Crick Smith
Collections Management
Crick Smith Conservation is one of the most experienced and knowledgeable companies developing specialised management programmes for historic collections across the UK and Europe. We are happy to consult on the options available for the effective management of collections however large or small.
Every institution that house historic collections should have a Collections Management Policy in place. Such a policy should minimize the risk to the collection, ensuring its future use and accessibility.
Collections Management includes Preventive Conservation, which may be defined as those measures that prevent damage or reduce the potential for it. It includes procedures for the handling, storage, management and display of historic materials and reduces the need for interventive conservation treatments.
The Museums Libraries and Archives Council Accreditation Scheme for Museums sets nationally agreed standards for UK museums. It also provides realistic minimum standards of care for collections. The accreditation scheme benefits museum visitors, volunteers and staff and provides a benchmark for grant-making organisations, sponsors and donors. Establishments that are able to demonstrate a commitment to good collections management practice improve their chances of gaining accredited museum status and increase the prospect of successful applications for financial grants and awards.
Crick Smith has an excellent understanding of the nine agents of deterioration that place our historic collections at risk, these are:
- Fire
- Floods & other natural disasters
- Losses due to thieves, vandals or displacers
- Direct physical forces, including breakages and physical wear and tear caused by inappropriate handling
- Chemical agents, including gaseous pollutants
- Biological agents: insect pests, mammals, birds and mould growth
- Exposure to light radiation
- Exposure to inappropriate and fluctuating levels of moisture
- Incorrect temperature
Attention to the accreditation standards helps to minimise the risk of damage to the collections by:
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Contact us
Tel: 01522 895051
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