Museological Value Discussion Promotes Sustainable Heritage

My paper introduces a tool for museum professionals to help facilitate and carry out value-based discussions involving matters of significant cultural value. The focus of my article is on collection care and collection development. Understanding and using the term museological value discussion helps professionals to see value-related issues that substantially affect everyday museum work. It indicates the need for museum professionals to actively practice and engage themselves in value-based discussions, in order to be able to prioritize and make sound decisions when dealing with matters leading to sustainable heritage. I will present two examples used in Finnish museums that could be described as methods of best practice. Eventually, the benefits of this kind of value-based discussions are to be seen in the more coherent decisions regarding collection care and development.