The Museums Association's ethics committee met last month to respond to Southampton City Council's request for advice on the sale of works from its collection.
The key points of reference were the sections in the code of ethics which state that museums should refuse to undertake disposal principally for financial reasons, apart from in exceptional circumstances.
Financially motivated disposal risks damaging public confidence in museums, and collections should not normally be regarded as financially negotiable assets.
The exceptional circumstances that the code refers to are when the following can be demonstrated: the sale will significantly improve the long-term public benefit derived from the remaining collection; it is not to generate short-term revenue; it is as a last resort after other sources of funding have been thoroughly explored; extensive prior consultation has been undertaken; and the item under consideration lies outside the museum's established core collection as defined in the collections policy.
After careful consideration, we feel that the opportunity to relocate key elements of the city's heritage into adjacent premises represents an exceptional circumstance and that the proposals will significantly improve the long-term public benefit derived from the collections.
We are clear that the proposals are not being made to generate short-term revenue, and we commend the extensive consultation that has already been held with sector bodies. However, we have reservations relating to the other conditions.
The potential benefit of the development of the Sea City Museum has to be balanced against the potential damage to public confidence in museums. It is essential that there is transparency in the reason for selection, and the way they are disposed of from the collection. The council should only proceed if public consultation shows that public confidence in museums will be maintained if the sale of works takes place.
We are not persuaded that the proposed sale is a last resort. From the evidence presented, fundraising is at an early stage and full approaches have not yet been made to the range of potential funders that would be expected in a large capital development.
If it has not been possible to raise funds from other sources by mid 2010 we are likely to be ready to accept that the sale is a last resort. We also need to consider further before we can determine whether the items under consideration lie outside the established core collection.
We are content that the intention is to ringfence any money raised from the sale solely and directly for the benefit of the council's museum and gallery collection and for the long-term sustainability, use and development of the collection.
Nick Merriman is the director of the Manchester Museum and a member of the Museums Association ethics committee
The key points of reference were the sections in the code of ethics which state that museums should refuse to undertake disposal principally for financial reasons, apart from in exceptional circumstances.
Financially motivated disposal risks damaging public confidence in museums, and collections should not normally be regarded as financially negotiable assets.
The exceptional circumstances that the code refers to are when the following can be demonstrated: the sale will significantly improve the long-term public benefit derived from the remaining collection; it is not to generate short-term revenue; it is as a last resort after other sources of funding have been thoroughly explored; extensive prior consultation has been undertaken; and the item under consideration lies outside the museum's established core collection as defined in the collections policy.
After careful consideration, we feel that the opportunity to relocate key elements of the city's heritage into adjacent premises represents an exceptional circumstance and that the proposals will significantly improve the long-term public benefit derived from the collections.
We are clear that the proposals are not being made to generate short-term revenue, and we commend the extensive consultation that has already been held with sector bodies. However, we have reservations relating to the other conditions.
The potential benefit of the development of the Sea City Museum has to be balanced against the potential damage to public confidence in museums. It is essential that there is transparency in the reason for selection, and the way they are disposed of from the collection. The council should only proceed if public consultation shows that public confidence in museums will be maintained if the sale of works takes place.
We are not persuaded that the proposed sale is a last resort. From the evidence presented, fundraising is at an early stage and full approaches have not yet been made to the range of potential funders that would be expected in a large capital development.
If it has not been possible to raise funds from other sources by mid 2010 we are likely to be ready to accept that the sale is a last resort. We also need to consider further before we can determine whether the items under consideration lie outside the established core collection.
We are content that the intention is to ringfence any money raised from the sale solely and directly for the benefit of the council's museum and gallery collection and for the long-term sustainability, use and development of the collection.
Nick Merriman is the director of the Manchester Museum and a member of the Museums Association ethics committee
