In any field there will be specific language and words only people in that field may understand. The museum is no different. Below are some of our everyday terms.
Accession: The act of bringing an object into the collection through cataloging.
Accession numbers: Are numbers assigned to each and every object that is accessioned or brought into the collection. Example of a typical accession number: Parts of an accession number 2011.0020.1 [year].[collection of the year].[object in collection]. The year is the year that the collection came to the museum. This collection was the 20th collection to come through the museum doors. The last number denotes that this object is the first object in this collection. Each museum may have its own numbering system.
Acquisitions: the act of going out to acquire objects or manuscripts.
Archives: refers to the area in the museum where maps, photographs, audiovisual and manuscripts are kept.
Archivist: The person who organizes, oversees and manages the archives.
Artifact/Object: These are items that have been accessioned. Once an object has been accessioned it obtains a new status. For example, a tea set that has been accessioned will never again be used for drinking tea. It will be properly stored and cared for in acid-free boxes, in a temperature and relative humidity controlled room to be preserved in perpetuity, forever.
Cataloging: Part of the collections process. Cataloging an object includes documenting an object by writing down the donor information, the description (including color, materials, measurements), and assigning an accession number.
Collections: refers to the area in the museum where objects are kept.
Collections processing: the act of cataloging or assigning accession numbers, filling out paperwork, retrieving historical information on objects that come into the museum.
Curating: The act of organizing and overseeing objects in the collection. Including acquiring (taking in) objects and de-accessioning (removing) objects.
Curator: The person who organizes, oversees, and manages the object collection.
Deaccession: The act of taking an object out of collection.
Docents: Docents are individuals who have gone through intensive study of history and volunteer their time to teach visitors about these histories in museum exhibits.
Education collections: A collection of objects or archives that is used in educational programming.
Exhibit Program: Refers to upcoming exhibits with dates.
Exhibit vs. display: An exhibit involves heavy research and is usually developed through a process to interpret a topic, object, or historical event. For example, a diamond drill with a label describing its history and contribution to mining. A display may or may not have any interpretation. For example, a department store has displays of their products on manikin.
Finding Aid: A document detailing information about a collection in the archives. For example, a box of Cook County papers has a finding aid to help researchers find the folder they are looking for.
Guides: Also known as docents. They have a lot of knowledge about the history of this area and teach visitors about them through interpretive tours. (See the Education Coordinator to reserve one today!)
History Players: Actors and actresses who play out historical characters.
Installation and de-installation: The act of putting together an exhibit. For example, hanging artworks. De-installation is the act of taking down the exhibit.
Interpret/ interpretation: is the act of making meaning out of information that is collected. Some examples of interpretation includes labels and text in the exhibits and live acting of historical figures who talk about events that take place in history.
Preservation: The act of keeping objects and archives in an unaltered condition. In the museum that means temperature and relative humidity (RH) controlled rooms, limit UV light on objects, handling objects with gloves, limiting handling of objects and archives, using acid-free and inert materials, using pencils only, careful wrapping/rolling of textiles.
Programming: Refers to the educational activities taking place at the museum.
Reading room: A room in the research library where researchers can look at materials. For example, the microfilm reading room contains newspapers from all over the range and microfilm readers for researchers to use.
Research library: The research library is like a library that has books. Usually in museums a research library has specific topics related to that museum. For example, the Minnesota Discovery Center library has many books on mining, more so than say the public library.
