Mississippi Administrative Code
Title 16 - History, Humanities and Arts
Part 5 - Museum Division
Chapter 1 - Collections Policy

A. Purpose of Collections Policy:

The purpose of the collections policy is to provide guidelines for the Museum Division's collections-related activities, insuring that these activities meet high professional standards. The collections policy is a public statement of the Museum Division's commitment to caring for and managing its collections properly.

B. Statement of Purpose/Mission of the Museum Division:

The Museum Division is a division of the Mississippi Department of Archives and History, a state agency which was established in 1902. The Mississippi Department of Archives and History is governed by a nine member Board of Trustees. Members of the Board of Trustees are elected by the Board, subject to confirmation by the Mississippi State Senate, for a six-year term, and may succeed themselves. The Director of the Department of Archives and History, who serves as Secretary to the Board of Trustees, is also elected for a six-year term and may succeed them self.

As of July 1, 2011, the Museum Division combined the collections of its individual sites to have one comprehensive collection that represents Mississippi history. The Museum Division sites covered under this collections policy are the Eudora Welty House & Garden, Historic Jefferson College, the Manship House Museum, the Mississippi Civil Rights Museum, the Museum of Mississippi History, and the Old Capitol Museum. Any post-contact historical items from GrandVillage of the Natchez Indians and Winterville Mounds are also included in this policy. All excavated collections are maintained by the guidelines set forth in the Archaeology Collection collections policy.

C. Types and Status of Collections:

The term Collections is used for all material holdings of the Museum Division. Specific collection categories are defined as follows:

D. Scope of Historic Objects Collection:

The scope of the collection of the Museum Division shall be artifacts of Mississippi history and culture from the earliest times to the present. Objects acquired by the Museum Division shall represent material culture in Mississippi and follow the guidelines set forth in the MDAH Strategic Plan for Collections. The collection shall include documentation of individuals and cultural groups as well as objects which illustrate events and the history of arts and crafts in Mississippi.

E. Delegation of Responsibility for Implementation of the Collections Policy:

The Museum Division director is responsible for supervising the proper implementation of the collections policy. The Museum Division director has delegated the day-to-day care and management of the collections to the director of collections. Comprehensive collections care and management procedures (accessioning, cataloging, deaccessioning, documentation, access, loans, handling, etc.) for each site are outlined in a single collections management manual maintained by the director of collections. Specific emergency collections care and management procedures are outlined in a disaster preparedness manual for each site maintained by the director of collections.

F. Provision for Review and Revision of Collections Policy:

The collections policy will be reviewed by the Collections Committee (consisting of the Museum Division director, director of curatorial services, director of collections, and other staff as appointed) at least every three years and, when necessary, appropriate revisions will be presented to the Board of Trustees for the Board's review and approval. The policy will be filed with the Secretary of State's office

The collections policy and any subsequent revisions will be reviewed by an attorney to ensure the policy is in compliance with federal, state, and local regulations.