Ready or not: emergency planning in Midwestern museums

Abstract

ABSTRACT Emergency preparedness plays a vital role in the protection of museum collections. However, very little is known about how small, rural museums engage with emergency preparedness. This interview-based study sought to discover the state of emergency plans, procedures, and trainings in small museums and historical societies across Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, and Iowa. It found that small, rural museums took part in a variety of emergency preparedness activities ranging from informal verbal trainings to elaborate emergency documentation. It also uncovered that resources, education, and prioritization played a significant role in these discrepancies. Furthermore, the startling number of institutions that engaged in limited or nonexistent preparedness efforts reveals that many museums were ill-equipped to tackle emergency planning. In this age of uncertainty, it is crucial that historic institutions, no matter their size, be prepared for the worst. This study sheds light on an understudied intersection of emergency management and museum studies.