4 AAC 58.140 - Deaccession of artifacts

(a) The Alaska State Museum may deaccession an artifact in the museum collection if

(1) possession of the artifact poses a hazard to human life or health or jeopardizes the preservation of other objects in the collection, as determined by a conservator or other experts;

(2) the artifact is outside the museum's scope of collections;

(3) return of the artifact to a Native American individual or group is required under 25 U.S.C. 3001 - 3013 (Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act);

(4) possession of the artifact violates federal or state law;

(5) the artifact is in poor or unstable condition, as determined by a conservator, and the museum determines in writing that stabilization of the artifact is not appropriate;

(6) the artifact is an exact duplicate of other objects in the collection; or

(7) another person or entity has title to the artifact, as determined by

(A) a court; or

(B) the museum under the process described in 4 AAC 58.150.

(b) The museum may deaccession an object in the museum's collection only after completion of each of the following:

(1) the senior curator of collections, in consultation with the staff acquisition committee described in 4 AAC 58.110(1), identifies in writing

(A) the object to be considered for deaccession;

(B) information relating to the history, significance, and ownership of the object;

(C) an analysis of applicable laws; and

(D) the proposed method of disposal;

(2) if the object may be valued at more than $5,000, the senior curator of collections obtains an appraisal or opinion of value of the object, including support for the appraisal or opinion from authorities from other institutions;

(3) the senior curator of collections prepares a recommendation for deaccession; the recommendation must include

(A) an analysis of whether the object meets a criterion for deaccession described in (a) of this section; and

(B) comments from members of the staff acquisition committee;

(4) the recommendation for deaccession is approved by

(A) the chief curator of the Alaska State Museum;

(B) the Museum Collections Advisory Committee created under AS 14.57.020;

(C) the director of the division within the department that oversees libraries, archives, and museums; and

(D) the commissioner of education and early development;

(5) the museum requests advice from the Department of Law on whether the proposed deaccession is consistent with law.

(c) The museum will coordinate with the Department of Administration for compliance regarding the disposal of state property. With the exception of an item not owned by the museum, human remains, or an object returned to a Native American individual or group under 25 U.S.C. 3001 - 3013 (Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act), in determining the method of disposal the museum will consider, in order of priority,

(1) placement of the object in the permanent collection of another museum in this state or agency in this state for educational or research purposes by exchange or transfer;

(2) placement of the object in educational collections or programs, if appropriate for the object;

(3) placement of the object with another educational institution within this state through exchange, sale, or donation;

(4) transfer to another agency of this state;

(5) placement of the object with another educational institution outside this state through exchange, sale, or donation;

(6) sale at public auction; or

(7) witnessed destruction of the object.

(d) If a deaccession of an object is requested under 25 U.S.C. 3001 - 3013 (Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act), the museum will follow the process required under 25 U.S.C. 3001 - 3013 and this section.

Notes

4 AAC 58.140

Eff. 8/18/2013, Register 207

Authority:AS 14.07.060

AS 14.57.010

AS 14.57.050