ABSTRACT
Access to the objects in museum storage areas has traditionally been limited. Now, however, museum collections are widely considered to be within the public domain, and many institutions have experienced pressure to allow the public to see and study objects with fewer restrictions. Greater emphasis on the museum’s role in public education further indicates that it is no longer a question of why access for researchers should be allowed, but rather how and how much. In response, museums must now justify the restrictions they place on access to their collections and devise written access policies.
