Archives or Museum—Does it Matter?

Abstract

This paper presents the recent experience of UCE Birmingham Institute of Art and Design Archives in documenting and managing its diverse collections. The collections range in size from under 50 to over 40,000 items and cover the fields of art and design education, museology and public art. By their nature, these collections contain a richness and diversity of materials including bibliographic and photographic materials, paper records, artworks and artefacts. The challenge has been not so much that the collections are cross-domain, as between the domains, falling in the gaps. The paper evaluates the differences in collection management philosophies and practices between museums and archives in the United Kingdom. It describes the decisions faced by UCE Birmingham Institute of Art and Design Archives in negotiating a path through these complexities.