The NPS Museum Handbook, Part I, Museum Collections provides preservation and protection policies and procedures for NPS museum collections located at over 390 parks and centers throughout the US. It includes best practice guidance for managing NPS archeology, art, ethnography, history, biology, geology, and paleontology, and archival and manuscript collections.
This Handbook evolved out of the NPS Field Manual for Museums (1941), NPS Museum Handbook, Part I, Museum Collections (1967), and the Manual for Museums (1976). It was reissued in full in 1990. Updates and new additions are issued intermittently.
Museum Handbook, Part I, Museum Collections
General Editor, Joan Bacharach, Senior Curator, Museum Management Program (MMP), National Park Service (NPS).
Chapters
Chapter 1, NPS Museums and Collections. (2006) – Ann Hitchcock, Chief Curator and Steve Floray, Museum Specialist, MMP.
Chapter 2, Scope of Museum Collections. (2003) – Steve Floray, Museum Specialist, MMP and Tony Knapp, Training Manager, Cultural Resources Stewardship, Stephen T. Mather Training Center, NPS.
Chapter 3, Preservation: Getting Started. (2012) – Kim Neutzlinger, Museum Specialist and Joan Bacharach, Senior Curator, MMP.
Update based on the 1999 edition by Jessica S. Johnson, Conservator, MMP and Martin Burke, Associate Manager, Department of Conservation, Harpers Ferry Center (HFC).
Chapter 4, Museum Collections Environment. (2016) – Joan Bacharach, Senior Curator, MMP.
Update based on the 1999 and 1990 editions of this chapter.
Contributors: Brynn Bender, Senior Conservator, Western and Archeological Conservation Center; Mary Coughlin, Assistant Professor, George Washington University Museum Studies; Catherine Hawks, Senior Conservator, Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of Natural History; Gretchen Voeks, Curator, Death Valley National Park; David Bitterman, Northeast Region, Architectural Preservation, Engineering & Maintenance Division, NPS; Antonio Aguilar, Historical Architect, Technical Preservation Services, NPS; Mike Eissenberg Chief, Technical Branch, Denver Service Center, NPS; and F. Boesma, Getty Conservation Institute.
The 1999 edition by Jessica Johnson updated the 1990 edition developed by Edward McManus, Regional Conservator, North Atlantic Region; Tom Carter, Paintings Conservator, Division of Conservation, HFC; Diana Pardue, Staff Curator, Curatorial Services Division (CSD) (now MMP); John Hunter, Supervisory Staff Curator, CSD; and Toby Raphael, Conservator, Division of Conservation, HFC.
Chapter 5, Biological Infestations. (2014) - Amanda Walli Eckstein, Museum Technician and Joan Bacharach, Senior Curator, MMP. .Barbara Cumberland, Conservator, Museum Conservation Services, HFC developed extensive text and figures of the chapter.
Update (2016) based on the 1998 edition by Jessica S. Johnson.
Contributors: Carol DiSalvo, WASO Integrated Pest Management Coordinator and Colleen Curry, Supervisory Curator, Yellowstone National Park.
Chapter 6, Handling, Packing, and Shipping. (1999) – Jessica S. Johnson, Conservator, MMP, based on the 1990 edition by Kathleen Byrne, Staff Curator, CSD (now MMP). [Update in progress]
Chapter 7, Museum Collection Storage. (2012) – Eric D. Duyck, Museum Technician and Joan Bacharach, Senior Curator, MMP
Update based on the 1999 edition by Donald Cumberland, Museum Specialist, with additions by Steve Floray, Museum Specialist, MMP (2001).
Contributors: Brynn Bender, David Bitterman, Catharine Hawks and Gretchen Voeks. Brynn Bender provided photographs.
Chapter 8, Conservation Treatment. (2012) – Eric D. Duyck, Museum Technician and Joan Bacharach, Senior Curator, MMP.
Update based on the 2001 edition by Sara J. Wolf and Jessica S. Johnson, Conservators, MMP.
Contributors: Rachael Arenstein, A.M. Art Conservation, LLC; Brynn Bender, Mary Coughlin, Assistant Professor, George Washington University Museum Studies Carla Mattix, Department of the Interior, Office of the Solicitor, Division of Parks and Wildlife; Linda Blaser, Associate Manager, Museum Conservation Services, HFC; Joan Glassman, Procurement Analyst, NPS, WASO WCP Denver; and Kim Neutzlinger.
Chapter 9, Museum Fire Protection. (2019) – Joan Bacharach, Senior Curator and Dara Shore, Museum Specialist, MMP .
Contributors: Brian Johnson, Chief, NPS Structural Fire Program, Jimmy Stewart, NPS Structural Fire Prevention Manager, NPS Regional Structural Fire Managers, and Michael Kilby, PE, Associate Director, Fire Protection, Smithsonian Office of Safety, Health and Environmental Management.
Chapter 10, Emergency Planning. (2000) – Joan Bacharach, Senior Curator and Dara Shore, Museum Specialist, MMP.
Revision (2000) by Diane Vogt O'Connor, Senior Archivist, MMP updated the 1990 edition by John Hunter, MMP.
Chapter 11. Curatorial Health and Safety. (2001) – Jessica S. Johnson, Conservator, MMP, based on the 1990 edition by Tony Knapp, MMP, Bill Meuse, Museum Curator, Springfield Armory NHS; Bart Roberts, Metals Conservator, Division of Conservation, HFC. [Update in Progress]
Contributors: Kathryn Makos, Senior Industrial Hygienist, Smithsonian Institution.
Chapter 12. Programming, Funding and Staffing. (2003) – Abby Sue Fisher, Chief of Museum Services, Keweenaw National Historical Park and Sara J. Wolf, Conservator, MMP.
Chapter 13, Housekeeping. (1998) coordinated by Jessica S. Johnson, Conservator, MMP.
Chapter 14: Museum Security. (2024) –Joan Bacharach, Senior Curator, and Dara Shore, Museum Specialist, MMP.
The 2024 updated chapter expands the 2002 edition by Danny McDaniel, Director, Security, Safety and Transportation, The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation and John Hunter, Curator and Tony Knapp, Curator, MMP. It incorporates former Appendix G, Protection of NPS Museum Collections (1996).
Contributors: Michelle Schonzeit, Branch Chief, Security and Intelligence Branch, NPS Division of Law Enforcement, Security, and Emergency Services, WASO; Alan Saperstein, Regional Physical Security Specialist, Northeast Region; Scott Larson, Regional Chief Ranger, Interior Region 2; Brenda McLain, Museum Curator, Western Archeological and Conservation Center; Tef Rodeffer, Museum Services Program Manager, Western Archeological and Conservation Center; and DOI Office of the Solicitor.
Appendices
Appendix A, Mandates and Standards for NPS Museum Collections. (2024) Joan Bacharach, Senior Curator, MMP.
Updates the 2000 edition with Steve Floray, based on 1990 edition with Tony Knapp, and the Museum Handbook, Part II, 2021 edition with Kayleigh Henderson, Museum Specialist.
Appendix B, Accreditation. (2006) – Ann Hitchcock, Chief Curator, MMP.
Appendix C, Professional Organizations and Societies. (2000) – Steve Floray, Museum Specialist, MMP, based on the 1990 edition by Tony Knapp.
Appendix D, Code of Ethics. (2006) – Ann Hitchcock, Chief Curator, MMP.
Appendix E, Scope of Collections. (2003) – Steve Floray, Museum Specialist, MMP, based on the 1990 and 1990 editions.
Appendix F, NPS Museum Collections Management Checklists. (1999) – Jessica S. Johnson, Conservator, with Steve Floray, Museum Specialist, MMP (2005).
Appendix G, Museum Firearms, Small Arms Ammunition, Munitions, and Artillery. (2022) — Joan Bacharach, Senior Curator and Dara Shore, Museum Specialist, MMP.
This appendix was developed in consultation with Mike May and Daryl Avery, Office of Risk Management (ORM), Washington D.C. Area Support Office (WASO); Greg Goodell, Museum Curator, Gettysburg National Military Park; Alexander MacKenzie, Curator, Springfield Armory National Historic Site; Brenda McLain, Museum Curator, Western Archeological and Conservation Center (WACC); Tef Rodeffer, Museum Services Program Manager, WACC; and the DOI Office of the Solicitor. Other consultants include Anthony Gallegos, Program Coordinator, Abandoned Mineral Lands Program; Ashley Hlebinksy, Curator emerita, Cody Firearms Museum; Captain James Otto, US Marine Corps; and Mark Wall, Administrative Supervisor, FBI Hazardous Devices School.
The appendix updates guidance, including for safe management of small arms ammunition in the NPS Safety Alert: Discarded Military Munitions and Unexploded Ordnance (Feb 10, 2022).
(Note: The former App G: Protection of National Park Service Museum Collections has been incorporated into Chapter 14: Museum Security.)
Appendix H, Curatorial Health and Safety. (2000). Jessie S. Johnson, Conservator, MMP, based on the 1990 edition by Tony Knapp, Bill Meuse, and Bart Roberts.
Appendix I, Curatorial Care of Archeological Objects. (2001) – Cynthia Murdock, Program Assistant and Jessica S. Johnson, Conservator, MMP, based on the 1999 edition by Brigid Sullivan, Regional Conservator, Midwest Region.
Appendix J, Curatorial Care of Paper Objects. (2003) – Sara J. Wolf, Conservator, MMP.
Contributor: Nancy Purinton, Conservator, Department of Conservation, HFC
Appendix K, Curatorial Care of Textile Objects. (2002) – Sara J. Wolf, Conservator, MMP.
Appendix L, Curatorial Care of Easel Paintings. (2000) – Jessica S. Johnson, Conservator and Karen Bennett, Intern, MMP, based on the 1990 edition by Tom Carter.
Contributor: Sara McElroy, Paintings Conservator, University of Texas at Austin (Appendix L).
Appendix M, Management of Cellulose Nitrate and Cellulose Ester Film. (1999) – Diane Vogt O'Connor, Senior Archivist, MMP.
Appendix N, Curatorial Care of Wooden Objects. (2002) – Cynthia Murdock, Program Assistant, MMP, based on the 1990 edition by Al Levitan, Furniture Conservator, Division of Conservation, HFC.
Appendix O, Curatorial Care of Metal Objects. (2002) – Martin Burke, Associate Manager, Department of Conservation, Harpers Ferry Center (HFC).
Appendix P, Curatorial Care of Ceramic, Glass, and Stone Objects. (2000) – Jessica S. Johnson, Conservator, MMP based on the 1990 edition by Shelley Sturman, Objects Conservator, and Judy Ozone, Objects Conservator, National Gallery of Art.
Appendix Q, Curatorial Care of Natural History Collections. (1999) – Catherine Hawks, Private Conservator.
Appendix R, Curatorial Care of Photographic Objects. (1996) – Debbie Hess Norris, Assistant Professor of Photographic Conservation, University of Delaware, and President of the American Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works.
Appendix S, Curatorial Care of Objects Made from Leather and Skin Products. (1996) – Toby Raphael, Conservator, Department of Conservation, HFC.
Appendix T, Curatorial Care of Biological Collections.(2005) - Stephen L. Williams, Assistant Professor of Museum Studies, Baylor University and Collections Manager, Strecker Museum Complex (adapted from Mr. Williams’ Ph.D. dissertation); Catherine Hawks.
Appendix U, Curatorial Care of Paleontological Collections. (2005) - Greg McDonald, Senior Curator of Natural History, MMP; Ann Elder, Paleontologist and Museum Curator, Dinosaur National Monument; Sally Shelton, Collections Officer, Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of Natural History.
Last updated: November 4, 2024