科技博物館蒐藏政策之擬定及探討－以國立科學工藝博物館為例

Exploring the Policy and Decision-making in Museum Collection-National Science and Technology Museum as an Example

曾琪淑

《科技博物》 2卷4期 (1998/07) Pp. 19-30

https://doi.org/10.6432/TMR.199807.0019

摘要

對一個新成立的博物館而言，事前完善的規劃及正確約蒐藏政策，是蒐藏業務發展的重要一步。本文以國立科學工藝博物館為例，說明蒐藏政策擬定之過程，並經由蒐藏實例探討其立論精神。
本館蒐藏政策雖遲至八十六年才定稿，但蒐藏原則卻自籌備處時期即日相當確定，亦即符合本館蒐藏品的條件必須是：代表國人重要科技成就之文物、具有我國歷史意義之科技文物、對我國工業發展有重大影響之科技文物、對我國民生發展有重大影響之科技文物或國內稀少罕見之科技文物。秉持這樣的原則，經審慎評估，我們接受第一部典藏品「織襪機」捐贈入館。經由這一個實例，加速本館蒐藏政策之成熟及登錄、契約、搬運、入庫保存等相關作業細節之落實。
國人近年來在科技發展上，點點滴滴的成果正在消失當中，若不盡快加以有系統的蒐藏、保存，將來恐有遺珠之憾。這些科技文物若能由博物館有系統的蒐藏、研究、展示，將有助於記錄我國重要科技之發展歷程，引發國人對科技發明之興趣，這也是本館據以擬定蒐藏政策之立論點。
再者，目前所有科技性質約博物館，皆顯示出傾向以人文方法來思考的趨勢。也就是說，博物館不再只是展現科技的宏偉，它同時也真實地原對人類因科技的發展而産生的變遷與困境，博物館必須以週當的歷史觀點來審視科技與人類之間的過去、現在與未來。這種結合見證與反省的精神，正是本館蒐藏政策所欲構築的內容，亦即將科技議題放入社會脈絡中來探討其意義。未來我們將以科技史研究及記錄現代科技發展成就為發展重點之一，期能為台灣地區科技文物保存、研究、展示及科技教育推展盡力。

並列摘要

The history of museum development shows that museums are established upon their collections. Someone begins collecting certain objects, and when the collection reaches a certain size they need appropriate facilities to house and preserve it all, and thus a museum is born. Later comes some system of classification and displays to the public and eventually, attempts to educate the public and carry out research on the collection. From this came the belief, long held in Europe, that's museum without a collection is not a museum'. Today's museum, however, has moved away from a grounding in the collection alone. Modern museums hire people to actively seek materials and information, and they require much more equipment to maintain the materials they have on hand. For any museum of any type it is no longer a matter of simply working with what is available. The important thing now is not whether you have a sizable collection; rather, it is deciding upon an appropriate collecting strategy for the museum.
The collection strategy for any museum is naturally going to be derived from the principles behind its founding, and this strategy will ultimately deter-mine the future direction the museum and its collection will take.
For a newly-established museum, it is extremely important to begin with thorough planning and an accurate collection strategy. This article takes the National Science & Technology Museum as a model in explaining how a collection policy is put together. This museum was established fairly recently, and although it used other examples to build on and thus avoided a number of pitfalls in planning, development was still a long and arduous process. During the early stages of development some people were still asking whether or not the museum really needed to establish a collection, and if yes, then what should be collected. This is a science museum, and the focus in early development was naturally on exhibitions and education. Despite the limited availability of personnel, the museum's research department worked long and hard to establish a direction for the museum collection. This strategy was first approved by the museum's director in December 1994 as the primary principle for collection operations during the preliminary stage of development for the museum.
After the National Science & Technology Museum opened its doors in 1997 the functions of collection began operating officially. The strategy was amended slightly with the addition of six clauses outlining the aims, directions, scope, principles and operating objectives of the collection, but it still retained its original distinct feeling. The strategy is both clear and flexible in its directives: it authorizes museum personnel to acquire, catalog, edit, store, maintain, use, lend or dispose of the materials in the collection. It also lays out guidelines for collection research. The proposal has been fully approved and will serve as a guide for all collection-related work at the museum in the future (see appendix). This process shows how a strategy is often not simply a matter of technical problems. Rather, it is a matter of determining the direction that the museum wants to go in. The strategy itself will always be opened to arguments and may be considered the best choice of action given the situation. We were never able to find any kind of model to follow in putting together the collection for the National Science & Technology Museum, and we must consider the implication of these collection functions in the museum, especially in maintaining a set development concept to establish a public collection in light of certain principles and determining this collection strategy.
Although the National Science & Technology Museum's collection strategy was decided on only in 1997, the basic ideas behind the strategy have actually been in play since planning for the museum first started. Some of the criteria regarding items for the collection are: objects which represent major scientific advances by Chinese; science and technology matters with great historical significance in China; and science and technology which has had a lasting impact on development in China. It was with these principles in mind that we accepted the first official item in the collection of the National Science & Technology Museum: the weaving loom.
Because this was the first official contribution to the museum, officials were very understanding and forthright. The case also proved to be helpful in finalizing the museum's collection policy and facilitating operations such as registration, contract signing, transportation and storage. For a system of evaluation the museum turned to studies of the history of science and technology. This historical approach means a variety of different standards for evaluating the significance of a particular item of science and technology.
These standards should help to show the status and meaning of a given bit of science and technology by searching in the historical record of this item. In the case of the weaving loom, it was not the earliest such machine around, nor was it entirely the result of inventive work by Chinese; in fact it was not even one of the best of its type when it was being utilized. One would almost think it didn't deserve a place in the museum collection. But if you go back in history to the Changhua plains of thirty years ago you will see how machines like this one were crucial in transforming Taiwan from an agricultural society into an industrial society beginning in the 1960s. The machine also illustrates beautifully how many farm families were able to spark this industrial revolution by 'turning living rooms into factories'.
The tremendous economic development that Taiwan has experienced in the past few decades has also spawned a growing number of public and private museums around the island. These museums deal mostly with the arts, history, or the natural sciences, and the National Science & Technology Museum is the only institution to focus on science and technology in its collections and research. This is actually an extremely broad category to draw upon, and the rapid pace of change and innovation means that there are quite a few articles that carry a good deal of value and significance even if they flourished only briefly.
At present not every museum in Taiwan has an orderly, planned approach to collecting and researching materials; and they have many items which may represent outstanding scientific achievements in China, items which had a significant impact on industry and life among the Chinese people, and items which form important parts of our civilization's historical record. Unfortunately these items are often scattered around haphazardly in the museum or even stored away and forgotten somewhere.
Many Chinese scientific and technological advances in recent years are already beginning to fade into history, and if these artifacts cannot be quickly collected, cataloged and preserved they may be lost to us forever. If they are systematically collected, researched and displayed by museums they will form a significant record of the development of science and technology in Taiwan which will serve to stimulate interest in this field. This factor has been an important consideration in putting together the collection strategy for the National Science & Technology Museum.
Furthermore, one of the primary functions of science and technology is to serve as a bridge between people and science and technology, and the materials in the museum collection offer effective evidence if the ongoing development that takes place in this field. The materials deserve to be researched, exhibited, taught and otherwise used as much as possible in order to stir up interest in science among the public. Although the National Science & Technology Museum is the first museum in Taiwan to concentrate solely on science and technology, we have taken care not to put together a collection merely for the sake of having a collection. Limits on space, funding and other resources have led museum officials to realign the collection strategy for the museum so that the emphasis on collection and research has been augmented by directions to strengthen the historical, cultural, educational and exhibition functions of the museum. The aim is to bring the public closer to the collection so that the materials in the museum will stir and satisfy the intellectual curiosity of a broader group of people. This means an end to frenzied collecting and displaying of ancient artifacts and an emphasis on well-researched and documented collections which will be more effective in informing and guiding the public.
In addition, contemporary science and technology museums all seem to be moving toward humanism in everything they do. When we at National Science & Technology Museum are evaluating the worth of a potential item for our collection we consider its significance to science and technology and the history of development of science and technology, but we will also take into account the impact of industrial technology on society and the natural environment as well as what we can do to tie modern technology to the historical materials in the museum, using them as effectively as possible in educating the public.
In other words museums are no longer just places to show off their collections. They are also intended to introduce the many changes and challenges that science and technology have brought through endless development and progress. Museums must present a clean look at the past, present and future of science and technology. This spirit of planning in combination with reaction is at the heart of the collection strategy that is being followed in this museum. It discusses topics in science and technology and the recording of modern achievements in science. After all, studying the history of scientific development helps to form the foundation for making systematic advances in collection work. The results of this type of research can ultimately be used in presenting research, exhibition and science education applications throughout Taiwan.
The world today has entered the 'Age of Museums', and it is up to each institution to make the best of its role in the overall show. Careful planning and execution of a collection strategy will be an important part of this process. Although educational exhibition have become an important part of museum operations as of late, the collection is still the primary responsibility of every museum. Thus one of the most important early steps in setting up a museum is the implementation of an effective collection strategy. The National Science & Technology Museum has been several years in the making, a period in which we have worked long and hard to establish the museum cola lection. This has helped us to understand that acquiring a collection is not overnight process. Some tasks can accomplished relatively quickly, of course, but the majority can only be achieved step-by-step over a long period of time.
In the future, although our collection strategy is already established and standards are well set, some further refinements are still needed and there are still many more objects to be ac acquired. These scientific and technological be cal items will be of all sizes and shapes and categories, and it will take a good deal of time and effort to ac nod quire and process them. The work promises to become more detailed and more complex than ever in the future, but the collection strategy we have de its developed will help to see us through.