Dear Colleagues,
I write on behalf of the Penn Cultural Heritage Center at the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology. We recently launched the National Survey of Museum Collecting Practices, which aims to develop a comprehensive picture of how U.S. museums and similar institutions acquire, borrow, deaccession, resolve ownership questions about, and conduct provenance research on cultural objects.
The survey is open to any U.S.-based, nonprofit institution that collects or stewards cultural objects and self-identifies as a museum, library, or other collection. It will remain open through August 20, 2026. We will publish summary findings in a 2027 report and make the de-identified results available through the University of Pennsylvania's open-access institutional repository. Insights from the survey will provide a roadmap for resource allocation, investment, and data-driven decision-making in U.S. museums.
Learn more on our post for AAM's Center for the Future of Museums's blog: Introducing the National Survey of Museum Collecting Practices
Access the survey and background information here: National Survey of Museum Collecting Practices
We look forward to hearing from your institutions. Please contact NSMCP@PennMuseum.org with questions, to receive a copy of the questionnaire, or to meet with a member of our team.
All best,
Kayla Kane
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Kayla Kane
Associate Director of Cultural Property Programs
Penn Museum - University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia PA
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