Encouraging collections mobility

Encouraging Collections Mobility - A Way Forward for Museums in Europe offers some starting points for working together and sharing collections. It provides information about the history of collecting and suggests different ways to approach the collections and collecting related activities. It proposes that museums should rather be encouraged to build collection strategies of the 21st century than repeating the old pattern that is based on the idea of eternal growth. The book also looks into the value building process of museum objects and discusses some principles that determine the economic value of art and antiquities. It analyses the use of collections and suggests using them actively for the enjoyment of all who wish to have access to our cultural heritage. It explores the ways in which conservation and the care of objects affect the mobility of museum objects, and discusses, how the collections and their displays answer the needs of the contemporary visitor. Specific collections mobility issues have also been addressed in this book. These issues include immunity from seizure, insurances, non-insurances and state indemnities, long-term loans, loan fees, and digitisation. It is also pointed out that standards, trust, and good networking form the basis for all co-operation. The material is completed by a practical guide to the Collections Mobility process: it pulls together current good practice in developing loans procedures and sets it out in a clear format. Encouraging Collections Mobility is the ideal text for museum professionals, researchers and students who are determined to explore and research collections in order to open our rich collection resources and learn more about European heritage.