Education Collections as Museum Collections

Museum education collections are inarguably a part of a museum's actual collection, just as are the research/permanent collections. However, past practices indicate that education collections are typically not given equal stature in museological terms. This paper argues that techniques and practices used with research/permanent collections should be applied to education collections, a viewpoint that has not yet been readily embraced. Several methods are addressed for upgrading an education collection to a level similar to a museum's permanent collection. The Lubbock Lake Landmark's education collection serves as a case study to demonstrate the need for the application of proper museological techniques to conform to best practices. A scope of collection was created, preventive conservation techniques were applied, a gap analysis was performed, and legal issues concerning the education collection were addressed.