RE-ORG: Unlocking the Potential of Museum Collections in Storage

Abstract

This article offers an overview of 10 years of institutional and human efforts led by ICCROM (the International Centre for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property) and other international and national organisations to address the state of paralysis of collections in storage, and restore their potential as a tool for education and social cohesion. Launched in 2011 and tested in many different contexts and across all global regions, the RE-ORG method provides a solid, feasible and adaptable solution to the many museums struggling with overcrowded collections in storage and the impossibility of using and enabling access to them. The article presents the situation of museum storage areas as unveiled by an international survey in 2011, and analyses the development of the RE-ORG Method and its application (145 museums and 34 countries), training strategies, lessons learned and future challenges. The reflections and experience of ICCROM’s partners and stakeholders in this project in Argentina, Belgium, Canada, Chile, France, India, Nigeria and Portugal illustrate the unique and innovative aspect of the project and the results obtained in terms of preventive conservation, collection management, and sustainability. In conclusion, the article offers suggestions for a strategic and global application of RE-ORG commensurate with museums’ needs and with the inherent potential of the billions of objects in storage.