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Care of the Collection

The museum is entrusted with the care and preservation of the collection. Care for the collection is a collaborative effort shared by all staff. Every effort must be made to provide a stable climate for all artwork, both on view and in storage, and to maintain the highest standards of handling and installation of artwork. Museum staff should be aware of their personal responsibilities to preserve and protect the collection at all times. Artwork in the collection, whether on exhibit or in storage, are to be adequately protected against fire, theft, damage, vandalism and natural disaster.

A. General Care of the CollectionÌý

1. The documentation of the movement of artwork, within or outside the museum, is the final responsibility of collection/registration staff. Exhibition and curatorial staff are responsible for either notifying collection/registration staff in writing of any movement of artwork of more than 24 hours or documenting the movement in the collection database.ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý
   1. Except in the case of an emergency, if an artwork is to be moved within the museum or to any off-site location, prior approval must be obtained from collection/registration staff.
   2. Before an artwork is moved it must be thoroughly examined by collection/registration and/or exhibition staff.
      1. If there is any question about the method of handling or the structural stability of the artwork, the artwork should not be moved pending consultation with collection/registration and exhibition staff. 

   3. Only art handlers under the supervision of collection/registration, curatorial or exhibition staff are permitted to handle, move and transport artwork within the museum or to any off-site location.
      1. With the approval of collection/registration or exhibition staff, exception may be granted for other qualified persons to handle, move and transport artwork within the museum. 

      2. All personnel approved to handle artwork are required to receive training in art handling by collection/registration and/or exhibition staff.
2. The museum is responsible for providing a preservation environment for the collection aligned with accepted museum standards as determined by the American Alliance of Museums (AAM) and the American Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works (AIC).
   1. The museum will also adhere to environmental standards developed and periodically updated by museum staff.
   2. Collection/registration staff are responsible for monitoring the environment and for maintaining complete environmental records.
   3. Any aberrations in environmental standards must be immediately reported to collection/registration and exhibition staff.
3. Food and drink are prohibited where artwork is displayed or stored. This includes the preparation, serving, and consumption of food and drink, except for pre-approved events and locations within the museum.
   1. Other activities in the galleries such as music, dance or theater performances must receive the prior approval of the Staff Committee
   2. Flowers or other plant materials must be strictly regulated within the museum to minimize the possibility of insect infestation.
   3. By state law the museum building is smoke-free.
4. Collection/registration staff follow an integrated pest management program for the museum. Pest activity is monitored monthly by visual inspection and pest traps. A logbook of pest monitoring and detection is kept in the collection/registration staff’s online documents. If an infestation occurs, material will be isolated, treated and cleaned. To prevent possible infestations, artwork brought into the museum is inspected for pest activity and stored separately from the collection if signs of pests are noted.
5. Commercial or educational video/film production may take place in the galleries but must receive prior approval from collection/registration and visitor experience staff. Video and film production must be under the direct supervision of appropriate museum staff in consultation with collection/registration staff. Video and film production must be strictly regulated for the protection of the collection as well as for consideration of visitor experience.Ìý
   1. Visitors are prohibited from using video cameras, tripods and selfie sticks in the galleries.

B. Conservation Treatment and ProtocolÌý

1. Conservation treatment of artwork, including restoration, routine maintenance and management of contract conservation, is the responsibility of collection/registration staff in collaboration with the curatorial staff. 

2. Only fully vetted art conservators with a proven record of work shall be contracted to provide conservation treatment for collection artwork.
3. The scheduling of conservation treatments is established collaboratively among the collection/registration and curatorial staff. 
Treatment schedules and priorities should be reviewed and updated annually. 

4. Conservation treatments must be preceded by a documented proposal written by the project conservator in consultation with collection/registration and curatorial staff.

C. Storage of ArtworkÌý

1. Collection/registration staff is responsible for the management of artwork in collection storage room 230 and the collection study center and must maintain all art storage areas in accordance with best practices as published by the American Alliance of Museums.
   • The museum collection, any long term and short-term loans and temporary inventory number objects and artwork are housed in a single large storage space on the second floor of the museum in collection storage room 230.Ìý There is also short-term artwork storage space in the collection study center for artwork in use for classroom visits.Ìý Both the collection storage room 230 and the collection study center are designated artwork storage spaces in which all shelves, cabinets, racks and drawers are marked with a location number ID that corresponds to a numbered location in the collection management database (Argus).Ìý Artwork movement is tracked by collection management/registration in Argus by location ID and accession number.
   • Collection storage room 230 is dedicated to collection artwork storage and has digital card swipe and key entry access integrated into the security system at its two access points.Ìý Access to collection art storage room 230 is restricted to specified museum staff and individuals authorized by collection/registration staff. The director, curator, collection/registration and exhibition staff have routine access to art storage. Unless authorized by collection/registration staff, non-staff persons are not permitted access to art storage areas. 
Non-staff persons admitted with authorization to art storage areas must be accompanied at all times by an authorized member of museum staff.
   • Collection storage room 230 is routinely inspected for insects and rodents by our monthly Integrated Pest Management program.Ìý The room has a pre-action sprinkler system and fire extinguishers that are inspected yearly by the local fire marshal and is climate and humidity controlled. Collection Storage room 230 is equipped with high density, carriage mounted, mobile storage art racks for vertically stored artwork, stacked, heavy-gauge, steel flat file storage cabinets for works on paper and standing heavy-gauge steel cabinetry with gasket sealed doors configured with shelving and drawers to house three-dimensional artwork.
   • The collection study center is a hybrid classroom with art storage cabinetry where classes and visitors supervised by collection/registration and curatorial staff can interact with artwork from the collection. This room is routinely inspected for insects and rodents by our monthly Integrated Pest Management program and has a pre-action sprinkler system and is climate and humidity controlled. It features, stacked, heavy-gauge, steel flat file storage cabinets for works on paper and an enclosed, locked storage cabinet. This space has digital card swipe and key entry access integrated into the security system at its two access points.Ìý Access to the collection study center is monitored by collection/registration and the curatorial department.ÌýÌý

Please see Appendix A for a floorplan of the museum’s second floor indicating collection storage room 230 and the collection study center.

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