MANAGING DEACCESSIONING DEBATES IN PORTUGAL

Inês Fialho Brandão

NEMO conference, Dublin, 2-4 November

1909First recorded attempt of deacessioning through sale to finance PUBLIC museum refurbishments.

2011First debate on deaccessioning – including sale -open to museum profiessionals (and media!)

2012Copying the example from Greece

by selling architectural heritage, including palaces (and, presumably, their collections)

In Flash magazine

RESTRICTIVE & BUREAUCRATICLEGAL FRAMEWORK

Public museums

• Minister of Culture & Museums Council

• Allowed only upon:• Disappearance

(documented);

• Degradation beyond salvaging.

• Specific mention– “not a source of income”

Private museums

• Allowed to do as they see fit;

• State has right of preference upon deaccessioning;

• If exercised, item to integrate PMN collections.

Hat collection on permanent loan from the costume museum (Museu do Traje), Lisbon.

MOTIVE: Extension collection of duplicates

Hatmaking museum, S. Joao da Madeira

ROGUES & MAVERICKS

… LACK OF DEBATE, LACK OF TRANSPARENCY

… PRESSURES OF THE CRISIS