Deaccessioning

If your collection doesn’t match your mission, is too large for the amount of space you have, or is in a state of disrepair, it may be time to consider evaluating objects in the collection for possible deaccession. 

The recording of our 2022 Virtual Roundtable on Deaccessioning is a great place to start with this topic. If you're wondering where to start with writing a deaccession policy, read through the International Council on Museums' Guidelines on Deaccessioning for a primer on terminology and ethics. 

Explore the resources at the bottom of this page for more on approaching deaccessioning. Additional resources and information will be added here after our April 2025 workshop on deaccessioning with the 2025 Activating 21st Century Local History Cohort!

A Legal Primer on Managing Museum Collections

Collecting Scope Sample - Framingham History Center

Collections Grading System Example

Framingham History Center Collections Policy

ICOM Guidelines on Deaccessioning

Off the Shelf: A Toolkit for Ethical Transfer, Reuse and Disposal

Things Great and Small: Collections Management Policies, 2nd Edition

Vermont Museum Property Laws

Virtual Roundtable: Deaccessioning