Boca Raton Museum Case Study

Boca Raton Museum of Art
Collections Plan

Executive Summary – The overall goal of the collections plan created by the Boca Raton Museum of Art is to outline the parameters for preserving, collecting, and exhibiting contemporary and modern art, while fulfilling the museum’s mission. The plan will guide museum staff in making decisions regarding collections management that properly represent the museum to the community with high professional standards and fiscal responsibility. This plan also addresses gaps in the current collections and provides deeper understanding of areas of weakness. Evaluation of the plan will also take place on an annual basis and adjusted accordingly to fulfill the museum’s vision towards an ideal collection.
Preamble– The collections plan at the Boca Raton Museum of Art is a guide for collection development, care, and growth.
This document was created by and guides the Museum Director, Curator of Collections, the Registrar, and the Board of Directors in collecting endeavors. The museum’s collections are used for educational purposes, exhibits, and, research by the community. This plan describes how the museum will fulfill its mission through an in-depth analysis and inventory of the current collections, while determining future needs and compliments the Collections Management Policies. The overall goal of the collections plan is to ensure that the current collections are maintained and that any future collections acquired support the mission and vision of the Boca Raton Museum of Art.
Mission and Vision Statement- The Boca Raton Museum of Art is dedicated to educating diverse audiences by creating an accessible environment that preserves, exhibits and interprets modern and contemporary art. Through its exhibitions, programs, and connections with the community, the Boca Raton Museum of Art strives to broaden people’s knowledge and understanding of modern and contemporary art while developing the study of fine
arts.
Intellectual Framework- The collection carries out the museum’s mission by promoting learning opportunities and the understanding of contemporary art. The museum strives to attain high quality, original pieces that represent the diversity and unique perspective of South Florida and the history of the genre. Attracting people of all ages, the Boca Museum plays a key role on the cultural and educational foundation of Boca Raton, Florida as the city’s official fine art museum.
Analysis of Existing Collection- The museum’s current collection consists of the following: European Paintings and Sculptures from the twentieth-century, The Dr.
and Mrs. John J. Mayers Collection of Modern Masters, twentieth- century American art, Modern and Contemporary art from 1970 to the present, photographs, prints and drawings, over four hundred West African tribal and Oceanic Art objects, the Jean and David Colker collection of Pre-Columbian Art, Asian Art, and the outdoor sculpture collection. Since 1973, the Boca Museum of Art the museum has received over ninety percent of its collection as gifts and bequests by public-spirited individuals and organizations. These generous gifts allow the museum to preserve and share the artwork with the community that were originally parts of private collections. Strength of the collections include the two-acre sculpture garden and the Pre-Columbian art collection which are some of the most complete and varied collections in South Florida. Gaps remain in the Modern and Contemporary art collection.
Connections to other Institutions and their Collections – The Boca Raton Museum of Art plans to coordinate exhibits with the Museo de Arte Moderna in Bogota, Colombia. This will provide an opportunity to bring pieces on loan from significant Latin American artists such as Julio Larraz, Jorge Segui and Arturo
Rodriguez.
Comparison of Existing Collections to Intellectual Framework - Efforts are being put in place to attain notable pieces from Latin American and Florida artists that will expose the audience to new cultures and perspectives while filling gaps in the collection. Future acquisitions to the permanent collection must fit the mission of the museum, address the current gaps, and be unique to the museum. The museum may also accept unplanned gifts as long as they fit the mission, are of good quality, and can be properly stored and cared for with the available resources. The museum will also evaluate the permanent collection on a yearly basis to determine if any pieces need to be removed in order to further the museum’s mission or due to their condition. Proceeds from the sales of deaccessioned items will go back to the collections department.
Implementation Strategy- A strategic plan is developed for the course of the next five years. This flexible plan will be implemented by the Museum Director, Board of Trustees, and the staff and it is guided by the mission and vision. The museum develops new resources by generating revenue in order to fill the gaps in the collection.
Evaluation- Meticulous record keeping of all exhibits, acquisitions, deaccessioning, and preservation efforts will provide essential data for evaluation of the plan. Database software acquisition for is essential is maintaining accurate data and sharing the information with the community. Community questionnaires and visitor surveys are also critical for evaluation. It is crucial for the museum to evaluate how well it is fulfilling its mission to the community. Evaluating all functional areas on a yearly basis will help determine the institution’s effectiveness. The Museum Director and the Board of Trustees will put together an annual report and evaluate results and adjust accordingly.
Revision of Plan- After the annual review, the Museum Director, Curator of Collections, and Board of Trustees will compile the results of all evaluations and determine if the plan needs to be revised in order to fulfill the mission and vision.