National Park Service Museum Handbook

National Park Service Museum Handbook
Name	National Park Service Museum Handbook
Publisher	United States Department of the Interior
Country	United States
Language	English
Subject	Museum collections management, conservation
Pages	multiple volumes

Contents

National Park Service Museum Handbook is a multi-volume professional manual issued by the United States Department of the Interior to guide curatorial, conservation, and collections management practices within the National Park Service and associated institutions. The Handbook frames standards used at sites ranging from Yellowstone National Park to Statue of Liberty National Monument and informs partnerships with organizations such as the Smithsonian Institution and the Library of Congress. It has influenced policy and training across federal agencies including the National Archives and Records Administration and state heritage programs like the California State Parks system.

History and Development

The Handbook traces roots to early 20th-century preservation efforts linked to figures like Stephen Mather and institutions such as the American Association of Museums and the Smithsonian Institution; subsequent development intersected with legislation including the Antiquities Act and the Historic Sites Act of 1935. During the mid-20th century stewardship debates involving sites like Mount Rushmore National Memorial and Mesa Verde National Park prompted codification of curatorial practices mirrored in guidance from the Historic American Buildings Survey and standards emerging from the National Trust for Historic Preservation. Later revisions responded to case law and policy frameworks from the National Environmental Policy Act era and to collaborations with the American Alliance of Museums and the International Council of Museums.

The Handbook articulates objectives for stewardship at tangible heritage locations such as Gettysburg National Military Park, Independence National Historical Park, and Ellis Island while aligning with federal statutes administered by the Department of the Interior and cooperative agreements with entities like the National Endowment for the Humanities. It addresses stewardship across artifact types encountered at sites like Alcatraz Island and Everglades National Park, coordinating with conservation science centers such as the Costume and Textile Specialists network, curatorial programs at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and archaeological standards reflected in guidance from the Society for American Archaeology.

Organized into thematic volumes, the Handbook parallels compendia produced by the Smithsonian Institution and series from the National Park System Advisory Board; volumes cover topics ranging from object cataloging used at Thomas Jefferson Memorial to archaeological curation practiced at Chaco Culture National Historical Park. The structure mirrors formats used by the Library of Congress for metadata standards and by the National Archives and Records Administration for accessioning. Editions and supplements have been updated in response to fieldwork at locations such as Cuyahoga Valley National Park and regulatory guidance issued by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service.

Guidance includes accessioning protocols found in repositories like the New-York Historical Society and inventory systems compatible with collections management software utilized by institutions including the Royal Ontario Museum and the British Museum. Procedures cover documentation standards related to provenance issues encountered with objects linked to Lewis and Clark Expedition sites and cultural materials associated with tribal nations represented in Bering Land Bridge National Preserve. Policies interface with directives from the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act and collaborative frameworks used by the National Congress of American Indians.

The Handbook synthesizes treatment philosophies akin to those at the Freer Gallery of Art and technical protocols from the National Center for Preservation Technology and Training, recommending integrated pest management measures used at historic house museums like Monticello and environmental controls exemplified at the Haleakalā National Park research facilities. It references analytical methods practiced at labs such as the Smithsonian Museum Conservation Institute and condition assessment approaches applied at sites like Fort Sumter National Monument and Pueblo de Taos.

Policies outline loan procedures consistent with practices at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, exhibition planning akin to programs at the National Gallery of Art, and access provisions resonant with public-facing sites such as Gateway Arch National Park and Independence Hall. The Handbook addresses intellectual property considerations intersecting with the National Historic Preservation Act compliance and inter-institutional loan agreements similar to arrangements between the American Museum of Natural History and federal repositories.

Implementation strategies tied to professional development draw on training partnerships with the National Center for Preservation Technology and Training, fellowship programs modeled on collaborations with the Getty Conservation Institute, and curricula comparable to courses at the Cooperstown Graduate Program and the University of Delaware museum studies programs. Ongoing dissemination occurs through conferences hosted by the American Alliance of Museums and workshops coordinated with the National Park System Advisory Board.