Ed Vaizey has said that museums should not shy away from disposal as a way of refreshing collections but added that museums being forced to sell collections in order to stay open would be a “terrible thing”.
The culture minister was responding to a question posed by Museums Journal's editor Sharon Heal, as part of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport’s Ask Ed Vaizey question and answer video blog (see video below).
Heal asked: “If it was a choice between closing a museum or selling a collection, what would you do?”
For Sharon Heal's question, skip forward to 2.35 minutes
Vaizey response acknowledged that selling collections is a “hugely emotional” issue.
He continued: “I personally do think that museums should look carefully at how they are using their collections. […] Refreshing them means acquiring new objects but it also means disposing of objects. The Museums Association is very robust on this and says disposals are important. And directors of national museums have come out as well and said it's important not to be precious about disposals.”
In reference to Heal’s question, Vaizey added: “I wouldn’t want to see museums faced with a dilemma between selling a core part of its collection in order to stay open. I think it would be a terrible thing.”
Ask Ed Vaizey a question via the DCMS website
The culture minister was responding to a question posed by Museums Journal's editor Sharon Heal, as part of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport’s Ask Ed Vaizey question and answer video blog (see video below).
Heal asked: “If it was a choice between closing a museum or selling a collection, what would you do?”
For Sharon Heal's question, skip forward to 2.35 minutes
Vaizey response acknowledged that selling collections is a “hugely emotional” issue.
He continued: “I personally do think that museums should look carefully at how they are using their collections. […] Refreshing them means acquiring new objects but it also means disposing of objects. The Museums Association is very robust on this and says disposals are important. And directors of national museums have come out as well and said it's important not to be precious about disposals.”
In reference to Heal’s question, Vaizey added: “I wouldn’t want to see museums faced with a dilemma between selling a core part of its collection in order to stay open. I think it would be a terrible thing.”
Ask Ed Vaizey a question via the DCMS website