Museums and the Future of Collecting

by Simon J. Knell (Editor)

Offering solutions spanning traditional to more radical visions, 23 papers confront collecting issues cued by the financial and social realities facing museum professionals related to the themes of collecting in context, omissions and dilemmas, and collecting futures. Issues that may necessitate redefining collecting museums without collections in West Africa, collecting from deviant' groups, the ethics of the international market in fossils, collecting live performance, and deaccessioning as a management tool. Based on a conference organized by the U. of Leicester's Department of Museum Studies (date unspecified). Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Genres: Nonfiction, Museums

200 pages, Hardcover

First published June 1, 1999

Reviews

[Patrick · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting collection of essays on collections and collecting. Somewhat uneven as such a collection often is, but there are some really compelling ideas and observations in here. Recommended to anyone interested in museums, archives, or the anthropology/sociology of the human compulsion to collect.

[Burky Ford]

Walt Woodward liked this. It probably is super!

[Abbey · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoyed several of the essays and found the majority to be interesting and informative. As always with a collection of this sort some essays seemed to miss the mark unfortunately.