I'vwe followed this discussion with interest. When I used to bring university students (from art history or practical art courses) on museum visits, pointing out accession numbers was a good way to make them aware of the historical development of collections, get them wondering why an item was acquired at that particular date.
I'd agree that they cause very little distraction to the casual visitor, but can add to the experience for others (as well as ensuring the information is securely recorded for curation purposes)
Pauline Ridley
-----Original Message-----
From: List for discussion of issues in museum education in the UK. on behalf of Philippa Tinsley
Sent: Wed 04/02/2009 09:35
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: FW: labels
You know curators aren't all evil...
I totally agree, labels are there for visitors (we don't use them on labels here).
But... there are occasional circumstances when you can't put a number on the object itself (because it's a difficult object to mark/because you have to get it out on display before you have time to order more paraloid etc etc) and putting a number on the label enables you to make sure you know what it is - basically you are also using the label for collection management reasons. Personally I think losing the information about an object is a worse sin that having a number on a label. To throw the over-generalisation back, education staff rarely realise quite how nightmarish the task of information management is over a whole collection.
Annette, does your curator have a particular reason and are they in other respects audience-focussed? If they aren't, numbers may not be the best place to start the argument!
Philippa Tinsley
Collections Manager - Worcester City Council
email: [log in to unmask]
telephone: 01905 25371
address: Worcester City Art Gallery & Museum, Foregate Street, Worcester, WR1 1DT
-----Original Message-----
From: Annette Wells [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: 03 February 2009 14:53
Subject: labels
Hi all
We are having an ongoing discussion with a new curator who insists on putting accession numbers on all his labels. we'd be interested in hearing whether you do too?
many thanks
annette
Annette Wells
Access and Audience Development Officer
Museums and Heritage Service
Newport Museum and Art Gallery
John Frost Square
Newport
S Wales
NP20 1PA
01633 414712 (direct line)
01633 414701 (admin)
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