C. COLLECTION ALIGNMENT REVIEW
1. STRATEGIC ALIGNMENT
• Review the collection against the museum’s mission, vision, values and statutory obligations (e.g. trust deeds, collecting policy, national significance guidelines).
• Identify which parts of the collection actively support the museum’s contemporary purpose and future strategy, including themes such as equity, sustainability and social change.
• Flag collection areas that are underutilised, misaligned with the mission or no longer hold public relevance.
• Evaluate the clarity and relevance of current collecting priorities and their reflection of institutional values and audience expectations.
• Assess how the collection aligns with broader national and international standards, frameworks or cultural policy objectives.
2. USE IN EXHIBITIONS AND PROGRAMS
• Evaluate the proportion of the collection that is actively used in exhibitions, learning programs, events and outreach activities.
• Analyse the interpretive effectiveness of collection displays, are they contextualised, relevant, inclusive and visitor-friendly?
• Review the presence of key assets; are they featured prominently in public spaces and accessible both physically and digitally?
• Assess how collection items are used in storytelling, education and public engagement, with consideration for multi-level interpretation across audience groups.
• Examine integration into cross-platform programming; linking physical displays with talks, publications, workshops and digital experiences.
3. COLLECTION DIVERSITY AND INCLUSIVITY
• Audit the representational breadth of the collection, do objects reflect diverse cultural identities, genders, perspectives and lived experiences?
• Identify collection gaps and areas requiring reinterpretation due to outdated narratives, colonial legacies or exclusivity.
• Evaluate the ethics of past collecting practices and current acquisition policies.
• Examine interpretive frameworks to ensure they support multiple viewpoints and promote social inclusion.
• Recommend pathways for decolonisation, restitution and community-informed collecting.
4. OPPORTUNITIES FOR NEW PROGRAMS
• Identify underused collection strengths with potential for activation in future exhibitions, collaborative programs, research partnerships or community engagement.
• Explore how cross-disciplinary narratives, linking art, science, history and environment, can reinvigorate interpretation and enhance relevance.
• Assess potential for socially engaged programming and creative interventions based on collection themes.
• Identify opportunities for artistic residencies, co-curation, digital storytelling or external collaborations that revitalise public connection to the collection.
• Evaluate how collections can support broader goals in wellbeing, education and cultural leadership.
5. STORAGE, CARE AND PRIORITISATION
• Ensure a comprehensive preventive conservation strategy is in place, including climate control, integrated pest management, object handling protocols and regular condition reporting across storage and display environments.
• Maintain a structured, resourced conservation program led by trained professionals, with scheduled treatment plans, prioritisation based on risk and significance, and integration with digitisation and access initiatives.
• Make informed recommendations for deaccessioning in line with ethical and legal standards, focusing on relevance, duplication and public value.
• Review long-term storage capacity, conservation planning and sustainability of current holdings.
• Assess digitisation priorities and recommend strategies for improving online access to collections.
• Evaluate future collecting areas based on thematic trends, public demand, institutional focus and gaps in representation.
• Propose methods to integrate new acquisitions into public-facing programming and outreach from the outset.
6. COLLECTION-TO-PROGRAM MAPPING TOOL(FOR ALL MUSEUM SIZES)
As part of the assessment, Future Museums offers a Collection-to-Program Mapping Tool to help institutions:
• Map major or high-value collection items to:
– Exhibitions (past, present and planned)
– Public programs, educational offers and school curriculum links
– Digital storytelling and outreach campaigns
• Identify collection items with high potential but low visibility or current use.
• Match underused collection objects to new program ideas based on:
– Target audience interests
– Local or national topical issues
– Cultural calendar events and anniversaries
– Opportunities for artist-led or community co-created initiatives