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<div class="moz-cite-prefix">Dear Peter,</div>
<div class="moz-cite-prefix"><br>
</div>
<div class="moz-cite-prefix">I am not sure in what direction
"valuating" exactly points: the historic and cultural value of the
allocated museum objects, or the replacement costs in case of a
(fatal) loss (e.g., through a major fire, like in Rio, Butantan or
Cape Town)?</div>
<div class="moz-cite-prefix"><br>
</div>
<div class="moz-cite-prefix">There have been various approached to
valuate collections and objects, but from a pragmatic point of
view you cannot replace them, because you cannot re-collect the
same specimens and objects back in time. Thus, any loss of these
cultural objects is irreversible. They are not just specimens
sitting in a jar, drawer or cardboard box awaiting to be viewed
and studied. <br>
</div>
<div class="moz-cite-prefix"><br>
</div>
<div class="moz-cite-prefix">Museum items are unique objects that
cannot be replaced. A digital representation or re-collected
specimens may may carry information or to some extent represent
the same species, but they cannot provide the same cultural
history under which the specimens were originally collected in the
field, were acquired by the museum, the cultural meaning and
value they added to the collection and institution.<br>
</div>
<div class="moz-cite-prefix"><br>
</div>
<div class="moz-cite-prefix">We lost nearly our entire fish
collection in WW II, only 300 jars survived. Our fish collection
now is a modern post-war collection that is (largely) deprived
from its historic value with individual exceptions, such as the
few Spix specimens from the famous expedition on the Amazon
1817-1820. This is an irreversible loss - even though we kindly
received historic material (including syntypes) to restore our
collection after the war from other museums supporting us to
rebuild our collections.<br>
</div>
<div class="moz-cite-prefix"><br>
</div>
<div class="moz-cite-prefix">A different question (specifically in
terms of insurance coverage) is what would it cost to restore a
collection after it got affected, e.g., by a severe weather event,
which becomes increasingly relevant our days. To cover "insured
losses", it would be relevant to have a good estimate of the costs
to replace containers, seals and (partly) objects (e.g. partial
coverage of travel costs if re-collecting is an option and still
possible). The most expensive bit in this surely are staff costs
(additional well trained staff to mitigate damage and required
help to support local staff to restore affected collection
objects), assuming that costs to restore the building would be
covered by a building insurance or would come from different
sources. Another relevant factor is replacement costs for storage
containers, furniture, specific preparations, etc.<br>
</div>
<div class="moz-cite-prefix"><br>
</div>
<div class="moz-cite-prefix">It would be good to have a good proxy
to roughly calculate these costs, e.g., by establishing estimate
value for a given amount of objects on storage, i.e. a specific
amount of containers, storage furniture and work time to prepare
them (i.e. average costs to replace jars, drawers etc. per
cupboard or otherwise defined subunit), that can then be scaled up
for the entire collection. This should accommodate different needs
/ requirements in different collections, for example the costs to
remove mould and mould spores from dry specimens like corals are
much higher than the removing mould from the outside of jars in a
fluid collection. <br>
</div>
<div class="moz-cite-prefix"> <br>
</div>
<div class="moz-cite-prefix">In general, cleaning of museum objects
(not only the storage rooms) is a major costs factor that should
be sufficiently covered by an insurance, because mould outbreaks
due to a malfunctioning climate HVAC system, accumulation of dirt
and dust due to renovation works, burst pipes or sprinkler systems
installed in collection etc are no so rare incidents. Also covered
should be costs needed equipment or relevant auxiliary support,
such as temporary installation of refrigeration containers, and
replacement of storage furniture and storage containers,
preservation fluids etc. are relevant cost factors that must be
considered.</div>
<div class="moz-cite-prefix"> <br>
</div>
<div class="moz-cite-prefix">The <a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="https://spnhc.biowikifarm.net/wiki/Collection_Storage">Preventive
Conservation book</a> gives an good overview on relevant topics,
and even though it does not address insurance or collections in an
separate chapter, chapters 3 (Preventive Conservation approach), 4
(Risk Assessment) and especially 16 (Emergency Management) give
useful keywords that surely are worth considering.</div>
<div class="moz-cite-prefix"><br>
</div>
<div class="moz-cite-prefix">Hope this helps,</div>
<div class="moz-cite-prefix">Dirk<br>
</div>
<div class="moz-cite-prefix"><br>
</div>
<div class="moz-cite-prefix"><br>
</div>
<div class="moz-cite-prefix">Am 19.08.2021 um 00:37 schrieb Peter H
Wimberger:<br>
</div>
<blockquote type="cite"
cite="mid:e5d44dac8bfa4554b9fa6e21a211eedc@wnmbs02.pugetsound.edu">
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<p class="MsoNormal"
style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1F497D">Dear
NHCollers,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"
style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1F497D">Our
university is revisiting their insurance coverage and asked
us for an inventory of specimens and equipment. The
adjusters are not sure how to deal with natural history
collection specimens. What experience do people have
valuating their collections? Are there conventions that
natural history collections or their parent institutions use
for insuring collections? If folks could point me in the
direction of resources or let me know what they have done, I
would be very appreciative!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"
style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1F497D">Thanks,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1F497D">Peter<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1F497D">Peter
Wimberger<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1F497D">Director,
Slater Museum of Natural History<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1F497D">Professor,
Biology<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1F497D">University
of Puget Sound<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1F497D">Tacoma,
WA 98406<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"
style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"
style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><span
style="color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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<div class="moz-signature">-- <br>
<p><img src="cid:part2.F9B4A25C.A22BBBC0@snsb.de" alt=""
width="152" height="59"></p>
<p><br>
Dirk Neumann<br>
<br>
Tel: 089 / 8107-111<br>
Fax: 089 / 8107-300<br>
neumann(a)snsb.de<br>
<br>
Postanschrift:<br>
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Zoologische Staatssammlung München<br>
Dirk Neumann, Sektion Ichthyologie / DNA-Storage<br>
Münchhausenstr. 21<br>
81247 München<br>
<br>
Besuchen Sie unsere Sammlung:<br>
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://www.zsm.mwn.de/sektion/ichthyologie-home/">http://www.zsm.mwn.de/sektion/ichthyologie-home/</a><br>
<br>
---------<br>
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Dirk Neumann<br>
<br>
Tel: +49-89-8107-111<br>
Fax: +49-89-8107-300<br>
neumann(a)snsb.de<br>
<br>
postal address:<br>
<br>
Bavarian Natural History Collections<br>
The Bavarian State Collection of Zoology<br>
Dirk Neumann, Section Ichthyology / DNA-Storage<br>
Muenchhausenstr. 21<br>
81247 Munich (Germany)<br>
<br>
Visit our section at:<br>
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