Acquisition vs Accessioning & Deaccessioning

Overview 

Museums manage objects through a lifecycle that includes acquisition, accessioning, and, when necessary, deaccessioning. These steps ensure that only appropriate objects enter and remain in the permanent collection.

Acquisition vs. Accession

Acquisition

An acquisition is any object received by the museum.

Not all acquisitions become part of the permanent collection. Some may be:

• Held temporarily
• Used for research or reference
• Used for educational purposes
• Not formally cataloged

Accession

Accessioning is the formal process of adding an object to the museum’s permanent collection.

Only objects that meet institutional criteria should be accessioned.

Before accessioning:

• Confirm alignment with the museum’s mission
• Ensure capacity to care for the object long-term
• Verify documentation and ownership

Once accessioned, the object becomes part of the permanent collection record and is formally cataloged.

Deaccessioning

Deaccessioning is the permanent removal of an object from the collection.

This process should always follow institutional policy and be carefully considered.

Common Reasons for Deaccessioning

An object may be removed for reasons including:

• Condition: Object has deteriorated beyond repair or stabilization
• Safety: Object poses risk to staff or visitors
• Legality: Object was acquired unethically or without proper rights
• Repatriation: Object returned through legal or cultural processes (e.g., NAGPRA)
• Storage & Care Capacity: Insufficient resources to maintain the object
• Relevance & Mission: Object no longer aligns with collecting priorities

Important Considerations

Deaccessioning should never be taken lightly. It requires:

• Clear documentation
• Institutional approval processes
• Ethical and policy compliance
• Transparent decision-making