Using your collections commercially can be a powerful way to capitalise on the uniqueness of your resource and generate valuable extra revenue. However there are a number of potential pitfalls which you should be aware of, including:
- Risks to your accreditation status for your entire collection or even entire museum
- Damage to collection objects and consequent loss of scientific data
- Dilution of significance
- Misrepresentation and exploitation
Many larger organisations will have IPR (Intellectual Property Rights) departments that can advise on this, or legal expertise can readily be hired in. However it should be noted that the committee and membership of GCG represents a wide spectrum of institutions, and countless years of combined knowledge and experience in museum collections. If you have any questions regarding the above, and would like an informal chat, then please contact us on