Frozen in Time: Orphans and Uncollected Objects in Museum Collections

The focus of this article is upon objects in museum collections where their ownership is uncertain (“orphans”) or where they are known to be uncollected loans but where the owner cannot be traced. Museums may have little choice but to continue to care for these objects even where they are unsuitable to be retained within the permanent collections. It is argued that the current law in the United Kingdom prevents museums from managing their collections properly and rationalising them where necessary. New legislation has been proposed which would assist Scottish museums. It is argued that all museums in the United Kingdom need new legislation which would enable them to manage their collections more effectively, and to approach reviews of collections and disposal of unsuitable objects in a proper and balanced manner, acting for the benefit of the public.