This document provides guidance on, and outlines procedures for, museum record keeping, including accessioning, cataloging, loans, daccessioning, photography, and reporting annual collection management data.

Unlinked chapter names are not yet available online. All files are in PDF format.  Download the free Acrobat Reader here.

Chapters (file size):

• Title Page
• Acknowledgments
• Table of Contents
• Introduction (9.5K)
• Ch. 1: NPS Museums and Collections (790k) 2006
• Ch. 2: Scope of Museum Collections 2003
• Ch. 3: Preservation: Getting Started (82K) 1999
• Ch. 4: Museum Collections Environment (1.9MB) 1999
• Ch. 5: Biological Infestations (88K) 1998
• Ch. 6: Handling, Packing, and Shipping (4.7MB) 1999
• Ch. 7: Museum Collection Storage (2.6MB) 2001
• Ch. 8: Conservation Treatment (115K) 2001
• Ch. 9: Security and Fire Protection 2002
• Ch. 10a-b: Emergency Planning (173K) 2000
• Ch. 10c-f: Emergency Planning (3.8MB) 2001
• Ch. 11: Curatorial Health and Safety (466K) 2003
• Ch. 12: Programming, Funding, and Staffing 1998
• Ch. 13: Museum Housekeeping (117K) 1998

Appendices (file size):

• A: Mandates and Standards for NPS Museum Collections (133K) 2000
• B: Accreditation (538 K) 2006
• C: Professional Organizations and Societies (31K) 2000
• D: Code of Ethics (472k) 2006
• E: Scope of Collection Statement 2003
• F: NPS Museum Collections Management Checklists (183K) 1999
• G: Protection of NPS Museum Collections 1996
• H: Curatorial Health and Safety (25K) 2000
• I: Curatorial Care of Archeological Objects (200K) 2001
• J: Curatorial Care of Paper Objects 2003
• K: Curatorial Care of Textile Objects 2002
• L: Curatorial Care of Easel Paintings (261K) 2000
• M: Management of Cellulose Nitrate and Cellulose Ester Film (208K) 1999
• N: Curatorial Care of Wooden Objects 2002
• O: Curatorial Care of Metal Objects 2002
• P: Curatorial Care of Ceramic, Glass, and Stone Objects (598K) 2000
• Q: Curatorial Care of Natural History Collections (174K) 1999
• R: Curatorial Care of Photographic Collections 1996
• S: Curatorial Care of Objects Made from Leather and Skin Products
  1996
  
• T: Curatorial Care of Biological Collections (432K) 2005
  
• U: Curatorial Care of Paleontological Collections (222K) 2005
  

(Note: The content of the Web Edition is identical to that of the printed edition. However, there may be very slight differences in pagination and formatting.  Therefore, when citing, use chapter and section numbers).