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GEO-CURATORS  February 2011

GEO-CURATORS February 2011

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Subject:

Re: Community curation of geological collections

From:

John Faithfull <[log in to unmask]>

Reply-To:

John Faithfull <[log in to unmask]>

Date:

Wed, 2 Feb 2011 15:23:50 -0000

Content-Type:

text/plain

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Parts/Attachments

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Hi Christian,

First, a quick moan about terminology. I think most people who develop,
care for, document, and make available collections bristle a bit about
the use of the term "curation" to describe creation of an exhibition. Or
maybe that's just me...

There was an good example of a kind of community curation (in my sense
of the word), at Chatsworth, where Mick Cooper and Russell Society
members re-curated the wonderful Devonshire collection (ie completely
upgraded documentation, storage etc). I don't think there was
involvement with display though - perhaps others can correct me on this?


In terms of selection of items for display, it can be very refreshing to
get non-specialists to select objects, and I quite often seek such
advice for individual items. I'm not sure I've ever seen a whole
geological exhibition selected on this basis, but there's no reason why
it shouldn't be successfully done for some particular purpose. 

My view is that such input is never a substitute for specialist
expertise. Rather it's a potential alternative or addition to it, and
for some kinds of exhibits and activities it can probably work very
well.

In answer to your question "are we making too much of scientific
expertise when it comes to displaying collections? ", I would hope that
the answer is no. Scientific expertise is essential in the assembly and
care of geological collections, and in getting the most out of their
use. However, it needn't (and shouldn't) be the only thing that informs
your displays, although it should always be capable of adding something
to them.

How you put together an exhibition depends, on what you're try to say,
and to whom. Humour, hyperbole, pure aesthetics, associated histories
etc can all make for engaging exhibits, as indeed, can scientific
expertise, or any combination of the above. 

Cheers

John

Dr JW Faithfull

Curator of Mineralogy and Petrology

Hunterian Museum

University of Glasgow

G12 8QQ

The University of Glasgow, charity number SC004401

Tel: 0141 330 4213

Fax: 0141 330 8001

Email: [log in to unmask]

Online catalogue: http://www.huntsearch.gla.ac.uk
<http://www.huntsearch.gla.ac.uk/> 

________________________________

From: The Geological Curator's Group mailing list
[mailto:[log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask]>
] On Behalf Of Christian Baars

Sent: 02 February 2011 14:17

To: [log in to unmask]

Subject: Community curation of geological collections

 

Hi,

there have recently been various initiatives to involve the local
community in helping museums to determine which objects they ought to
display, and how. This appears to work quite well, at least in
social/local history. 

My question is: is anyone aware of a community curation type approach in
natural history? And if yes, how did you go about it? Did you invite
specialist amateurs into the building, or the general public with
relatively little subject knowledge? How did you then define the
criteria for the selection of specimens that would later go on display?
Presumably there would have been certain exclusion criteria constrained
by space, budget, conservation, etc. considerations. 

Part of the background to the question is that I am working with pupils
from two local schools who will be selecting some geology specimens for
a little display. The other part is curiosity, as I have heard very good
things about community curation but find it hard to imagine it working
really well in disciplines where a considerable amount of expert
knowledge may be required. Or are we making too much of scientific
expertise when it comes to displaying collections? 

Best wishes

Christian

 

 

 

Dr Christian Baars

Department of Geology

National Museum Wales

Cathays Park

Cardiff CF10 3NP

UK

Telephone: 0044 (0)29 2057 3352 

 

 

 

YMWADIAD

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sganio gan systemau diogelwch awtomatig er mwyn rheoli negeseuon
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________________________________

 

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