Environmental Management

Book excerpt: The key to the survival of museum collections is a stable indoor environment and vital to this is a well-maintained building with effective environmental services. Environmental Management sets out clearly the theory and practice of achieving an appropriate museum environment for both collections and people. The book emphasises the need for planning and places the environmental needs of museum collections at the forefront of the responsibilities of museum managers. May Cassar stresses the role of the building as the first line of defence against environmental instability, recognising the importance of regular environmental monitoring and control, and the division of museum spaces into critical areas housing collections and non-critical areas accommodating offices, cafes and communal spaces. Environmental Management presents a strategic approach to environmental management, in contrast to the piecemeal approach to environmental monitoring and control still practised by many museums. However, rather than providing ready solutions and rigid rules, the book introduces principles and ideas on which to base decisions about creating the appropriate environment.