City Council Memorandum
TO: HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL DATE: AUGUST 2, 2022 FROM: MUSEUM DEPARTMENT WARDS: ALL
SUBJECT: DEACCESSION FROM THE MUSEUM OF RIVERSIDE’S PERMANENT COLLECTION OF SIX (6) PIECES FROM THE MEIER COLLECTION INCLUDING A CHERRYWOOD ROLLTOP DESK, LIBRARY TABLE AND SIDE TABLE, AMERICAN EMPIRE REVIVAL MAHOGANY BED HEAD- AND FOOTBOARDS, AND DRESSER WITH MIRROR (A1496-109, A1496-113.1a-b, A1496-114.1a-b, A1496-114.2) ISSUE:
Approve deaccession from the Museum of Riverside’s permanent collection of six (6) pieces from the Meier collection, including a cherrywood rolltop desk, library table and side table, American Empire Revival mahogany bed head- and footboards, and dresser with mirror (A1496-109, A1496-113.1a-b, A1496-114.1a-b, A1496-114.2).
RECOMMENDATION:
That the City Council approve deaccession from the Museum of Riverside’s permanent collection of six (6) pieces from the Meier collection, including a cherry-wood rolltop desk, library table and side table, American Empire Revival mahogany bed head- and footboards, and dresser with mirror (A1496-109, A1496-113.1a-b, A1496-114.1a-b, A1496-114.2).
BOARD RECOMMENDATION:
At a hybrid meeting on May 25, 2022, the Museum of Riverside Board, with seven (7) members present for this vote and two (2) vacancies, unanimously voted to recommend that City Council approve deaccession of six (6) pieces from the Meier collection, including a cherry-wood rolltop desk, library table and side table, American Empire Revival mahogany bed head- and footboards, and dresser with mirror (A1496-109, A1496-113.1a-b, A1496-114.1a-b, A1496-114.2).
BACKGROUND:
In December 1994, the then Riverside Municipal Museum took possession of the “Meier Collection” with intent to facilitate an eventual transfer to the California Citrus State Historic Park (CCSHP) for their own programmatic purposes. Further information about the history of this collection, including photographs of the artifacts, is contained in the Museum of Riverside Board report for May 25, 2022, included as an attachment to this report.
DISCUSSION:
The Meier collection was accessioned into the permanent collection in error, as the intent from acquisition was expeditious transfer to another organization. On November 19, 2019, City Council approved deaccession of another lot of items from the Meier collection, which were publicly sold for the benefit of the restricted fund for future acquisitions to the history collection.
In addition to the circumstance of having been accessioned in error, the six (6) pieces of furniture fit the following deaccession criteria within the Museum’s Collections Management Policy:
The object/specimen is outside of the scope of the Museum’s mission and guidelines set by Riverside Municipal Code (Chapter 2.12.), acquisition policy, or is irrelevant to the purposes of the Museum.
The Museum is unable to properly preserve or store the object/specimen and to provide proper or adequate environment for their collections.
The object/specimen has doubtful potential utilization in the near future in the Museum’s exhibition and public programs.
Therefore, the Museum proposes the deaccession of six (6) pieces from the Meier collection, including a cherry-wood rolltop desk, library table and side table, American Empire Revival mahogany bed head- and footboards, and dresser with mirror (A1496-109, A1496-113.1a-b, A1496-114.1a-b, A1496-114.2). Upon approval of deaccession, the objects will be made available for public sale. Funds realized from this transaction will be retained until used for an appropriate acquisition to the history collection, in accordance with the Museum’s Collection and Exhibition Management Policies.
STRATEGIC PLAN ALIGNMENT:
The activities of the Museum of Riverside align with Strategic Priority 1 - Arts, Culture and Recreation, and Strategic Priority 2 - Community Well-Being and the following goals:
Goal 1.1 - Strengthen Riverside’s portfolio of arts, culture, recreation, senior, and lifelong learning programs and amenities through expanded community partnerships, shared use opportunities, and fund development.
Goal 1.2 - Enhance equitable access to arts, culture, and recreational service offerings and facilities.
Goal 1.5 - Support programs and amenities to further develop literacy, health, and education of children, youth, and seniors throughout the community).
Goal 2.3 – Strengthen neighborhood identities and improve community health and the physical environment through amenities and programs that foster an increase sense of community and enhanced feelings of pride and belonging citywide Goal 2.5 - Foster relationships between community members and partner organizations, and public safety professionals to define, prioritize, and address community safety and social service needs.
This item align with each of the five Cross-Cutting Threads:
Community Trust – Community trust grows when public resources are used responsibly, and the Museum of Riverside works toward this goal by aligning its collecting activities with its stated mission and the board-approved policies required of accredited institutions. Museum practices evolve, and recommendations for deaccession are informed by an advisory committee that includes community members.
Equity – Processes that result in deaccession recommendations are applied equitably across the collections to improve the collections’ fit to mission and how well the permanent collection represents the community. Deaccessions recommended for sale are liquidated through public sale following established policies.
Fiscal Responsibility – Deaccession is recommended when objects are determined fall outside the Board-approved Collections Development Plan. A responsibly applied deaccession process ensures that Museum resources are expended on collections and programs that are mission-relevant.
Innovation – Deaccession recommendations result in part from evolving thinking with the museum field, and a need to re-envision how museum should form collections to best represent their communities.
Sustainability & Resiliency – Deaccession processes recognize the need for responsiveness to current community realities, and alignment of available resources with responsibilities of collections care. Collection management processes balance the needs of the present with the resources the Museum preserves for the future.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no fiscal impact to the General Fund associated with this report. Deaccessioned objects will be offered for public sale. Following Museum policy and museum field codes of ethics, net proceeds generated by such sales are restricted to future acquisitions for the permanent collection, fund 0000721-225252.
Prepared by: Robyn G. Peterson, Ph.D., Museum Director
Approved by: Kris Martinez, Assistant City Manager
Approved as to form: Phaedra A. Norton, City Attorney
Attachment: Museum of Riverside Board deaccession report and minutes for May 25, 2022
Deaccession six (6) Meier collection items ● Page 2