Scenario
Sue James, the President of the Historic Society has asked if you would consider doing some training on ‘significance'. You will be required to understand the concept of significance and work through some examples. We will provide some resources for you (and the other volunteers) to do your own assessment of objects.
Our next step will be to work through your responses and give you feedback.
Why assess significance?
- To help your museum fully document the provenance and context of an object when it comes into the museum
- To understand and articulate the meaning and values of the object
- To make careful acquisition and deaccession decisions
- To guide conservation decisions
- To guide management of the object so that its special values and meanings are accessible
- To communicate the importance of the museum's objects to the public and stakeholders such as councils
- To argue the case for grant funding
If you wish you can become accredited, demonstrating that you can document cultural material at a Certificate 4/ Diploma level.
Click here for more information about how the program will be assessed.
I encourage you to do this because it’s good to be rewarded for your efforts. If we think you are 'competent' it gives you extra confidence.
As you work through the case studies use the material designed to help you through the process. You will see the titles on the left which will supplement the information in the case studies.