Collections Management

Preparing yourself for a visit to

The National Museum

Collections Management

Welcome to the National Museum

Collections Management

You should see our collection

• We have hundreds of objects on display covering fine arts, performing arts, science, indigenous collections, cultural history and natural history

• We gratefully acknowledge the contribution made by our EMu users from around the world who have kindly donated these objects

Collections Management

Collections Management

And for every object, there is a storyGrant Wood, Parson Weems’ Fable

1939, Oil on canvas

Amon Carter MuseumFort Worth, Texas, USA

The famous anecdote of George Washington’s youthful honesty regarding a chopped-down cherry tree was created by bookseller and itinerant preacher Parson Mason Locke Weems in 1806. Weems, who appears here as the narrator, believed the tale "too valuable to be lost, and too true to be doubted." Grant Wood embellishes the scene through clever use of repeating motifs, such as the spherical shapes in the trees, buttons, cherries, and cherry like curtain fringe. The artist also designed the painting's frame, which repeats the spherical motif with ornamental beading and picks up the star on the house with a series of painted stars. …

Collections Management

For the technically minded…

• We have over two hundred objects on display• Each object has at least one image• There is a narrative for each object• Overlaying the object narratives is a hierarchy of

“theme” narratives, allowing users to browse and drill down to any object

Collections Management

Object Object Object Object Object Object Object Object Object

Narrative Narrative Narrative Narrative Narrative Narrative Narrative Narrative Narrative

Theme Theme Theme

Master Narrative