum is created to
preserve objects of cultural, social, art etc. meaning. Preserve is equal to do everything what is possible to keep them in good state of preservation, and there is no way to bring the object to ruin. That’s why I’m terrified with Brian’s lament. If there are 1500 objects of historical meaning, there is no way but to find money (sponsors, donations, volunteers) to make conservation. There is no explanation like “out of priority”. If that museum doesn’t want to keep this objects there is a legal way with government help, to take them to other, more interested in, museum – if not as a gift then as a deposit (e. g. on long term). On the other way, such treatment is a
complete negation of museum existence and mission.
And what can I say, working in a “Military” department, which is “Military” only by name. We’ve got here armours, swords, sabres, knives, military uniforms, military badges and distinctions, fire-arms, objects from Poland, Europe, Orient, Africa, but also: civilian uniforms, civilian badges and distinctions, varia like military grave crosses (sic!), spoons and forks after Generals, replicas and other weird things!
I CAN’T tell they’re out of my interests and let them to crumble! If they’re under my custody, I’m responsible for every nail which is out there.
Of course keeping them in good state wouldn’t be possible if not conservation workrooms. and here we’ve got another problem. My museum is real big place. You’ve got there not only military objects but also paintings, graphics, photographs, fabrics, decorated art (porcelain, glass, and many other objects of daily use!), furniture…, every one of them needs a conservation help. The queue is long and some objects are waiting even few years, but those on the edge of crumble, or those needed for exhibition purposes, are priority. Such conservation back-up is very, very expensive, but this is most important. Of course, once preserved object need a special treatment to keep him in good state of preservation for a long time! If not, all the work is useless and without end. This needs special magazines and exhibitions conditions, which are expensive as well, without money – there is dead end. Sometimes you need to search sponsors (what is visible in my museum from time to time). I admit that small museums are without any chances to create such back-up what is equal to the bad state of some of the objects. That’s why government help, donations and foundations are needed. Just imagine: if I have some rifle to preserve I have to go to the conservation workshop of: metal, wood and sometimes textile or decorative art (with stones and so on). How many specialists do you need for one, beautiful rifle to make it shining with full light again!
Polish museums were creating mostly of donations. Rivkin, I know you would like to see very monographic museums with only complete collections, but this is almost impossible. Of course, there are always plans to fill collections, and this is the ideal situation for every museum. That’s why there are still some purchasing on auctions or from individual sellers. To make a complete collection of some sort of historical objects nowadays, is possible only for museums that are focus only on one sort of objects, like Army Museum in Warsaw. They can systematically gather weapons of some sort, trying to close one collection after the other, of course assuming possibility: like money and appearing concrete objects on auctions and in other places (what is impossible with some sort of them!). My museum, with 20 different departments, when every single one needs something completely different, with limited funds, can only count on gifts and accidental chances!
I agree with Rivkin that descriptions are sometimes (lets say it delicate) not efficient. In most of the Polish museums you’ll find completely wrong and short explanations, especially in smaller ones, but those very big aren’t better anyway. Problems are lack of books, which could help to identify objects properly, lack of qualified personnel, and impossibility of knowing everything. For example in my military department are working three people including me. We’ve got ca. 10 000-12 000 objects from the whole world, from ancient times, through medieval, up to the 20th century. Can you posses such knowledge, and describe everything properly with precise date, manufacture and place, especially when most of the objects are completely out of your known world? You can always ask collectors and other scholars for help, but I can assure you, you cannot find them inerrable, and on the other hand, you will not find in my city any expert on kindjals, krises or many other types of weapons! Then you are alone (that’s why this forum seems to be great place
). I’ve done everything what was possible to make descriptions on my Arms and Armour exhibition as exact, as it was only possible. So Rivkin, would you be satisfied with descriptions like this, e.g:
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ARM GUARDS
Poland, “Lviv manufacture”, 2nd half of the 17th century
Iron plate, silver plate, silk, fake rubies, inlaid with gold, gilded, niello, engraved, riveted rings
On the edge of guard arms, encrusted with gold excerption from the Old Testament. On the right arm guard: Therefore now let your hands be strengthened, and be ye valiant (II Samuel, chapter 2, 7); on the left one: Thy right hand, o Lord, is become glorious in power (Exodus, chapter 15, 6);
or:
INFANTRY OFFICER'S DRESS SMALL-SWORD
WITH SHEATH
Saxony, early 18th century
Steel, brass, wood, leather, etched, gilded, chased, engraved
Blade is etched and gilded on either side with the Polish-Saxon coat-of-arms, a monogram “AR” (Augustus Rex) and an inscription: RECTE FACIENDO / NEMINEM TIMEAS / TANDEM BONA / CAUSA TRIUMPHAT / GOT MIT UNS / NEC TIMERE / NEC TIMENDE
Gift of Janina Kornecka, 1947
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About Rivkin’s idea of selling objects: it is not nonsensically. There were in Polish museums such exchanges objects for objects, some of the were real sensible, and some of them were just criminal, while one of the biggest museum with government back-up took (stole) from the other places best things. Except this infamous example, this is quite sensible and can solve many problems, but then you have to pass many law problems as well. Not everybody wants to do it, knowing how many troubles it will generate. The good way is long-term deposit.
The next problem is qualification of science workers that are obliged to work with objects, make exhibitions and catalogues, and render objects accessible for other scholars. Problem is not only they are not always experts in what are they doing but also that they have no time to do it. My duty is (except those above): to answer on inquires, make hires of objects to other museums (qualification and selection of objects, description, state of preservation, assessment, packing), choice objects for conservation, guiding groups of adults and childrem, keeping department in life (bureaucracy, supply…)… then you’ve to find time to write catalogue or make an interesting exhibition. When we will add bureaucracy, which is killing – you know that life in museum is not easy! You can say: let’s hire volunteers. Sometimes of course, we are accepting students or apprentices, they’re helpful sometimes, but it will not solve problems if they are only for a moment (2weeks or 1 month), and because of that intended to only additional work. By the way, you can’t just come to museum and say: I would like to repair some of your objects. Will you let to enter to your collection unknown man from the street? Without papers, and let’s be sincere, without acquaintance, your chances are low.
Well, I think I didn’t say anything new, but this is reality of museum today in my eyes.
regards
Michal