The Ethics of Care: The Importance of Having an Education Collections Manager in the Era of Museum Decolonization

Abstract

ABSTRACT Caring for many objects is one of the more challenging aspects of the museum profession. In museums that collect cultural belongings, utilizing best care practices ensures that objects of cultural heritage can be studied and appreciated by the peoples whose cultures they represent. Thus, providing collections care is necessary to support learning and to further the efforts of decolonization. However, in many museum education departments, a specialized collections management role does not exist to care for teaching collections. This case study examines why it is essential for education departments to have a dedicated collections manager, particularly in the era of museum decolonization. The case study details how the Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture in Seattle, Washington, applied decolonial efforts to collection management as our team preserves a cultural belonging from the Lummi Nation in our teaching collection.