CRHM-Collections Policy

Chattanooga Regional History Museum-Collections Policy

Statement of Purpose:

The Chattanooga Regional History Museum shall collect only items related to the purpose in its by-laws “…to collect, preserve, research, display, and interpret the written, spoken, pictorial, and artifactual record of Chattanooga and the Tri-State region from the earliest times to the present.” The CRHM further specifies that its collections shall consist of materials illustrating the history of an area fifty miles in radius of Chattanooga in all directions, including portions of Tennessee, Georgia, and Alabama. The CRHM will collect only those objects, which it can properly store, preserve, and protect.

Collection Objectives:

The CRHM will build and maintain collections of materials and objects…including archival materials and three-dimensional objects…pertinent to the Museum’s purpose.

A. Chattanooga and Tri-State region history will be the primary focus of the CRHM’s collections. The CRHM will collect materials and objects that document the geologic, social, economic, and political history of the area. Special attention will be given to materials and objects that relate to human activity and everyday life.

B. Materials pertaining to United States history will be collected only when they significantly help the growth and development of Chattanooga and the region in the context of U.S. history.
Collections Committee

Responsibility for the development and management of the CRHM collection shall be given to the Executive Director, Curator of Collections, and a collection committee as described in the CRHM by-laws. No museum staff may be engaged in the business of buying or selling “antiques” or other such collectible items; however, they may be allowed to evaluate collections for other museums and to accept honoraria for such purposes, with board approval. No member of the board or community who engages in the business of buying or selling “antiques” or other such collectibles may sit on the collections committee.

E-mail questions to bwestbrook@chattanoogahistory.com