Manual for Small Museums
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Book Overview
"Manual for Small Museums" by Laurence Vail Coleman is a foundational guide for the organization and practical management of smaller cultural and scientific institutions. Written by a leading figure in the American museum movement, this work serves as a comprehensive blueprint for administrators, curators, and trustees seeking to establish professional standards in local and specialized settings. The manual addresses the full spectrum of museum operations, from the legal and financial structures of governance to the physical requirements of museum buildings.
The text provides detailed instruction on the core functions of curatorship, including the ethical acquisition of objects, systematic labeling, and the long-term preservation of diverse collections. Coleman also emphasizes the museum's role as a public resource, offering strategies for designing engaging exhibits and developing educational programs that serve the community. As both a historical record of museum science and a practical resource for institutional leadership, "Manual for Small Museums" remains a significant contribution to the field of museum studies. Its clear, instructional approach highlights the essential principles of collection management and the vital importance of museum service in public life.
This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore, you may see the original copyright references, library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world), and other notations in the work.
This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.
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