Re-assessment
From 2014 until mid 2018, the museum has been re-assessing the collection. Rising costs for preserving and managing the collection and the future move to the Boijmans Van Beuningen Depot are important reasons for taking a critical look at the collection.
Re-assessment: a well-documented collection
All 65,000 objects in storage are being inspected (the Print Room falls outside this project). Special re-assessment teams check the objects’ location and condition. The curators check that the existing data about the works is correct. New or revised information is entered into the collection registration system, known as TMS (The Museum System). If no existing photograph is available, a registration photograph is taken.
Re-evaluation and de-accessioning
The museum is also re-evaluating the collection in accordance with the guidelines of the Cultural Heritage Agency of the Netherlands. On the basis of the collections profile, the curators decide whether an object still fits within the collection or whether it might be better suited to another collection and can therefore be de-accessioned. This process is carried out in consultation with the director and, where necessary, external experts.
In 2016, the museum proposed 447 objects to the Municipality of Rotterdam for de-accessioning. These were objects of low heritage value for the museum, such as mass-produced, machine-made carpets. In de-accessioning items, the museum follows the guidelines drawn up by the Museums Association.