Chapter Ten - Public and Private Collections: Dewey Class 708

Abstract

It is essential for a student of art to be able to discover the location of works of art throughout the world. To aid him in this, the student needs a great deal of information about the various agencies that preserve and display works of art. Most important are the public museums and art galleries; they have large collections that can be seen at regular times by any member of the public. The other major public medium for the display of works of art is the temporary exhibition staged by an important museum, or by some national body such as the Arts Council in Great Britain. However, the public collections and exhibitions are by no means the only agencies that enable people to examine important works of art. This chapter presents the directories and catalogs of museums, other museum publications, and guides to museums and museum techniques. It also discusses the collections of works of art belonging to private individuals.