Over a thousand institutions in almost a hundred countries answered the survey, which was carried out by the ICOM Working Group on Collections in Storage. The report shows that almost 17% of museums do not have a designated person in charge of storage. Furthermore, this responsibility, when it exists, is not included in the job description of the person in charge in over 20% of cases. More than half of the surveyed institutions note that there is a storage space.
The objectives of the professionals in charge of the storage remain primarily focused on heritage preservation and is centred on museum collections, as well as a move towards more environmentally friendly practices.
- Access and read Museum Storage around the world
An upcoming NEMO Training in Paris will include a visit to the Louve’s storage that will share insights into risk preparedness and sustainability. A recent NEMO Statement also touches upon collections and storage by encouraging museums to re-evaluate museum collections with a view to their social, historical, environmental, and educational impact. This bold statement was prepared and endorsed by all national museum organisations in Europe present at the 2023 NEMO European Museum Conference.
