HIGH STANDARD MEANS WHAT STANDARD? THE NEED OF INTRODUCING AN ACCREDITATION SCHEME FOR POLISH MUSEUMS

• Authors: de Rosset, Alicja

Abstracts

EN

In the Act on Museums, Chapter 3, the National Register of Museums is pointed out as an official list to be entered by those institutions which represent both a high standard of their cultural activity and a great importance of their collections. The relevant Ordinance – in accordance with the Act – is to specify the manner in which the Register should be run, the application form for candidates, the mode and conditions of entering it, and the control procedures. However, the Ordinance reveals neither the requirements museums should meet nor the criteria of their assessment; only the application form contains the range of issues which are to be analysed. It is a bit like taking part in a contest without the general terms. The categories used for the evaluation are known from the application form, but there is no reference to any goals, the museums should strive for, or criteria that serve for their either positive or negative final assessment. Even though the members of an evaluation committee are distinguished specialists, who undoubtedly are able to assess the standard of museum performance, an assessment without criteria will always be purely subjective and immeasurable. In countries like e.g. the United Kingdom there are accreditation systems which allow to have the high standard of museum performance certified. The accreditation schemes that are officially in use specify the requirements for museums in a clear manner, leaving no doubt which constituent is being assessed and what criterion is used for it. It also has a positive impact on unification of management in museums, and indicates the direction they should take for improving the quality of their performance. These standards refer both to the strategic issues in relation to the management of the museum as an organisation and its collection, and to the experience it offers to their visitors.

Keywords

EN

management of museums; high standard of performance; importance of collections; National Register of Museums; British accreditation scheme; Accreditation Scheme for Museums and Galleries in the United Kingdom; Arts Council England

• Publisher: Krajowy Ośrodek Badań i Dokumentacji Zabytków
• Journal: Muzealnictwo
• Year: 2018
• Volume: 59
• Pages: 157-162

Dates

published

2018-08-06

Contributors

author

de Rosset, Alicja

Identifiers

DOI

10.5604/01.3001.0012.2305