Published by The Guardian - January 17, 2007
Commentary by Yvette Doucette & Dr. Irene Novaczek
In 1901, 131 prominent and influential Islanders signed a petition to the Lieutenant-Governor in Council that included recommendation for the formation of a museum. Since that time, Prince Edward Islanders have been expressing a need for an educational and cultural institution to accommodate exhibit and storage space, conservation, interpretation, education/public activity, and research for the preservation of our history. The PEI Museum and Heritage Foundation oversees museum collections for the Province of PEI: its facilities include a building for artifacts storage (the Artifactory) and seven decentralized, theme-based museum sites. None of these are dedicated to aboriginal artifacts or natural history.
Of this total collection of more than 80,000 artifacts, an estimated two-thirds or 53,300 are in the Artifactory This collection includes fine and decorative arts, and archaeological, natural history, and anthropological specimens from the earliest inhabitants, such as the Mi’kmaq, Acadian, Irish, English, and Scottish settlers, and others. These artifacts relate to areas of Island history such as shipbuilding, fishing, farming, railroads, domestic, professional, and commercial life. They have been gathered from concerned citizens on our Island and beyond. Our museum collection represents shared, collective memories—the qualities of Island life—and was always meant to be a primary education resource for our citizens.
What is at issue? Since about 1981, the Artifactory collection has been “temporarily” warehoused in a steel building in West Royalty. Unfortunately, this building is vulnerable to draughts, mold, insects, and ongoing leaks in bad weather. A move is underway to build a new storage facility in a community in the country. This has been discussed in the Legislative Assembly, in an editorial in the Guardian, and in many letters to the editor. It is good that this potential and real disintegration of our history is finally of concern publicly and politically. The next logical step is for consultation to take place (through all stages of planning, design, construction, and installation) with those museum professionals and citizens, who are best able to determine what is needed to safely preserve, maintain, and develop the collection, and to determine where this might be best achieved.
Nationwide, collections of cultural and natural history are stored within a central museum complex, or located close to one. This ensures the proximity of museum professionals and related services to properly treat and maintain collections, and brings exhibits and staff closer to the public, for education, enjoyment, and support. Optimally, on PEI, museum professionals and technical support (archivists, curators, conservators, cataloguers, Museum and Heritage Foundation staff) would work in the same community to share expertise, facilities, and to support collections. We are fortunate in the professionals we have. But, if storage is not centrally located, controlled access for students and researchers, including history scholars from UPEI, will be essentially cut off, and restricted recruitment options for technical and professional staff will potentially put the collection at risk.
Appropriate emergency and disaster resources are required relative to the size and type of collection and museum storage facility: for example, a full-time fire and police department, emergency supplies, temporary facilities for mass-drying and first-aid to materials if damaged by smoke and water. Day-to-day security issues must be addressed. This planning for new storage must recognize issues of public trust, public accountability, and liability. Modern, best-practices standards for care of the collection must be part of any proposed new storage design and construction, including, but not limited to: climate control, proper lighting, sufficient water supply for fire suppression, and a reliable power supply to operate all essential environmental systems. Finally, storage must be located so that handling, shipping and transportation are minimized, reducing stress to artifacts.
In short, a provincial collection of this magnitude needs professional management and care. Museum professionals must be seriously consulted in all stages of decisions including location, design, and construction of the storage facility, before building contracts are issued, in order to avoid budget overruns (additional costs to taxpayers), and to ensure collection safety.
The Provincial Government is responsible to its citizens for making it administratively and financially possible to preserve, interpret, and research our material culture. A strategic plan is required to manage these educational and cultural assets, which are non-renewable, unique, and beyond price. IIS is unaware, at the time of writing, of any such detailed, publicly-available documents specifying architectural and environmental engineering plans, or integration strategies with existing heritage and current museum needs. Will the PEI heritage collection become part of a broader museum policy—a policy that allows for public display, research, and progress towards more contemporary, inclusive, and interactive forms of museology?
The PEI Museum and Heritage Foundation Board was founded in 1970, “to study, collect, preserve, interpret, and protect the human and natural heritage of Prince Edward Island for the use, benefit and enjoyment of the people of the province.” Ostensibly, the Board feels it must choose between leaving the collection in the poor situation that exists in West Royalty, or having a storage facility built in Murray River. Neither choice is optimal. The legacy and learning of all Islanders will be impacted if there is a rush for a storage solution without a long-term, provincial strategy.
The Institute of Island Studies is always concerned with, and committed to the needs of Islanders. One of our mandates is to perform research and promote progressive public policy, including the intelligent stewardship of Island heritage and the management of existing resources for future sustainability. Apart from the Lemieux and John Eldon Green (DPA Group) reports on the question of a Provincial Museum, in 1982, the Island Studies Committee commissioned Barry Lord to write, The Museums of Prince Edward Island, A Programme for Development. He recommends, “…a coherent, integrated programme for the development of museums and heritage sites on PEI, aimed at achieving a genuinely decentralized system of sites with a central facility that would provide a thematic focus on the Island’s story in ecological and historical terms…”
The Institute of Island Studies is interested in facilitating public discourse on the issues of a central museum for PEI heritage, and the proposed re-location of the heritage collection. The Museum Sub-Committee of the Institute of Island Studies Advisory Board invites members of the public to guide the IIS in drawing up plans for discussion forums to be held in each County. Please e-mail your ideas to ourheritage@upei.ca
Island Heritage concerns all Islanders. Decisions concerning our heritage collection should be made carefully and publicly, on the basis of the greatest public good.
Sincerely,
Yvette Doucette
Dr. Irene Novaczek, Director of the Institute of Island Studies, Institute of Island Studies, University of Prince Edward Island, 550 University Avenue, Charlottetown PE, C1A 4P3
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