Museum policies (was: Yo)

From: William Donzelli <aw288_at_osfn.org>
Date: Mon Jun 26 15:10:21 2000

> Certainly in the UK (and I guess this applies worldwide), some museums
> have policies which make it difficult for them to sell or give away
> potential exhibits. So even though they've already got 10 Commodore 64s,
> and even though they know of a collector who wants one, they still can't
> give him the one that's just been given to them.

Something seems seriously wrong here. If a museum ever gets into a
situation like this, they have made a serious error.

When an artifact (or anything else, for that matter) is to be donated to a
museum, a contract is drawn up and signed by both parties. The museums use
a very standardized contract to protect themselves, as many people use
museums for personal gain. Like any contract, both parties must agree or
nothing happens. Museums will _almost_always_ insist on a contract that
lets them do whatever they want with the all or part of the new material -
including storage, display, preservation and restoration, trade, sale, and
destruction. If they can not get this right, nearly all will simply not
accept the donation. This also applies to things willed to them - they
need not take them if backed into a corner.
 
I think you may be confusing the issue of selling and trading items that
are not part of the museum trust - basically items on temporary or
indefinite loan (there really is no "permanent loan"). For example, when
the ship restoration people go into the reserve fleet to pull off fittings
and equipment for museum ships going thru restoration, the items
_can_not_ be sold or destroyed. This is because the items are still
government property, even though the Navy doesn't want the stuff! The
stuff can be traded, but only for items in the same category from other
museums.

I can not think of any situation where computer equipment would fall into
this category, unless the equipment is crypto related.

Also, keep in mind the point of accepting willed donations. Think of the
tripping points a museum would have with these transactions. Museums
generally do not have the resources to change the terms of wills, so if
lots come along, generally they must take all or nothing (unless the term
does give the right of first refusal). They _must_ have the right to
refuse donations. If this was not the case, museums would be helpless and
the power would be abused by anyone trying to get the junk out of an
estate. They would have to take stuff that wasn't even worth taking to a
flea market or the Goodwill store. Additionally, they would be forced to
take things in huge quantities that would quickly swamp their systems. For
example, I have in my shop a number of radio boxes for Martin B-10/B-12
bombers - great museum pieces, but does any museum need twenty of the darn
things (I certainly don't - anyone want to buy one or more from me)? Of
course not, and if I died tomorrow the recipient museum might only take
one or two to satisfy their needs. If the museum was forced to take all
and keep them - well, hell, I could "donate" all of my scrap metal and
half parted and stripped sets, too.

> While such policies are obviously necessary, I am also quite sure that
> most classic computer collectors would rather their machines went to
> people who wanted them (wether museums or private collectors), and were
> not simply given to a museum to be stuck in storage.

Just keep in mind that in museums, the artifacts are far safer than in
private hands. Some museums have poor storage facilities (RCS/RI needs an
upgrade - anyone want to donate money or shelving units?), but even the
worst that a museum has to offer is far better than what many private
collectors do (is that a can of Coke on your PDP-11? Shame if it spilled
inside...).

Don't damn the museums. Most have to store many items simply because of a
lack of manpower and money to preserve and restore them. The simple
solution is to ask the museums if _you_ can donate time and resources.

Yes, this is a somewhat open invitation - RCS/RI has about 100
waiting projects for every one being worked on, and the ratio is growing.
For those located near Providence, RI, come to an open house (3rd
Saturday of every month) and see what there is to do.

William Donzelli
aw288_at_osfn.org
Received on Mon Jun 26 2000 - 15:10:21 BST