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This section focuses on key policies and planning that will form the building blocks of the museum.

1.1 Museum's Purpose

Objective: All work and programmes are aligned to the museum’s written statement of purpose, and all paid and volunteer staff know what they are doing and why.

1.2 Museum Governance

Objective: Museum resources are governed effectively, responsibly and transparently in accordance with the museum’s stated purpose, with relevant legislative requirements, and with the Treaty of Waitangi.

How to develop policies

Examples of Policies

Resource on Governance


1.3 Legal Standing

Objective: Individuals, collections and taonga are legally protected.

1.4 Treaty-Based Partnerships between Museum and Tangata Whenua, Iwi and Hapū

Objective: The museum has in place, or has plans to implement, partnership arrangements with tangata whenua, iwi and hapū for the museum's governance, management and planning, in accord with the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi.

  • He Rauemi Resource Guide - National Services Te Paerangi
    • 8: A guide to Guardians of Iwi Treasures He Tohu ki ngā Kaitiaki o ngā Taonga-a-iwi
    • 31: Mātauranga Māori

1.5 Responsibility for Collections and Taonga

Objective: The long-term future and care of the collection and taonga are secure.

  • He Rauemi Resource Guide - National Services Te Paerangi

    • 8: A guide to Guardians of Iwi Treasures He Tohu ki ngā Kaitiaki o ngā Taonga-a-iwi
    • 5: Preventive Conservation
    • 13: Valuing Collections
    • 18: Caring for Māori Textiles
    • 24: Caring for Textiles and Clothing
    • 26: Condition Reporting

  • ‘Artcare: The Care of Art and Artefacts in New Zealand’

  • an adaptable toolkit that might be used on a regional basis in a variety of collaborative projects to identify items of national significance within collections held by small cultural institutions in New Zealand

  • Introduction to caring for, handling and storing documentary heritage materials, including letters, diaries, photos, newspaper clippings, scrapbooks, certificates and sound recordings.

  • Intellectual Property Guide for Māori Organisations and Communities

1.6 Tenure of Museum Premises

 

Objective: A secure, long-term future for housing the collections and taonga, ensures that they can be displayed or stored immediately and that any future moves are planned for.

  • Sometimes a heritage building seems an obvious choice for a museum or gallery. Its historic significance seems compatible with the nature of a museum or it offers much needed space for a gallery. However, it’s important to consider the pros and cons before you start.
    • Museum and Galleries New South Wales (Australia)
      Summary / Full 
  • Sample policy for the collection, management, and care of museum property (Museum Property Handbook, Volume I & II: Preservation and Protection of Museum Property & Documentation of Museum Property)

1.7 Museum Management

 

Objective: Museum resources are managed according to established policies, regular procedures and reporting mechanisms.

  • Museums Aotearoa Code of Ethics
  • TEMPLATES A repository for documentation and other templates to be stored and shared between museums professionals and other staff
    • MuseDocs (Yahoo museums fora - free registration)
  • TEMPLATES Sample RPF documents relating to exhibition developments (RFP Issue, Spring 2007)
  • This section provides information for Committees on how to govern the organisation and ensure it meets its requirements as an Incorporated Society. This section also clarifies the relationship between governance and management.
  • TEMPLATE This section explains the process for planning your organisation’s activities and how to monitor and evaluate current projects. Also included is information on preparing annual reports.
  • Fact sheets on employment matters including Checklist for developing job descriptions 
  • Resources, training, advice and tools for community organisations
  • Tools and resources to build nonprofits' ability to plan and evaluate their own programs. Free registration.

1.8 Administrative Records

 

Objective: Current and recent reports, accounts, correspondence, legal documents and personnel records can be readily located for the purposes of accountability, legislative requirements and day to day operations.

1.9 Forward Planning

 

Objective: The museum has a clear, agreed direction and focus for its work in current and future years and is prepared to meet future opportunities and threats.

1.10 Financial Planning

 

Objective: Financial aspects of museum planning are addressed.

  • He Rauemi Resource Guide - National Services Te Paerangi
    • 2: Tapping into Funding Sources
    • 15: Making Sponsorship Work for You
  • National Services Te Paerangi reports - Click here to purchase a copy
    • Exhibiting Enterprise - Generating Income in NZ Museums
    • Enterprising Museums
  • Online business tools include online training, forms and templates for creating your own business plans
  • Guidelines on applying for funding and includes how to run meetings, plan projects, write marketing plans
  • Free fundraising initiative for not-for-profit

1.11 Budget Management

Objective: The museum’s financial resources are managed effectively and efficiently, the governing body is fully accountable and the museum has a sound financial base.

1.12 Planning Public Programmes

Objective: Public programmes are relevant and enjoyable for the visitors while contributing to the museum’s own goals.

  • He Rauemi Resource Guide - National Services Te Paerangi
    • 3: Know your visitors
    • 4: Introduction to Visitor Surveys
    • 8: A guide to Guardians of Iwi Treasures He Tohu ki ngā Kaitiaki o ngā Taonga-a-iwi

1.13 Welcoming Visitors

Objective: Visitors feel comfortable in the museum, enjoy their visit and want to return.

1.14 Marketing Plan

Objective: The marketing plan is developed, based on visitor and market research.

1.15 Museum Advice

Objective: Collections and taonga are not put at risk through lack of knowledge, and staff and volunteers are assured that they are operating effectively.

  • National Services Te Paerangi
    Offers advice on general museum queries, provides training and development in governance, exhibitions and collection management
    Website: www.nationalservices.tepapa.govt.nz
    Free phone: 0508 678 743
  • Museums Aotearoa
    Museums Aotearoa strives to be the strong, objective, fully representative voice for the evolving museum community, and to promote a shared sense of professionalism, solidarity and identity.
    Website: www.museums-aotearoa.org.nz
    Phone: 04 499 1313
  • National Preservation Office Te Tari Tohu Taonga (National Library of New Zealand)
    Offers advice to institutions - including libraries, historical societies, archives, museums, community groups, iwi and hapu - on how to care for documentary heritage material, including books, photos, sound recordings and electronic formats.
    Website: www.natlib.govt.nz/en/services/2protect.html#advice
    Phone: 04 474 3058

1.16 Input and Advice from Tangata Whenua, Iwi, Hapū and Whānau

Objective: Tangata whenua and other iwi, hapū and whānau participate in decisions on policy and operations.

1.17 Communities of Support

Objective: The museum thrives on the support of Friends, voluntary workers, local authorities, tangata whenua, other iwi and hapū, donors, individual and corporate sponsors, residents and other community groups and strategic partners in other local museum and tourism operations.

  • He Rauemi Resource Guide - National Services Te Paerangi
    • 8: A guide to Guardians of Iwi Treasures He Tohu ki ngā Kaitiaki o ngā Taonga-a-iwi
    • 15:Making sponsorship work for you
    • 29: Managing volunteers
  • Series of training CD ROMS for volunteer co-ordinators and managers
  • 'Young People and Volunteering' - learn more about involving more young people in volunteering

1.18 Training for Paid and Volunteer Staff

Objective: Paid and unpaid staff are fully effective, keeping up to date with developments in museum practice and thinking.

1.19 Training for Governing Body

Objective: Members of the governing body and advisory groups have a sound understanding of the museum, its policies, issues, opportunities and constraints in order to make effective decisions.

1.20 Public Safety and Security

Objective: All risks to visitors, volunteers and staff are minimised at all times and the museum is always operating within the law.

1.21 Equity

Objective: The museum respects, without discrimination, all governing body members, staff, volunteers, visitors and users, and develops opportunities for their active input into planning, governance, management and use of the museum and its collections and taonga, services and facilities.

  • Helps employers embrace the diversity of the workforce through the use of Equal Employment Opportunities (EEO) principals and best practice.