Public access to stored collections is "haphazard and patchy", according to a report published last month by the University College London's Institute of Archaeology.
Collections for People, which used data from 263 organisations in England and Wales, found that the number of visitors to stored collections was low overall, with only 20 per cent of museums getting more than 400 users a year - even though half of the respondents reported increased public demand for access to stored collections.
The report makes a number of specific recommendations to improve access (see box), but also said: "Museums should recognise that their collections are public resources and that they have an obligation to make them publicly available."
Suzanne Keene, the editor of the report, said one of the surprising findings was that museums that had secured a collections-related grant did not necessarily provide better public access.
"People often say in their grant applications that it is going to improve access to collections, but that is often just through displays, not access to stored collections." Keene said many museums could make improvements simply by providing better contact information on websites and other publicity.
Norfolk Museums & Archaeology Service is one of the organisations that took part in the survey. It opened the Norwich Castle Study Centre in 2001 to increase public access to its 1.5 million objects. The museum service also used Renaissance money to fund a collections access officer post, with Ruth Burwood appointed in 2004.
Burwood said: "We are keen to increase usage further, and aim to continue to develop visitor figures by offering more events and regular group sessions for local people."
Collections for People, which used data from 263 organisations in England and Wales, found that the number of visitors to stored collections was low overall, with only 20 per cent of museums getting more than 400 users a year - even though half of the respondents reported increased public demand for access to stored collections.
The report makes a number of specific recommendations to improve access (see box), but also said: "Museums should recognise that their collections are public resources and that they have an obligation to make them publicly available."
Suzanne Keene, the editor of the report, said one of the surprising findings was that museums that had secured a collections-related grant did not necessarily provide better public access.
"People often say in their grant applications that it is going to improve access to collections, but that is often just through displays, not access to stored collections." Keene said many museums could make improvements simply by providing better contact information on websites and other publicity.
Norfolk Museums & Archaeology Service is one of the organisations that took part in the survey. It opened the Norwich Castle Study Centre in 2001 to increase public access to its 1.5 million objects. The museum service also used Renaissance money to fund a collections access officer post, with Ruth Burwood appointed in 2004.
Burwood said: "We are keen to increase usage further, and aim to continue to develop visitor figures by offering more events and regular group sessions for local people."
At a glance
Key recommendations include:
Museums and galleries should actively promote the availability of collections, including online.
Standards for accreditation should include benchmarks for collections access and use.
Museums should consider appointing a collections access officer.
Key recommendations include:
Museums and galleries should actively promote the availability of collections, including online.
Standards for accreditation should include benchmarks for collections access and use.
Museums should consider appointing a collections access officer.
