We are familiar with a full range of mount making practices, from pinning small delicate objects, to designing and fabricating large structural mounts. Creating your own special museum pieter brueghel, the wedding party there are many different kinds and sizes of museums, ranging from the enormous smithsonian institution in washington, d. International council of museums international committee. During the 1978 cidoc meeting in julita, sweden, a set of minimum information categories for museum objects was discussed. Stresses and strains in isolated areas can quickly become permanent and. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. I currently work as a glass and ceramics conservator at the rijksmuseum van oudheden in leiden, the national museum of antiquities of the netherlands. Disposal is the physical removal of the object fromdisposal the organisation by the process decided upon by the collections or acquisition committee. For this handson workshop, no previous mount making experience is necessary but familiarity with simple hand tools is encouraged.
It never crossed my mind what went behind taking a delicate object and suspending inside of. In this case, the window mat is cut larger than the object, and the strips are visible across the image. Our museum quality mounts are constructed with conservator recommended materials using the latest tools and techniques to provide maximum protection and minimum stress for your art or artifact, while maintaining an aesthetic appearance with minimum visibility. A mount maker is responsible for the creation of structures called object mounts used to provide unobtrusive physical support, stability, and security of objects while on display, in storage, or being transported to museums, art galleries, libraries, archives, botanical gardens or other cultural institutions. The company developed a generic mount style in metal that suited most objects in the exhibition. And indeed, at the turn of the twentyfirst century, more people are visiting museums than ever before. The mount must secure objects that are displayed in the open to be reasonably safe from theft. Barclay, june 1998, canadian conservation inst edition, spiralbound in english 2 spi edition mountmaking for museum objects.
We have provided photos of these objects for you to share with students. Rehousing the rehousing creation of safe and secure mounts or housings of the costume and textile collection took place over a four year period from 20032007. Its up to museum staff to develop the skills needed to learn from historic objects, known as artefacts, which may be hundreds of years old. Achieve your creative vision down to the smallest detail with gaylords complete line of exhibit cases, display cases, supplies and accessories can help you show off your collections in their best light, while keeping them safe, preserved and protected. Alongside, i run my own conservation atelier and i do mount making and installation of museum objects, from small to medium sized ones. It prevents movement that might stress the object, especially if it is structurally weak or brittle from, for example, age or insect damage. The objects are carefully chosen and placed together to offer educational value, and often to tell a story. The process of making discrete but secure mounts can. Exhibit preparation making mounts the manitoba museum. Additional catalog data may be required by bureauoffice policy. Mount making and installation victoria and albert museum. The exhibition of cultural heritage objects is a practice used by organizations where collected objects are put on display to the public.
Unlike a library, location, description and a unique number organize museum artifacts. Postal service of a letter sent by certified mail stating that, unless advised otherwise by a specific date, the museum will consider the object to be an unrestricted gift as of that date. Deaccession and disposal in small museums clarification of terms deaccessioning is the formal process of removal of deaccessioning an object from the collection register, catalogue or database. Historical objects, originals art, valuable documents and oneofakind models often form the centerpiece of a museum collection. Barrier materials, such as mylar, should separate objects from potential damage, such as painted surfaces. For more detailed information about the variety of gloves on the market and the types of gloves you should use with a given type of collections object, check with. When the big loan show happens and youre up to your ears in crates from outoftown, this tape can help you keep them straight. Blaise castle house museum in bristol uk houses a large and impressive collection of european fans ranging from 17001950 with 60 brise and 70 other. Available in any file format including fbx, obj, max, 3ds, c4d. To mount photographs, use neutral ph 7, ligninfree mat boards and papers.
All the information relating to an object is filed and accessed using this unique number. Also, mount construction should incorporate the proper materials. Objects gathered meanings through associations with people they encountered on. Labelling and marking museum objects booklet collections. By following these guidelines, you can prevent damage to the objects in your museum collection. British museum policy deaccession of objects from the. Often the display mounts in a museum will be made with the material which is most familiar to the. Exhibit mounting variations for objects on paper national park. Although acrylic is often the preferred choice of material for mounting museum objects, the thickness of acrylic required to support a tiara was found to be obtrusive, and its reflective, light channelling properties were distracting. Mountmaking is the process of designing, fabricating and installing the structures called mounts, brackets or armatures that safely support collections objects and artifacts while they are on exhibit. How many textile items do you have in your collection and how many are going to. We work in a variety of materials, including brass, steel, and acrylic, and are able to design and fabricate onsite or template objects and return for fittings. Distributed, in situ microenvironments for the preservation of unstable archaeological metals using escal barrier film.
Mannequins, mounts and museums cost effective ways of. Mountmaking for museum objects request pdf researchgate. Mountmaking is the process we use to address issues of stability, support, and positioning, with artistry, engineering, and conservation knowledge. National museum of the american indian washington, d.
Barclay, andre bergeron, carole dignard, carl schlichting isbn. I always focused on the object or the label or the overall feel of the exhibition. The mount maker is responsible for assisting with the preparation and installation of the opening exhibitions at hbmag. Mountmaking for museum objects 2nd ed by robert barclay, andre bergeron, and carole dignard illustrations by carl schlichting. Writing a number directly on an object is the most secure method of labelling but it is not always the most suitable.
Objects can tell a story instructions for teachers. And combining traditional methods and materials with new ones, as they evolve, ensures that the field remains a fertile environment for the exchange of knowledge and information. Polystyrene in the form of hangers that can be padded. The mount blends into the object, allowing visitors to appreciate it without distraction. Museum exhibits come to life by the beautiful display of objects. Improper mounting techniques, uv light, changes in temperature and humidity and improper handling can all cause problems. For decades, museum approaches have been divided between emphasizing the preservation of the. Mountmaking for museum objects, second edition by robert barclay, andre bergeron, and carole dignard. Archival file folders acid and lignin free, available buffered and unbuffered, reinforced tabs uses protect historical documents, newspapers and family photos from deterioration archival document and storage boxes these acidfree boxes are available from museum supply vendors in a variety of sizes, widths and depths. This activity mirrors the one students will be asked to complete at the museum.
However, before choosing your materials, a proper risk assessment needs to be made. Store objects in boxes if there is dust ingress into the storage area. A safe and secure mount should support its object without causing damage, but also protect the object while on display. Please inform the senior objects conservator of materials being used in a. This chapter outlines handling, packing, and shipping guidelines for safely moving museum objects. What nps documents have information i can use to develop an exhibit. There are now over 17,500 accredited museums in the united states, averaging approximately 865 million visits a year, more than two million visits a day. Products used in preventive conservation technical bulletin. Assessing the risks of damage understanding the nature of both the objects and the products that will occupy the same. The following mandatory catalog data must be recorded for all museum objects. Artifact mount making a primary attraction that interpretive exhibits have for the public is the opportunity to experience artifacts displayed within the context of a larger story.
Mountmaking for museum objects june 1998 edition open. You might ask your students how the objects in a museum differ from the one they just interpreted. Candidates should have experience and skill in the fabrication of mounts for a range of museum objects and possess knowledge of museum mount making principles and practices. These armatures are carefully padded to prevent abrading to the objects, whilst keeping the aesthetic appearance. One of the most indispensible steps in the exhibit development process is designing and constructing these often oneofakind support structures, which vary widely in size and complexity. Labelling and marking museum objects booklet these guidelines on the labelling and marking of museum objects were developed by the collections trust with the help of vivien chapman at the national conservation centre, national museums liverpool nml. In order to construct mounts, you need to be familiar with basic hand tools and how to use them. A mount is a support that helps hold an object in a stable position while on display. Plan and budget for safe handling, exhibit mount making, and installation. Nov 15, 20 before i worked in the exhibits department of a museum, i had never even considered how objects and artifacts in museums were presented. Manitoba museum is accredited by imagine canada for excellence in nonprofit accountability, transparency and governance. Museum at bethel woods, bethel, ny museum of the shenandoah valley, winchester, va national civil war museum, harrisburg pa national cowboy and western heritage museum, oklahoma city, ok national gallery of art, washington d. Chenhall and peter homulos presented a proposal setting out 16 general categories designed to identify an object, record the history of its ownership and use, and provide. Polyester film book supports conserveogram 181 an adobe pdf file.
Fragile objects, including all textiles, should be supported over a great an area as practical. Museum property is an assemblage of museum objects collected according to some rational scheme and maintained so they can be preserved, studied, or interpreted for public benefit. Stress is the force applied to an object whereas strain is the change in shape of the object. A guide to the preventive care of archaeological collections. Deborah wythe, brooklyn museum of art archival sources for researching holocaustera looted art panel recordkeeping in museums. A significant percentage of the objects that are selected for inclusion in museum exhibitions require brackets to hold them in place while they are on view.
Mounting artifacts in a museum exhibit november 15, 20 collections mike messina before i worked in the exhibits department of a museum, i had never even considered how objects and artifacts in museums were presented. Also, you need to look closely at the object and read through all of its. The getty allows researchers to download collection images free of charge from our website for personal or classroom use. Mannequins, mounts and museums cost effective ways of displaying your collection where to begin 1. Mountmaking for museum objects article in journal of the american institute for conservation 392. The decision to deaccession museum objects is a serious one, requiring careful planning and analysis. Many products can be used in the care of objects in museum collections with a low risk of damage to many types of objects. Using museum collections in exhibits national park. Mountmaking for museum objects 2nd edition by robert l. Photograph all museum objects that are designated as controlled property after the issuance of this directive. Students will work independently and collaboratively to develop skills in visualmaterial analysis.
These guidelines on the labelling and marking of museum objects were developed by the collections trust with the help of vivien chapman at the national conservation centre, national museums liverpool nml. Use ligninfree, buffered or alkalinereserve mounting materials ph 8 to 8. You may place an order for a digital image if it is not available online, and the fees. Cotton knit and woven fabrics, medical stockinette, twill tape, thread 4. When youre sure youve removed all the art objects from the crate, close it up again and put a strip of our empty, empty tape across the seam. You can visit thisand many, many other incredible objectsat the new national museum of african american history and culture. The anthropology conservation laboratory acl, in conjunction with the appropriate anthropology curator, will make a preliminary assessment of the requested objects. Displaying them in the proper interpretive context, mounted, protected and preserved in cases designed for the unique rigors of public exposure, is capitol museum services specialty. Long span shelving with objects of similar height of the same classification stored on each shelf image courtesyjon carpenter, wa museum. The everchanging nature of designing and constructing supports for an unending list of objects, serves to keep clemenko fascinated with the art of mount making.
Susceptible objects should not be subjected to creasing and folding or deformation by the placement of heavy objects directly on tip of them. Conservation department, and marcia anderson, museum collections. We provide the following services for collections, museums, and galleries. Smithsonian objects, as well as the inclusion of clear evidence of funding for conservation, bracketing mount making, insurance, packing and crating, shipping, and courier costs. Mount making mountmaking museum art object mounting. For this handson workshop, no previous mountmaking experience is necessary but familiarity with simple hand tools is encouraged. Providing quality mount making and installation services for museums and private collectors for more than thirty years. Mountmaking for museum objects 2002 edition open library. I have worked in the installation of several exhibitions in.
There must always be a strong presumption against the. The sixth graders in this photograph sixth graders showing offtheir civil war museum. Polyethylene sheeting, ethafoam pool noodles, volara, bubble wrap, tyvek 2. Greg bradsher asked me to participate in todays panel as a representative of the museum archives section of the society of american archivists. This is the text of a seminar he gave on 14 november 2014, as part of the art and science of curation seminar series. The trustees do not normally deaccession duplicate objects from the collection. The collections assistant pulls the objects from storage so the designer can start working on a layout. Barclay, robert, bergeron, andre, and dignard, carole 1998 mountmaking for museum objects.
Barclay, june 1998, canadian conservation inst edition, spiralbound in english 2 spi edition. In 2003 the kress foundation provided a fellowship for a project conservator to complete the firstaid treatments identified in the survey and to rehouse the european textile collection. Handling museum objects tutorial, listed on the pdf of resources we consulted for this video. You can usually use simple tools to build your own display items that both protect your stuff, and show it off with museumlike elegance.
Objects can tell a story instructions oakland museum of. Museum objects tend to be old, rare, and therefore, valuable. Mountmaking for museum objects ontario museum association. Jody joy is senior curator archaeology at the museum of archaeology and anthropology, university of cambridge. In this case, the window mat is cut larger than the object. What ever you collect, there are some simple and elegant ways to highlight your collection. For a museum artifact collection to work there must be a unique number that joins the object to its paper record file and its. Compactus shelving is not recommended for open storage due to the added risk of damage during the movement of the compactus. Deaccessioning refers to the process of permanently removing accessioned museum objects or collections of museum objects from the university of albertas collections. Polyester batting spunbonded, knit, woven, and nonwoven fabrics remay, hollytex, mylar film, vivak 3.
Materials and supplies that can protect your museum. We live in a museum age, writes steven conn in do museums still need objects. A museum s documentation system is a set of elements accession number, accession register, manual or computerized files, etc. In the final step, the headdress is installed in its case at the museum. How these artifacts are mounted and displayed are consequently a key consideration during the cms fabrication process. Design, fabricate and install mounts for approx artifacts including firearms, uniforms, documents, and ethnographic objects. Whether managing large museum wide installations or working on a single object for a collector, we bring the highest level of care to every object. In contrast, the fine brass mounts offered both strong support for the objects and were visually unobtrusive. Defying gravity with magnetism gwen spicer mountmaking for. Everything you need to mount graphics and original art using wheat starch and paper hinges. Use filters to find rigged, animated, lowpoly or free 3d models. What is considered museum quality for storage equipment, containers and materials.
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