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Indicator: NCH-08 Physical condition and integrity of a sample of heritage collections

Data

Number of Museum Objects and Artworks
Australia - 2003-04

	Employment size
	Nil	1-19 persons	20 or more persons	Total
Museum objects/artworks	2 779 000	5 984 200	46 152 300	54 915 500
Documented or recorded in manual/written form (%)	55.5	45.0	72.7	68.8
Documented or recorded in electronic form or on computer (%)	17.6	25.2	41.9	38.8
Surveyed for preservation or conservation treatment by a professional curator/conservator (%)	9.3	22.2	21.9	21.3
Assessed as requiring preservation or conservation treatment (%)	9.5	8.2	4.6	5.2

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics 2005, Museums Australia 2003-04, ABS, Canberra, viewed 23 Mar 2006, http://www.ausstats.abs.gov.au/Ausstats/
subscriber.nsf/Lookup/D4CDAABA966DC2CACA25700D00762129/$File/85600_2003-04.pdf, p.12

What the data mean

More than two-thirds of the objects and artworks in museums are documented or recorded. Over a third are recorded or documented electronically. The percentage documented is higher in larger museums (73%) compared to smaller museums (56%).

A fifth of the collections in museums have been surveyed for preservation or conservation treatment by a professional curator or conservator. The percentage of collections surveyed in the smaller museums is less than a tenth.

Only 5% of the objects and artworks surveyed have been assessed as requiring preservation or conservation treatment. The percentage requiring treatment is again higher in the smaller institutions.

Issues for which this is an indicator and why

Natural and Cultural Heritage — Condition and Integrity of heritage - Physical condition and integrity of heritage 

One of the fundamental questions relating to heritage is the condition and integrity of heritage items. A sample is the best available surrogate for the measure of the condition and integrity of collections on a national scale.

Other indicators for this issue:

• NCH-05 Physical condition and integrity of a sample of natural heritage places 
• NCH-06 Physical condition and integrity of a sample of historic heritage places 
• NCH-07 Physical condition and integrity of a sample of Indigenous heritage places 

Further Information

• ABS - Museums Australia 2003-04 , p. 12