MIM Session I - Building & Collection

Musical Instrument Museum

Creating a Museum

from the Ground Up

The 3 „News‟

New Building and Exhibitions

New Collection

New Institution

Origins

PhoenixMIM TeamExecution

MinneapolisPlanning and Design

BrusselsOrigins

Phoenix

Building Program

195,000 gross square feet

60,000 net square feet of core galleries

5000 changing exhibition space

Special galleries: Artist, Mechanical Music and Experience

Conservation Center

Collection handling and storage

299 seat Music Theater

80 FTE

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40 FTE

30 FTE

20 FTE

10 FTE

Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3

2006 2007 2008 2009 2010

Firsthire Oct 06

FirstacquisitionApr 07

Tempe officeSep 07

Construction begins Mar 08

Exhibit installbeginsOct 08

OpeningApr 10

Topping offFeb 09

80 fte

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Isabelle de BorchgraveMannequins

Louis HalleauxPhoenix

The Mission and Vision

MIM‟s mandate is to be global, with instruments exhibited from every country of the world.

MIM‟s guest experience is primarily an experience of seeing and hearing music being played by people within their culture.

The Mission and Vision

MIM‟s core guest experience is to be compelling enough to drive repeat visitation

MIM is to appeal to all - to a wide range of visitors, much wider than „specialty‟ museums normally do.

Live performances in in the Music Theater will give guests an opportunity to hear the music from every corner of the globe.

Speakers

Christina Linsenmeyer

Katie Anderson

Irene Peters

Building the

Collection

Permanent Collection Vision

Geo-galleries: every country in the world

Exhibits: multiple exhibit components

Instruments are single component of exhibits

Permanent Collections

Scope: Rethinking the collection

– Traditional acquisition guidelines

– Adding new diversity & breadth

Acquisition Process

Wish list for “virtual” exhibits

Curators, consultants, and sub-consultants

– Travel and foreign colleagues

Other resources

– Networking with embassies, museums, scholars

Sources

– Large existing collections

– Collectors, dealers, auctions

– Makers, Musicians

The Unknown and the Known

No provenance

– Selmer saxophone, Vichy auction (France, 1950s)

Limited provenance

– Gérard Copperé Collection, France, c. 1970-2000

– Fiske Collection, Claremont College, 20th c.

In the field

– Zampogna, Italy, 2009

– Scissors dance, Peru, 2009

Challenges

Global scope

– Access to remote, restricted, and unsafe areas

– Availability vs. wish list

– Cultural sensitivity and permissions

Exhibit-minded acquisitions

– Ensembles

– Redundancy

– Relationship to narrative and other components

Resources: facility, research tools, TMS, time

Lessons Learned

Scope

– Change is good

Procedure

– More research up front

– Manage consultants entirely

– Network early and often

– Large collections are a mixed blessing

– No replacement for field work

Time

Next Steps

Phase 2 wish list

– Filling gaps in the collections

– Replacing place-holders

Research and record clean-up

Devising classification system

Reviewing relationship to exhibit narratives

Registration & Collections Mgmt

Major Responsibilities– Installation – currently top priority with about 25% left to install

– Acquisition and processing – getting the collection in the door

– Moving out of temporary facility in Tempe

– Setting up permanent storage (layout and storage mounts)

– Documenting the collection

Staffing Information– Currently 24 people

3 assistant registrars

1 collections manager

1 database administrator

1 photographer

1 documentation specialist

8 preparators

8 collections technicians

The Collection

• Over 13,000 objects in the collection

• Around 5,000 on view in exhibitions

• Objects in permanent collection include:

Instruments

Implements

Costumes

Cases

• First object accessioned in June 2007

• Most purchased, donations picking up since opening

• Collection also contains a library and archival material

Challenges in Building the Collections

Shipping and Customs– Finding packers and shippers in countries that do not usual export to museums

– Language – often we use translators

– Foreign Politics

– Customs CITES

Economic Sanctions

Speed– Expensive to use air freight but we needed objects here

– Cataloging incomplete

– Difficult to provide proper collections care when moving so fast

Space– Collection moved five times as it outgrew its space

Package Damaged in Memphis Flood

Challenges in Collections Care

Moved into building while construction was being completed – had to work closely with contractors to provide safe access to installed exhibits

Great visitor experience results in several major challenges for collections care– Lighting in the galleries

– Access in the galleries

– Housekeeping – cleaning the exhibits is taking about 20 hrs/wk

New building with great environmental system but still learning how to use it

Playing the collection for demonstrations

Storage space

Decap Dance Organ

Installation

Installation – Artist Gallery, John Lennon’s Piano

Our Next Steps

• Finish installation of Phase I• Finish move from temporary facility• Culling the large collections that were

purchased as lots• Organize collections and create storage

mounts• Organize, house and catalog archival

materials• Standardize database entry• Policies and procedures

Lessons Learned

• Communication is critical– Ask a lot of questions

– Don‟t assume

– Verify and confirm

• Be Flexible and Innovative– Be ready to choose the lesser of two evils

– Think about long-term

• Build an amazing team that you don‟t have to micromanage!

Caring for a collection in transition:

Conservation -

preventive and active

“MIM will collect and display musical instruments from every

country in the world, preserving, protecting, and

sharing these gifts with future generations.”

“MIM will collect and display musical instruments from every

country in the world, preserving, protecting, and

sharing these gifts with future generations.”

Target Financial Services Tempe

„Geneva – Big Lab‟

„Geneva – Conservation Corner‟

„Geneva‟ – Warehouse, outside

„Geneva‟ – parking lot

MIM – Conservation Lab

MIM – Quarantine & Freezer

MIM – Galleries