• Home
  • Blog
  • Doffing The Cap To The Harrogate Collection

Doffing the cap to the Harrogate Collection

Stories from the team at Mercer Art Gallery as they review uncatalogued items donated to the Harrogate collection.

The UK Museum Accreditation Scheme, a nationally agreed standard for all museums, demands a regular review of the complete Harrogate collection. 

This review looks at how the collection is organized, the ease of public access and ultimately underpins public funding. Twelve volunteers started work early in October, helping the permanent staff get everything in order for the next review.  A fair challenge for a collection containing many items donated by Harrogate residents.

So how does an item that you may gift to the museum enter the collection? 

First we will ask you for relevant information on the object. How did you acquire it? Is there a link with Harrogate? Where and when and how it was made? 

This information is recorded on an entry form which stays with the object. 

Next the object is cataloged in the Accessions Register and given a unique number. All this information, including photographs is then uploaded onto the museum database. Finally, the item is wrapped, and boxed if appropriate, and placed in the air conditioned museum storeroom. The location of the object in the store is added to the database so that it can always be easily found. 

Well, that is the theory, but often part of the process is completed and then pressures on time or other duties interrupt; consequently the item remains in a holding area in the storeroom awaiting the rest of the process. Sometimes an item is put on display and then does not find its way back to the correct place in the storeroom.


Collections Medium

The treat of finding items

The team of volunteers is currently completing the cataloging of these “mis-located” items and making discoveries as we go along. For example, through searching the database, a soldiers khaki cap, a cap badge, a button badge and an identity card were linked together. Then, by searching through the Accessions Register it was discovered that an army greatcoat had also been donated by the same family. The result is that these items are now grouped together within the database and any future search, perhaps for an exhibition, can identify all the objects and locate them in the store.

It is anticipated that we shall be continuing well into next year as, after we have sorted out the backlog of items, we move onto the full audit of around 25,000 items in the Museum collection. Wish us luck!

Festive refreshments on West Park
Food & Drink
20th Nov 2023
Festive refreshments on West Park icon

Festive refreshments on West Park

This beautiful avenue by the side of Harrogate’s iconic stray is home to some of Harrogate’s best shops, beautiful...

Discover Your Perfect Christmas in the Harrogate area
17th Nov 2023

Discover Your Perfect Christmas in the Harrogate area

With so much happening in our corner of North Yorkshire this festive season, we don’t want you to miss...

Your Christmas shopping trip starts here
14th Nov 2023

Your Christmas shopping trip starts here

With so much happening in the Harrogate area this festive season, we don’t want you to miss a thing...

Loading...

Loading entries...

Events

Festive refreshments on West Park
Food & Drink
Harrogate
Festive refreshments on West Park icon

Festive refreshments on West Park

This beautiful avenue by the side of Harrogate’s iconic stray is home to some of Harrogate’s best shops, beautiful...

Discover Your Perfect Christmas in the Harrogate area

Discover Your Perfect Christmas in the Harrogate area

With so much happening in our corner of North Yorkshire this festive season, we don’t want you to miss...

Your Christmas shopping trip starts here

Your Christmas shopping trip starts here

With so much happening in the Harrogate area this festive season, we don’t want you to miss a thing...

Loading...

Loading entries...

You may also like

The Stray, Harrogate
Dog Friendly
Harrogate
The Stray, Harrogate icon

The Stray, Harrogate

One of Harrogate’s best known landmarks, the Stray, is 200 acres of grass parkland that encompasses the town centre...

The Japanese Shop, Harrogate
Retail Therapy
Harrogate
The Japanese Shop, Harrogate icon

The Japanese Shop, Harrogate

Welcome to The Japanese Shop, one of the largest Japanese shops in Europe and home to one of the...

All Shook Up - featuring the music of Elvis Presley
Harrogate
Harrogate Theatre, Oxford Street,...
23rd Mar 2023

All Shook Up - featuring the music of Elvis Presley

The King meets The Bard in this 1950s rollercoaster love story. When hip-swivelling, rock’n’rollin’, roustabout Chad roars into town...

Loading...

Loading entries...