Education Collections: Case Study in Their Use to Replace Permanent Collection Objects

Abstract

The use of an education collection in nontraditional museum settings is presented as a case study based on work at the Museum of Northern Arizona (MNA) between 2004 and 2020. MNA sought to resolve the use of permanent collections in nontraditional museums settings, specifically as decoration in an historic homestead complex and display in an assisted living facility, through the use, instead, of education objects. Historically, there was no distinction between education and permanent collections at MNA, but with the founding of an Education Division in 1975, a separate education collection began to grow. Recognizing the need to manage these assets, MNA staff developed a system to document and track these holdings and worked to sync policy with process. MNA updated its Collections Management Policy section on its education collection with a major shift in responsibility for documenting these holdings from the Education Department to the Collections Department. With a documented procedure and formal policy, MNA is set to complete the final project in 2020. MNA’s experience illustrates that an education collection can be used for more than hands-on experience. When used as decorative or display pieces, an education collection can serve to enrich our lives.