Glossary Museum Basics - T. Ambrose, C. Payne, p. 311-314 Access Plan A document that sets out what the barriers are that prevent people gaining the maximum benefit from the museum, and how they can be avoided or removed Animatronics Models of people or animals that move mechanically Attractor A place or facility to which tourist visitors are attracted. Brief Written instructions for architect or designer, describing what is wanted. Sometimes known as Functional Brief (because it describes how the museum or gallery must function) or (in US English) Functional Program. Carers People who look after children on a voluntary or professional basis. For adults, the preferred term is personal assistant Case-for-support A written statement of need used for fundraising purposes Conservator A specialist in the scientific care and treatment of museum objects and specimens. Conservators have a postgraduate training in a specialist field, for example archaeological objects, natural history specimens, ceramics, oil paintings or works of art on paper. Some conservators also have craft skills, for example in cabinet-making. Conservators are also able to advise on the best arrangements for caring for collections, and carry out treatment of objects that reverses or slows down their deterioration. For this, they require a well-equipped laboratory. Conservator in this museum sense should not be confused with other uses of the term in English: for an architect who cares for historic buildings, and for a biologist who cares for the natural environment. Dehumidifier An item of equipment electrically operated designed to decrease the level of relative humidity where environmental conditions are too damp Desk research Information gathered from published and non-published sources Destination A location at macro or micro level that attracts visitors Diffuser panel A panel of translucent plastic or other similar material used to diffuse or spread light from a light source. Diffuser panels are often used in display cases to obtain a more even light for display purposes Diorama A three-dimensional presentation technique consisting of scenes based on models in the foreground and painted backgrounds or surrounds Director The senior member of staff with overall responsibility for the museum’s day-to-day operation, who reports to the museum’s governing body. Disaster Control Plan A written plan that sets out the steps a museum should take in preventing and reacting to disasters of all types Display The means by which museums present and interpret objects to their visitors, usually involving design, text and graphics. In the United States and Canada the equivalent term is exhibit. Exhibit The term used in the United States and Canada for the means by which museums present and interpret objects to their visitors, usually involving design, text and graphics. In British English, the equivalent term is display, while ‘exhibit’ means the object displayed. Exhibition A temporary or short-term museum presentation. Formative evaluation The techniques associated with testing the effectiveness of displays and exhibitions in process of production Forward plan A written management plan setting out the museum’s functional and planning objectives to be met over a defined period of time Friends’ groups/Friends’ organisations or membership programmes An organised group of people who support the museum and its work generally through fundraising and advocacy activities of different types Front-end evaluation The techniques associated with the testing of ideas and proposals for displays and exhibitions before production begins Governing body/Governors Those people with overall responsibility in law for conducting the policy and affairs of the museum, and to whom the museum staff are accountable Heritage centre A visitor facility providing interpretative displays on the cultural and/or natural history of a place or area. ‘Heritage centres’ that hold collections are functionally museums, although they may be called heritage centres for marketing reasons Humidifier An item of equipment electrically operated designed to increase the level of relative humidity where environmental conditions are too dry Hygrometer An item of equipment used to measure relative humidity Interpretation Explaining an object, place or landscape and its significance Lux A unit of illumination measured by a light meter Marketing The techniques associated with developing and promoting the museum to meet the identified needs of the market Marketing mix A balance of factors – product, price, place and promotion – which museums can control in order to influence people’s attitudes towards a museum Market intelligence Information about the market, including composition and trends Marketplace The specific social and economic context within which a museum operates Market research The study of the different habits, attitudes and interests of the users making up the market for a museum Market segment An identifiable range of users or non-users within the market with shared characteristics Market share The extent to which the museum attracts users in the overall market Market survey A programme of investigation into the structure and nature of the market Market penetration The degree to which a museum is successful in attracting users from the market as a whole and from particular market segments and encouraging take-up of services Micro-environment A small space that can be controlled in terms of relative humidity and other environmental factors for special categories of material Museum manager Any member of staff with responsibility for managing resources – people, collections, finance, buildings or equipment. It is used in this book to show that many people in a museum contribute to its effective working. Museum product An amalgam of the quantifiable and non-quantifiable factors that go to make up the personality and identity of a museum in the mind of the user Outreach The methods by which a museum can take services out into the community that it serves through, for example, touring exhibitions or School Loan Services Pepper’s Ghost A presentation technique based on mirrors that allows one image to replace another Performance measurement Measuring a museum’s or a person’s performance against agreed objectives and standards Preventive conservation The processes by which a museum’s collections are stored, displayed, handled and maintained in ways which do not lead to deterioration Public relations The management of the relationship between the public and the museum Recording thermohygrographs or electronic hygrometers An item of equipment used for the continuous recording of temperature and relative humidity levels on a weekly or monthly chart Relative humidity (RH) Relative humidity is a ratio of water vapour in the air to the amount that it can hold if fully saturated, and is expressed as a percentage, for example 55 per cent RH Remedial conservation The processes involved in repairing damage to collections, using specialist conservation techniques that are reversible. The need for remedial conservation is often due to poor collections management and inadequate preventive conservation measures Service Level Agreement A contract between a funding agency and a museum, setting out what the museum will deliver in return for how much financial support. Stakeholders Those groups of people with a real interest in the museum. Stakeholders will include funding bodies, sponsors, Friends, universities, government, collectors’ groups etc. Some are more important than others! Tableau A presentation technique consisting of a reconstructed setting with lifesize models of people or animals Thesaurus A list of agreed names, to ensure consistency in cataloguing objects. A thesaurus usually provides synonyms, broader and narrower terms, and ‘preferred’ terms. Also known as ‘vocabulary’. UV-monitor An item of equipment electrically operated that measures the proportion of ultra-violet light falling on an object or display/storage area Visitor profile The nature and demographic make-up of the museum’s visitors Volunteers’ organisation An organised group of people who provide practical support to museum staff on a voluntary basis Museum Exhibition - D. Dean accession the process of transferring title or ownership from the providing source (field work, purchase, gift, transfer, etc.) to the museum acid-free a term generally referring to either paper or paper-board that has been treated (buffered) or made from fibers free of organic acids acquisition the act of gaining physical possession of an object, specimen, or sample acrylic paint a term referring to a number of plastic, water-based paint products affective learning learning based upon emotional response to stimuli; emotional learning angle iron a metal construction material with a cross-section in the form of the letter “L” anodized metal a metal which has been coated with another material through the process of electrolysis application software that allows the computer to perform specific tasks; software program appraisal the assigning of a monetary value to an object architect’s rule or scale a graduated device used to make scaled measurements artifact an object, either two- or three-dimensional, that has been selected, altered, used, or made by human effort audience all or a specially identified segment of a museum constituency audiovisual devices machines that produce sound and images blockbuster a term derived from the popular name of the huge German bombs used in World War II to blast large sections of a city; in the museum sense, it refers to a revolutionary, powerful exhibition board foot a USA standard length measurement of sawn wood by which the purchase price is figured box-in-a-box configuration a frame of reference that views micro-environments as existing in and dependent upon their surrounding macroenvironments buffer a material or condition interposed between two other materials or conditions to reduce or slow the interaction between them case furniture structures used within cases, vitrines, or on bases that serve as supporting surfaces for objects/graphics cataloging assigning an object to an established classification system and initiating a record of the nomenclature, provenance, number, and location of that object in the collection storage area ceiling grid generally refers to the metal support structure for drop ceilings coating paint, stain, or plaster used to finish a surface cognitive learning knowledge based upon reasoned thought; rational learning collection an identifiable selection of objects having some significant commonality collection manager a person charged with the care of a particular collection, normally working under the direction of a curator collective medium a particular means of expression used by more than one person in a collective effort, and for predetermined and agreed upon goals comfort freedom from stress or the fear of failure communication “the transfer of information and ideas with the deliberate intention to achieve certain changes, deemed desirable by the sender, in the knowledge, opinions, attitudes and/or behavior of the receiver [sic]” composite board any material made of wood chips or sawdust bonded into sheets with adhesives; this includes materials such as particle board, chip board, and masonite concept-oriented exhibition a presentation that is focused upon the transmission of information and in which collection objects may or may not be used to support the story rather than being the main emphasis conflict of interest those acts or activities that may be construed to be contrary to ethical museum practices based on knowledge, experience, and contracts gained through conditions of employment conservation the processes of preserving and protecting objects from loss, decay, damage, or other forms of deterioration conservator a person with the appropriate scientific training to examine museum objects, work to prevent their deterioration, and provide the necessary treatment and repairs controlled environment surroundings in which temperature, relative humidity, direct sunlight, pollution, and other atmospheric conditions are regulated coordinating activities efforts aimed at keeping every task moving toward the same goal cove base material used along the base of a wall cultural heritage a tradition, habit, skill, art form, or institution that is passed from one generation to the next. cultural property the material manifestation of the concepts, habits, skills, art, or institutions of a specific people in a defined period of time curator a museum staff member or consultant who is a specialist in a particular field of study and who provides information, does research, and oversees the maintenance, use, and enhancement of collections cursor an image on the computer monitor that indicates the location for information input or activity deaccession the process of removing objects from a museum’s collections deed of gift a document with the signature of the donor transferring title of an object to a museum designer a museum staff member or consultant who designs the exhibition, does working drawings, and coordinates fabrication and installation activities director the person providing conceptual leadership of the museum and charged with the respossibility for policy-making, funding, planning, organizing, staffing, supervising, and coordinating activities through the staff; the director is also responsible for the professional practices of the museum display a presentation of objects for public view without significant interpretation added, relying solely upon the intrinsic merit of that which is presented. In the UK and Europe this word is used by choice instead of exhibition (q.v.) distributed materials printed pamphlets, booklets, catalogs, gallery notes, and other materials that are distributed as part of the presentation of an exhibition dry mount a method of bonding two surfaces together using heat-sensitive tissue and a heating instrument; normally used for mounting twodimensional objects such as photographs or drawings drywall see “sheetrock” drywall screw a specialized screw used for attaching sheetrock to the studs educator a museum staff person or consultant who specializes in museum education and who produces instructional materials, advises about educational content for exhibitions, and oversees the implementation of educational programs endowment a funding process in which a stated part of a money gift (corpus) is held to generate income and only that income may be spent ethics the process of establishing principles of right behavior that may serve as action guides for individuals or groups ethnic used in the museum community as a nondiscriminatory term referring to a division or group of people distinguishable by language, custom, or some special characteristic evaluation report a document that sets down evaluation findings assessing an exhibition from the standpoints of meeting goals and successful development exhibit (noun) a grouping of objects and interpretive materials that form a unit for presentation; the localized grouping of objects and interpretive materials that form a cohesive unit within a gallery exhibit (verb) to present or expose to view, show, or display exhibit case a closed, internally lit piece of exhibit furniture within which objects and/or graphics are exhibited exhibit panel a vertical surface upon which objects/ graphics or support devices are attached for exhibit purposes, or for use as a spatial divider exhibition (noun) a comprehensive grouping of all the elements (including exhibits and displays) that form a complete public presentation of collections and information for the public use; “An exhibition is a means of communication aiming at large groups of the public with the purpose of conveying information, ideas, and emotions relating to the material evidence of man and his surrounding, with the aid of chiefly visual and dimensional methods” exhibition (verb) the act or fact of exhibiting collections, objects, or information to the public for the purpose of education, enlightenment, and enjoyment exhibition policy a written document that states a museum’s philosophy and intent toward public exhibitions expansion joint a joint between structural elements which employs a flexible separator that allows expansion and contraction of materials to occur without damage extermination the acts of either preventing the invasion of harmful organisms or ridding a collection or collection items of an existing infestation through the use of chemical or mechanical means not considered dangerous to humans in the dosages needed to kill the pests fabrication the work of creating the physical elements needed for the presentation of collection objects in an exhibition; the process of constructing props, preparing graphics, building cases, etc. facility the physical components that comprise the buildings and grounds of an institution; the physical plant fire rating a rating system developed to indicate the relative resistance a material has to burning through and its ability to prevent the spread of fire; usually measured in time units floppy disk a portable, plastic disk coated with a material sensitive to magnetic fields that can be used to store information generated by a computer fluorescent lighting light sources in which electric current is passed through gases in a glass tube causing them to fluoresce and produce illumination footcandle a unit for measuring illumination equal to the amount of light reaching a surface 1 ft sq. produced by a candle 1 ft away FormicaR a brand name that has become the generic term for numerous types of commercially produced, high-density plastic laminates framing the method of creating a stable opening into which a window or doorway can be built fumigation the use of a highly toxic chemical gas to kill any organisms existing in the target area or item; the chemicals utilized in fumigation are highly dangerous to humans and their use is controlled by law furring the method of covering an I-beam or other construction element with another material to disguise it gallery a room specifically designated for exhibitions gallery guides a form of distributed material; written documents, usually brief and easy to carry, that are available for visitors to have and use to gain more information about an exhibition subject graphic a two-dimensional depiction such as a photograph, painted design, drawing, silkscreen, etc. used to impart information, draw attention, or illustrate grout material used to fill spaces between ceramic tiles historic site a location with important historic connections usually relating to an important person or event HVAC heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system hydrated salts chemicals that are hydrophilic and can be used to control relative humidity in enclosed spaces; among these are sodium chloride, zinc sulfate, magnesium nitrate, magnesium chloride, and lithium chloride hydrophilic substances materials that readily absorb atmospheric water and are used as humidity buffers I-beam a steel beam with a cross-section that is the shape of the letter “I” ICCROM (International Center for the Study of the Preservation and the Restoration of Cultural Property): an intergovernmental organization created by UNESCO in 1969, whose statutory functions are to collect and disseminate documentation of scientific problems of conservation; to promote research in this field; to provide advice on technical questions; and to assist in training technicians and raising the standard of restoration work. ICOM (International Council of Museums): the international non-governmental organization of museum and professional museum workers established to advance the interests of museology and other disciplines concerned with museum management and operations. ICOM Statutes adopted by the 16th General Assembly of ICOM in The Hague, 5 September, 1989, the ICOM Statutes describe and define the ICOM organization, its role, membership, method, and objectives ICTOP (International Committee for Training of Personnel): one of the standing committees of ICOM incandescent lighting light sources in which an electric current causes a filament to glow or incandesce, producing illumination inert products made of non-reactive, chemically balanced materials with special attention given to acidic neutrality infestation a population of living organisms that exists in collections or collection items; the organisms may be as large as rats and mice, or as small as moths or fungi infrared radiation (IR): the part of the electromagnetic spectrum below visible light that humans interpret as heat interactive a device that invites and accommodates interaction between the viewer and itself interpretation the act or process of explaining or clarifying, translating, or presenting a personal understanding about a subject or object inventory an itemized list of the objects included in a museum’s collections label a textual graphic that provides information latex paint a term referring to a number of plastic, water-based paint products lathe thin strips of material, generally wood, used to form a matrix over which some other material may be applied; for example, lathe might be used between a concrete wall and plywood panels, or a lathe matrix might be used on a ceiling before plaster is applied layout a composition using graphic design elements placed in relation to each other leisure activities activities that people engage in when they are not involved in a professional pursuit lux a unit of illumination equal to the illumination of a 1 m sq. surface uniformly 1 m away from a candle; equal to 5 footcandles macro-environments the totality of the surrounding conditions and circumstances present in spaces generally room-size and larger management-oriented activities tasks that focus on providing the resources and personnel needed to realize a product Maslow’s Hierarchy a behavioral construction by Abraham H.Maslow that relates the sequential and consecutive nature of human needs to motivations masonry refers to construction elements formed of brick, concrete blocks, or other similar materials mechanical a term referring to any construction elements concerned with HVAC micro-environments the totality of the surrounding conditions and circumstances present in small, often enclosed spaces mildew microscopic fungi that attack organic materials that are exposed to high humidity and dampness mission statement a written document that states a museum’s institutional philosophy, scope, and responsibility model a three-dimensional representation of an object or space usually using scaled measurements mounting the attachment of an object/graphic to a supporting surface; the device used to attach an object mud thinned plaster used to fill cracks and seams in a plaster or drywall surface museology the branch of knowledge concerned with the study of the theories, procedures, concepts, and organization of museums museum a non-profit-making, permanent institution that is in the service of society and is open to the public; it acquires, conserves, researches, communicates, and exhibits, for purposes of study, education and enjoyment, material evidence of people and their environment natural buffering the interaction between collection objects and their surroundings in an enclosed space that reduces or slows fluctuations in relative humidity and temperature natural light the light produced by the sun that penetrates the Earth’s atmosphere nomenclature a system of names used to describe museum objects object file a careful listing of all actions or activities impacting a particular object in the museum’s collections including all conservation, restoration, exhibition, loan, or other uses of the object object-oriented exhibition a presentation of collection objects with a primary goal of providing their exposure to public view with limited interpretation open storage the practice of placing stored collections on public view without interpretation or planned educational content particulate matter any materials capable of being airborne; dust patrimony cultural property, both intellectual and real, passed from one generation to the next pattern recognition a visual-mental process that seeks and recognizes familiar things or patterns pH-balanced a neutral balance of acid and alkaline plate the horizontal structural members in a wall (i.e., floor plate, header or top plate) to which the vertical members are attached plenum the space above ceilings between floors or roofs Plexiglas a brand name for formed, solid acrylic that has become a generic term used to refer to many commercially produced products; clear sheet acrylic is often used as a substitute for glass plywood a building material made of thin sheets of sawn wood, laminated with adhesives to form larger sheets pollutants gases and airborne particulate matter usually resulting from combustion or venting of chemicals associated with human, industrial, or other activities preparation arranging, attaching, supporting, and other such activities that prepare an object/ graphic for exhibit presentation an oral communication of ideas using textual, graphic, and/or three-dimensional representations as aids to understanding; specifically for exhibits, the presentation of the design to the client for their consideration preventive conservation collection care to minimize conditions that may cause damage product-oriented activities exhibition development efforts concerned with collection objects and interpretive aims production the combined activities of fabrication, preparation, facilities renovation, and installation of exhibitions project manager a staff person who oversees the whole process of exhibition development by facilitating communication and assisting in providing resources, with the goal of seeing the project through to its predetermined objectives props exhibit properties; those items such as case furniture, exhibit cases, vitrines, panels, etc. that serve as the environmental elements for the presentation of the exhibits psychrometer a device for measuring relative humidity using the differences in the measurements from dry- and wet-bulb thermometers in moving air PVA (polyvinyl acetate): a thermoplastic with good aging characteristics sometimes used as a fixative or sealing agent 100 percent rag a term referring to the material content of paper or board indicating a fiber composition other than wood—usually cotton or linen recording hygrothermograph a device for measuring and recording on a paper chart both temperature and humidity over time registrar the person charged with registering objects accessioned into a museum’s collections, maintaining the registration records, and assigning the accession number registration assigning a permanent number to an object entering a museum’s collections for the purpose of identification and collection management relic a non-specific term used to describe things from the past, sometimes applied to ethnographic or historic objects RH (relative humidity): the amount of water in a given volume of air compared to the amount of water vapor the same volume of air will hold at saturation (100 per cent RH) at a given temperature scale a system of measurement ratios in which real world data are converted to fractional equivalents while retaining proportional relationships scaled drawing a graphic representation using scaled measurements sheetrock a construction material made of gypsum powder bonded with an adhesive and sandwiched between layers of paper; also known as gypboard or drywall silica gel a commonly used hydrophilic substance composed of a silicon+oxygen bond, neutral toward other substances, that can be used to control relative humidity within closed containers specimen an example of a particular class of objects normally used when referring to natural science collections strategic planning sometimes called forward or long-range planning—the process integrates the physical, educational, fiscal, and personnel goals of the museum or a particular collection area stud wall a wall construction method using vertical and horizontal members (wood or metal) over which a “skin” of paneling is applied study collection objects collected and organized for research or instructional use rather than for exhibition sub-title an intermediate level of written information graphic, usually larger in typesize than a text block, and used to differentiate or emphasize sub-groupings within an exhibition tactile exhibits exhibits that are designed to be touched tamper-proof requiring a specialized instrument to operate target audience any sub-group within a population that can be identified by some common factor or factors, and that is specifically chosen as a group to be attracted text or text block a written graphic that aids in the interpretation of groups of objects or exhibition sections thematic exhibitions exhibitions based upon a connecting theme that directs the choice of collection objects and information content thermohygrometer a device for measuring temperature and humidity levels tiles finishing elements made from a variety of different materials and usually held in place with an adhesive; ceramic, vinyl, and acoustic are a few of the materials used title sign a graphic, often combining both text and pictorial design elements, usually placed at the entry to a gallery to attract attention and to announce the title of the exhibition traffic flow refers to the movement of people through a specified area, usually a gallery two-by-four a USA standard for pre-cut wood which actually measures about 1¾ in. (4.45 cm) by 3¾ in. (9.52 cm) UBC (universal building code): a standardized set of specifications used as requirements for materials and the design of buildings in the USA UNESCO United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization UNESCO Convention this Convention on the Means of Prohibiting and Preventing the Illicit Import, Export, and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural Property aims to provide a process among nations for regulating international trade in cultural property UV light (ultraviolet light): the part of the electromagnetic spectrum immediately above the visible range; black light VALS (Values and Lifestyles Segments): a generalized socio-economic structure by Arnold Mitchell that helps identify population segments, interests, and motivations by their collective values and lifestyles vinyl adhesive glue used to adhere wallpapers and vinyl wall coverings to surfaces vitrine a closed, externally lit piece of exhibit furniture, typically consisting of a base or pedestal with a clear enclosure for displaying objects/ graphics VLS (visible light spectrum): those frequencies of the electromagnetic spectrum to which the human eye is visually sensitive; radiation that is perceived as light wayfinder any visual, tactile, or auditory clues or devices that assist visitors in orienting themselves within a museum’s facilities and surroundings, inform the audience of their options, and help them locate destinations wet mount the process of attaching a photograph or other flat object to a surface using water-based adhesives world view an individual’s rational model of reality; one’s mental picture of the world consisting of facts, raw perceptual data, concepts, suppositions, theories, and generalizations