Education Collections : Fact or Friction at the Museum of

Northern Arizona (MNA)Elaine Hughes, Collections Director, Flagstaff, AZ, ehughes@musnaz.org, https://musnaz.org/

AAM accredited, private Museum

founded in 1928

Mission:

“Inspire a sense of love and responsibility

for the beauty and diversity of the

Colorado Plateau through collecting,

studying, interpreting, and preserving the

region’s natural and cultural heritage.”

Over 600,00 objects, specimens, and fine

artsGeographic Focus:

Colorado Plateau

Easton Collection Center

Exhibit Building

• 200 acre campus with many

buildings and departments that

use education collections for

public and university teaching

purposes

Education Collections at MNA • Long history starting in 1934, but “Treasure

Chests” sent to schools stocked with permanent

collection objects

• Shift over the decades to use of undocumented

education pieces (chests themselves now part of

permanent collections)

• Recent use of education collections as

decoration in non-traditional, non-museum

display or rental areas

• Donation sources for decorative education

collection pieces

• Donors enthusiastic because their items are

displayed

• Administration initially resistant because of

perception that education pieces lacked aesthetic

appeal and quality

Treasure Chest, E11030

Treasure Chest

• Permanent Collections• Unique, irreplaceable

• Preservation environment for physical integrity

• Documented to maintain intellectual integrity

• Current use balanced by future needs

• Requires Board approval

• Considered MNA property

• Conveyed in Gift Agreement

• Considered related purpose by IRS

• Education collection• Expendable

• Might not be in a preservation environment

• Documented to track

• Used for current purposes

• Approved by Museum staff

• Considered MNA property

• Conveyed in Gift Agreement, but noted

• Might be considered related purpose by IRS

Permanent vs Education Collections at MNA

Unrelated use. “unrelated use” means use unrelated to exempt purpose/function of the charitable organization. A

painting contributed to an educational institution placed in its library for display and study by art students, is a related use.

An organization must file Form 8282 if, within 3 years of receiving property for which it was required to sign a Form 8283, it

sells, exchanges, consumes, or otherwise disposes of the property.

Colton House

• Project focused on

replacement of

permanent

collection objects

and documentation

of education pieces

Historic Colton House - ”perfect for small group retreats, conferences,

weddings, and intimate family reunions…” from MNA website• Used as a rental facility, not historic house display

2005 Inventory Project Specifics• 2.5 months with 2.5 personnel

• 39 Permanent collection objects replaced

• 134 Education objects installed or documented

Location System - Selecting Replacements

EDU-ETH-

Assigning Education Numbers to Track

The Peaks

• Project focused on

replacement of

permanent

collections with

decorative

education pieces

The Peaks…a senior living community in the middle of MNA’s campus• MNA objects behind plexiglass or in cases

• Decorative Peaks-owned objects on open display on walls or shelves

The Peaks Lobby Exhibit with MNA Permanent Collections

Ongoing Project – Replacement

complicated for various reasons• Staff distracted by other initiatives

such as moving into a new

Collection Center

• 2002 Peaks Agreement requires

replacement with objects of equal

aesthetic value

• Large number of MNA objects on

display, so large number of

education pieces needed• 3 floors with objects on all levels

• To date, 91 out of 200 permanent

objects replaced with education

pieces or facsimiles

• Not documenting Peaks-owned

objects

Document the Facsimiles As Education Pieces?

Original Burr Etchings Installing Copies

Alannah DeBusk - Intern

Because the facsimiles might

fade and require

replacement within a short

period of time due to light

levels, we decided not to

document them as part of

the education collection

Syncing Policy with PracticeMNA Collections Management Policy (CMP) – Section on Education

Collections Section I. Scope of Collections, B. Two basic types of collections, part 2

Summary of Basic Changes: • Clarify how Education Collections can be used

• Ensure that Education Collections are documented

• Change the Department responsible for documentation and dispersement

• Affirm that recipients are jointly responsible for Education Collections they receive

• Plus some “word smithing”

In the following slides, blue lettering denotes additions to current policy, strike

through denotes words or sections removed. Bullets provide examples for the

rationale for policy amendments.

“Education Collections: Non-accessioned objects or select deaccessioned objects used in

educational or decorative contexts with the assumption understanding that these

objects will may be damaged, destroyed, or lost through continuous use.”

• Deaccessioned non-mission objects added to education collections if no other “home” located

“Unprocessed specimens provided for handling or use during educational programs will

not be documented as part of the Education Collections.”

• Such as plant specimens picked to show attendees what they will be seeing on botany hikes

“No material determined by MNA to be of scientific or aesthetic, historical, cultural, or

artistic significance will be placed in Education Collections. The periodic review of

objects in the Education Collections will be performed by the appropriate Curator to

determine if they have acquired scientific or aesthetic significance in consideration of

changing knowledge and time.”

• Fossil turtle carapace that is a better example than what is in permanent collections, so to be

removed from education collections and added to permanent collections

• Rattle in a style no longer made so removed from education collections and added to permanent

collections

“The Museum may accept objects for the Education Collection for teaching, use, decoration,

testing, and/or non-museum display purposes. These objects will not be accessioned, but

objects will be and catalogued with an education collection catalog number to document

their presence and status at the Museum. but assigned to the Education Department’s

teaching collection. These objects will be accepted with the understanding that they may be

altered, damaged, or destroyed, or lost through use in various contexts educational

programs.”• You could regret not having documentation if status of an object changes from education to

permanent collections over time

• Staff turnover can result in confusion over the status of undocumented education collections

“The Education Collections Department is responsible for documenting and maintaining

records on objects added to in the Education Collection and conducting periodic inventories

will periodically request an accounting from departments to which Education Collections are

entrusted. All objects in the education collection will be kept in a secured storage area. It will

be the responsibility of the entrusted department to report major location or condition

changes to the Collections Department as they occur. “• The Collections Department documents objects and specimens all the time, so the most logical

Department to ensure that education collections are documented.

Final Education Collections Section - Approved By MNA Board on 9/23/2016

2. Education Collections: Non-accessioned objects or select deaccessioned objects used in educational or

decorative contexts with the understanding that these objects may be damaged, destroyed, or lost through

continuous use. Unprocessed specimens provided for handling or use during educational programs will not

be documented as part of the Education Collections. No material determined by MNA to be of scientific,

historical, cultural, or artistic significance will be placed in Education Collections. The periodic review of

objects in the Education Collections will be performed by the appropriate Curator to determine if they have

acquired scientific or aesthetic significance in consideration of changing knowledge and time.

a. The Museum may accept objects for the Education Collection for teaching, use, decoration, testing,

and/or non-museum display purposes. These objects will not be accessioned, but objects will be

catalogued with an education collection catalog number to document their presence and status at

the Museum. These objects will be accepted with the understanding that they may be altered,

damaged, destroyed, or lost through use in various contexts.

b. Education Collections will be entrusted to education, research, administrative, or other senior staff,

and/or museum contractors.

c. The Collections Department is responsible for documenting and maintaining records on objects

added to the Education Collection and will periodically request an accounting from departments to

which Education Collections are entrusted. It will be the responsibility of the entrusted department

to report major location or condition changes to the Collections Department as they occur.

Education Collections Also Addressed in MNA’s new Hazardous

Collections Policy

Supported by an Institute of Museum and Library Services grant

New Policy • Defines hazardous collections

• Affirms MNA compliance with federal, state, and local regulations

• Assigns responsibility

• Ensures safe work practices are identified

• Affirms that public safety is a priority

• Ensures that staff and users are informed of hazardous collections

Section pertaining to Education Collections

E. Protection of the public from hazardous collections during education programs and

while viewing exhibits is a top health safety priority.

1. No known or suspected hazardous items will be used in educational programs.

2. No known or suspected hazardous items will be added to the Education

Collections.

No one solution fits all!• Think short- and long-term about your situation to address your needs