History Museum Curatorship: Collections Management

Student Learning Outcomes, Goals, Objectives:

Students successfully completing this course will be able to:

• Explain the role of collections management within history museums and historic sites.
• Apply professional standards to accessioning, cataloging, and documenting museum objects.
• Evaluate museum collections policies and recommend improvements.
• Assess risks to collections and recommend preservation strategies.
• Develop collections documentation that meets current museum standards.
• Analyze legal and ethical issues surrounding museum collections.
• Design practical collections management solutions for institutions with varying resources.
• Communicate collections decisions in professional written and oral formats.

Course Grading Information:

Activity/Performance Measure	Percentage/Points
Object Records Portfolio Students select or receive 10 museum objects over the semester. For each object, you will create a folder of detailed information, including: An accession record A cataloging record A condition report Photographs Measurements Descriptive metadata (Dublin Core) Storage and handling recommendations The portfolio should contain complete records that are accurate, consistently formatted, and written according to professional standards.	30%
Collections Management Plan Students will assume the role of Collections Manager (or Museum Consultant) for a small history museum that has recently inherited approximately 500 artifacts but has never developed formal collections policies or procedures. You will create a professional Collections Management Plan that establishes a framework for responsible stewardship, accountability, and long-term sustainability. The completed plan should be approximately 20 pages and written in a professional format suitable for presentation to museum leadership. You will present your Collections Management Plan in a 10-minute professional briefing in class. Your goal is not to summarize every section of your written plan but to persuade the board that your recommendations represent the best strategy for responsibly managing the museum's collections. The presentation should demonstrate your ability to communicate effectively with museum leadership, balance competing priorities, and translate professional standards into practical institutional policies.	60%
Weekly Labs and Engagement Active engagement in class discussions and in-class lab exercises is expected.	10%

Grading Scale:

Percentage	Letter Grade
93-100	A
90-93	A-
87-90	B+
83-87	B
80-83	B-
77-80	C+
73-77	C
70-73	C-
67-70	D+
63-67	D
60-63	D-
Under 60	F

Attendance/Participation:

Students are allowed one unexcused absence. Additional necessary absences require prior approval from the instructor or a doctor’s note. Any assignments or presentations that are due on the day a student has an unexcused absence must be remediated within 24 hours. It is the responsibility of the student to reach out to me about this remediation.

Course Materials Purchased by the Students:

No course materials are required.