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201 South Gunflint Lake
Grand Marais, MN 55604
218-388-0876
info@gunflinttrailhistoricalsociety.org
CHIK WAUK MUSEUM - COLLECTIONS POLICY
Full collections policyThe Gunflint Trail Historical Society Board adopted a collections policy for Chik Wauk Museum and Nature Center at its October meeting. This policy is intended to ensure that collection items will have proper accession, care, display or disposal. With the Museum and Nature Center scheduled for opening this coming Fourth of July it is necessary to provide guidance to the new, as well as existing, officers, staff, volunteers assisting in the relevant operations, our membership and future donors. "A Legal Primer on Managing Museum Collections" was used as the primary reference document in compiling the collections policy. An abbreviated version of this policy that may be of primary concern to members is shared in the following paragraphs.
The ability our organization to provide necessary and adequate protection facilities to stored items is very limited. We have plans to construct larger facilities but our first priority is to open the museum using the items that we have already collected and to gain experience with operating conditions and procedures. That is, "walk before running". Accordingly our policy states that new "Items will not be accepted that may be of historical nature, even if in support of the mission, but are not amenable to be displayed until suitable storage space is available.
Other factors concerning donations of items to our museum include: (1) Provenance of the donation must be unquestionable, (2) the donation must be consistent with the mission of the Museum or Nature Center, (3) Donor imposed conditions for use of a potential item must be consistent with the overall policies of the museum or nature center and not so restrictive as to inhibit cost-effective management by the President of the Gunflint Trail Historical Society or the staff of the Museum or Nature Center, (4) the donor must agree to transfer all rights, title and interest including all copyright, trademark and related interests for all objects, artifacts and other items comprising the donation to the Gunflint Trail Historical Society, and (5) the value of donations will be determined by the donor.
Our policy addresses the removal of items from the Museum or Nature Center. To be removed, the object under consideration must be no longer relevant and useful to the purposes and activities of the Chik-Wauk Museum and Nature Center. First consideration for receipt of items to be removed will be the donor if still alive and for whom there is a current address. Next in order for receipt of the removed item will be scholarly or cultural organizations with local, state and national interests in order of preference.
As a general policy, objects will not be placed in the custody of the Gunflint Trail Historical Society until there is adequate provision for storage and there is a clear advantage to the Society to take custody.
Other factors contained in our collections policy include: (1) incoming and outgoing loans of Museum and Nature Center objects, (2) Care of objects while in the Museum, Nature Center or storage facilities, (3) records required to be maintained regarding the various aspects related to accession, deassession, loans, insurance, and inventories of objects. We intend our records to be primarily computer based with paper documents restricted to those which must be signed such as loan agreements, donor transfer of ownership rights, oral history agreements etc., (4) insurance requirements, (5) inventory aspects, and (6) a definition of access to objects in the Museum, Nature Center or storage facilities.
Link to the collections policy.
~ Bill Boissenin, Trustee