Establishing a Museum

This document provides a list of resources and contact details for organisations that can assist when researching the viability of setting up your own museum.

 

Housekeeping

Carrying out routine housekeeping provides you with the opportunity to check the condition of your collection and keep on top of any problems you may be having with dust, pests, humidity, slow leaks and general wear and tear of both collection material labels and furniture.

 

Risk Management

Risk management involves the identification, measurement, control and minimization of risks within your organisation. It is a process that requires ongoing monitoring and evaluation. A Risk Management Plan should be developed and incorporated into the overall management of your organisation. This fact sheet provides you with advice on resources available to develop a plan specific to your organisation.

 

Just because it’s old: museums and galleries in heritage buildings

Museums and heritage places are important elements in our cultural landscape. They document who we were, who we are now, and tell us about what we may become. More than 65% of NSW’s museums are housed in heritage buildings. In many cases this has been a successful arrangement that puts the building to good use and highlights the significance of the collection. In others it is an uneasy partnership that benefits neither the building nor thecollection. Just because a building is old, it isn’t necessarily a wise choice for a museum.

 

Strategic Planning

Heritage organisations like all businesses must be managed properly.  Management strategies advised by many funding agencies for arts/heritage projects are not unlike those required of schools, commercial enterprise, industry and government departments.   

 

Download a Strategic Planning Template

 

Disaster Planning

A Disaster Preparedness Plan is essentially an outline for people to follow in the event of a disaster.  You will never be able to think of every possible calamitous event which might befall your organisation but if you have a well prepared plan, you will have a guide in place that will avert turning emergency into catastrophe. 

 

Friends of the Museum

One way of generating on going support for the museum is to establish a Friends Program.  Associations of Friends are voluntary charitable organisations which are formed specifically to support their adopted institution.  There is usually a membership fee for joining these associations.