Survey: Developing Ethnographic Collections in Museums

Researcher: Xuan Ouyang
Contact: wzgq56@durham.ac.uk
Organisation: Archaeology, Durham University

You are invited to take part in a research project that I am conducting as part of my MA International Cultural Heritage Management Placement Project at Oriental Museum, Durham University. This survey will be asking questions regarding how you and your museum approach the development of ethnographic collections and the process of acquiring ethnographic material. The responses of the survey will be beneficial for museums planning to further develop their ethnographic collection in the future, as it will provide insights into how different museums approach the practical and ethical issues relating to the process. The results of the survey are not for redistribution purposes and will not be published without consent, but please feel free to contact wzgq56@durham.ac.uk for a copy of the survey outcome.

You can find more information about the outcome of this project, data protection, confidentiality, and anonymity in the information sheet and privacy notice that has been sent to you.

This survey will take approximately 10 minutes, and it consists of multiple-choice, checkboxes, and a few comment boxes.

Question Title

* 1. Which museum do you work for? (This information will only be used to demonstrate which organisation has participated in the survey and will not be linked to any of your answers. )

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* 2. What is your role in the museum?

Curator

Collection Manager

Exhibition Officer

Conservator

Learning and Engagement Manager/ Officer

Other (please specify)

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* 3. How would you define the collection/ department that you work with?

World Cultures

Ethnography/ Anthropology

Non-Western

Social History

Archaeology

Art and Craft

None of the above

A specific region (please specify)

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* 4. Has the museum that you work in/ Have you acquired ethnographic material in the past 10 years?

Yes

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* 5. If no, what was the reason (s) for not actively acquiring ethnographic material? (Select all that apply)

Staffing

Limited Storage

Absence of curatorial expertise

Long -term cost of caring for collections

Does not fit with the Collection Policy

Does not fit into to the overall strategic goal/ vision of the museum/ department

Ethical concerns

Others. Please specify in the comment field below if apply.

This question does not apply.

If selected ethical concerns, e.g., Object is not well-provenanced and does not have a well-documented recent history, please specify.

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* 6. If yes, how was the ethnographic material acquired?

Donation

Gift

Fieldwork

Purchased

Commissioned

As an outcome of partnership/ community project

Other (please specify)

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* 7. How would you classify the ethnographic material that has been acquired? (Select all that apply)

Historical

Contemporary art and craft

Historical tourist material

Contemporary tourist material

Ephemera/ Daily Life

Other (please specify)

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* 8. What are the core purposes of acquiring ethnographic material in your opinion? (Select all that apply)

Filling gaps to strengthen the existing collections

Updating collections with objects of more recent origin

Shifting the focus of the collection and developing new narratives

Documenting cultural change

Responding to request from academics (E.g., Research/ university teaching etc)

Responding to requests from the general public

Responding to requests from the source communities

Choose to focus on contemporary art and commissioning contemporary artists

Other (please specify)

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* 9. Have you or your institution utilised any of the below practices to acquire new material?

Co-curation

Commissioning contemporary artists

Dialogues with communities from where the objects derive

Does not apply

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* 10. If you were involved in commissioning contemporary artists, please provide additional information on the nature of the commissioning

It was part of a larger project

It was to address gaps in existing collection

It was to address under-represented narratives in existing collections

It was to bring the collections up to date

Does not apply

Other (please specify)

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* 11. Most collection policies outline a framework for acquisition.

Are there any specific restrictions that your museum has imposed on the acquisition process of ethnographic material? For instance, not collecting objects from a specific region or after a certain date. Please specify if possible

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* 12. Were there any ethical concerns when collecting historical material?

Yes

Yes. (please specify if possible)

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* 13. How are the acquired ethnographic materials used in the museum?

Display in the permanent galleries

Displayed in temporary exhibitions

Researched

Teaching

For use with community groups and source communities

Other (please specify)

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* 14. How often does the collection policy at your museum go through reviewing process?

Every 0-3 years

Every 4-7 years

Every 8-10 years

Over 10 years

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* 15. Have you encountered any challenges while following the guidelines of the collection policies?

Yes

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* 16. If yes, what kind of challenges have you encountered?

Not Applicable

Please specify

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* 17. What actions have been taken to ensure the transparency of the acquisition process?

Updates on museum website

Updates on social media platforms

Information included in exhibition

Press coverage

Other (please specify)

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* 18. Have you had any repatriation claims in the past 10 years?

Yes

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* 19. If yes, how did you deal with it?

We are still processing the claim

We chose to repatriate the object (s)

We chose not to repatriate the object (s)

Other (please specify)

Survey: Developing Ethnographic Collections in Museums

Researcher: Xuan Ouyang Contact: wzgq56@durham.ac.ukOrganisation: Archaeology, Durham University

Question Title

* 1. Which museum do you work for? (This information will only be used to demonstrate which organisation has participated in the survey and will not be linked to any of your answers. )

Question Title

* 2. What is your role in the museum?

Question Title

* 3. How would you define the collection/ department that you work with?

Question Title

* 4. Has the museum that you work in/ Have you acquired ethnographic material in the past 10 years?

Question Title

* 5. If no, what was the reason (s) for not actively acquiring ethnographic material? (Select all that apply)

Question Title

* 6. If yes, how was the ethnographic material acquired?

Question Title

* 7. How would you classify the ethnographic material that has been acquired? (Select all that apply)

Question Title

* 8. What are the core purposes of acquiring ethnographic material in your opinion? (Select all that apply)

Question Title

* 9. Have you or your institution utilised any of the below practices to acquire new material?

Question Title

* 10. If you were involved in commissioning contemporary artists, please provide additional information on the nature of the commissioning

Question Title

* 11. Most collection policies outline a framework for acquisition. Are there any specific restrictions that your museum has imposed on the acquisition process of ethnographic material? For instance, not collecting objects from a specific region or after a certain date. Please specify if possible

Question Title

* 12. Were there any ethical concerns when collecting historical material?

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* 13. How are the acquired ethnographic materials used in the museum?

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* 14. How often does the collection policy at your museum go through reviewing process?

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* 15. Have you encountered any challenges while following the guidelines of the collection policies?

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* 16. If yes, what kind of challenges have you encountered?

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* 17. What actions have been taken to ensure the transparency of the acquisition process?

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* 18. Have you had any repatriation claims in the past 10 years?

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* 19. If yes, how did you deal with it?

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* 20. If it was decided the object would not be repatriated, could you specify the reason (s)?

Researcher: Xuan Ouyang
Contact: wzgq56@durham.ac.uk
Organisation: Archaeology, Durham University

* 11. Most collection policies outline a framework for acquisition.

Are there any specific restrictions that your museum has imposed on the acquisition process of ethnographic material? For instance, not collecting objects from a specific region or after a certain date. Please specify if possible