Significance

A GUIDE TO ASSESSING THE SIGNIFICANCE OF CULTURAL HERITAGE OBJECTS AND COLLECTIONS

This publication is available online in pdf format. Click here for more information on this format or to download the free Acrobat Reader. You need to have the Acrobat Reader to view and print this publication.

Significance Training is also available online. It is a training package developed for institutions and individuals to understand and apply the concept of significance in a range of museum contexts.

DOWNLOAD SIGNIFICANCE Whole publication in pdf format (2.5 MB)
PLEASE NOTE: This could take several minutes over a modem. You may prefer to download this publication in sections:

CONTENTS
Significance assessment checklist
FOREWORD download contents, checklist and foreword (150 KB)

PART 1: INTRODUCTION download part 1 (75KB)
What is Significance?
Who is Significance for?
How can Significance help you?
Why should you use Significance?
How was Significance developed?

PART 2: SIGNIFICANCE AS A CONCEPT download part 2 (144KB)
What does ‘significance’ mean?
What is significance assessment?
The process and the criteria
What is a statement of significance?
Why assess significance?
Who assesses significance?
When to assess significance
The benefits of significance assessment
Some common questions about significance

PART 3: THE SIGNIFICANCE ASSESSMENT PROCESS download part 3 (171KB)
How to assess significance: step-by-step significance assessment

PART 4: THE CRITERIA dowload this section in four parts: part a (366KB); part b (416 KB); part c (655KB); part d (397 KB)
Primary criteria
Comparative criteria

PART 5: APPLICATION —USING Significance TO MANAGE COLLECTIONS IN YOUR MUSEUM download part 5 (364 KB)
significance and documenting objects
Context and cataloging
Making acquisitions— collecting according to significance
deaccessioning—letting go of objects without significance
significance of intact and in situ collections—keeping objects in their place
Return of objects to a place of significance
significance as a guide to conservation
decisions in managing collections
significance guiding exhibition policies

PART 6: THE SIGNIFICANCE ASSESSMENT PROCESS FOR A WHOLE COLLECTION download part 6 (107 KB)
significance assessment of a whole collection at James Cook Museum, Cooktown

PART 7: IMPLEMENTATION—HOW TO INCLUDE SIGNIFICANCE ASSESSMENT IN YOUR MUSEUM download part 7 (92 KB)
Option 1 Trial significance assessment
Option 2. Incorporate significance assessment in your museum’s collection policy and procedures
Option 3. Assess the significance of the most important objects
Option 4. Assess significance before starting conservation or restoration work

APPENDIX Significance assessment check list
GLOSSARY
SELECT BIBLIOGRAPHY download appendix, glossary and bibliography (73 KB)

If you are having difficulty downloading Significance, please contact the AMOL Coordination Unit amol@amol.org.au or tel: 02 9217 0346.

For more information about this publication, contact the HCC Secretariat:
Department of Communications, Information Technology and the Arts
GPO Box 2154 CANBERRA ACT 2601
Phone: (02) 6271 1094
Fax: (02) 6271 1122
Email: hcc.mail@dcita.gov.au