Difference between revisions of "Museum"

Revision as of 21:16, 4 October 2014

The Augustan Society, Inc., has as part of its mission the construction and maintenance of a museum. The related web page is here.

The museum collection includes (or appears to include):

• Stamp Collection — Thanks to several donations, our philatelic holdings are substantial. It is hoped that once these donations are merged that we will be able to sell off the duplicates to fund purchases of missing items. Target collections include a comprehensive collection plus topical collections on heraldry, royalty, castles, and perhaps others.

• Coin Collection — Though much smaller than the stamp collection, the Society's numismatic collection ranges from Roman (and older) coins and reproductions to the modern age. Topical collections include royalty and heraldry, with other topics possible.

• Paintings and Prints — More paintings and prints have been donated that could ever be fitted onto the walls of our Headquarters. These include a large collection of heraldic achievements, portraits of past Chairmen of the Society, and a few historic works. All are in need of careful conservation and eventual display.

• Native American Collection — The efforts of the First Peoples Committee have generated a number of original and reproduction items that illuminate the cultures of the first peoples of the Americas. This collection is under the nominal direction of the Chairman of the First Peoples Committee.

• Other material that does not fit into the above categories, including a life-sized marble statue of Augustus, a reproduction coat of armor, and some eight-foot panels pained with Egyptian designs by the founder. One would not be surprised to find personal items formerly belonging to our founder that deserve to be repatriated to his heir, who is expected to be involved in the first review of the collection.

At present, our museum collection is in storage. We plan to conduct a survey of the collection in Spring of 2015 and begin weeding out inappropriate material, which appears to form half the collection at first glance. I has been proposed that an estate disposition firm be engaged to remove and monetize those items not returned to our founder's heir or retained.

There is at present no Museum Director. One would hope this post could be filled, and that person appoint several curators or subject experts, and an exhibit designer and builder. A person to coordinate travelling exhibits would permit our collection to begin its educational activities even before a headquarters facility is had.

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