An annotated scientific instruments catalogue for a living museum

Dr John McKnight

The modest collection of mostly 18th century scientific instruments in Colonial Willamsburg is presently catalogued in the collections database of the C.W. Foundation using categories appropriate for furniture and material culture articles. A catalogue with technically accurate descriptions, in the style of recent catalogues of British and Continental collections, is under preparation. Beyond providing descriptions, this catalogue must be attractive and helpful for visitors and be an instructional reference for interpretative personnel. It provides descriptions of the use and social status of the objects in the context of a colonial capitol whose inhabitants were endeavouring to be sophisticated, up to date, and ‘English’.

Inventory of old Spanish seismographs: design criteria and results

Dr Josep Batlló and Francisco Vidal

A new, exhaustive catalogue of old seismographs operated in Spain is presented. It has been intended to be useful not just for historians, but mainly for researchers dealing with old data and seismograms recorded by such instruments. Such a goal imposes some extra conditions on the cataloguing process.

The catalogue summarizes more than one hundred instruments and includes several new recording sites up to now forgotten. Following previously defined criteria, a cataloguing card has been completed for every seismograph. It contains the main physical characteristics, recording characteristics and periods, ground motion response, bibliography, hand-written documents, actual condition and other data of interest for the instrument. Also, photographs of the described instruments, if available, have been included and referenced. Instruments have been classified according to their design: vertical pendulums, conic pendulums, inverted pendulums, electromagnetic, etc.

Discussion about the cataloguing criteria, the main features of the completed catalogue, and results concerning the history of seismometry in Spain, as well as to the possibilities of its use on further studies, will be presented. Also, special mention will be made of some instruments of special interest. It should be pointed out that a general result of this study is a realization that the beginning of instrumental seismology in Spain was a much more lively and complex process than had been expected.

Preliminary report on the catalogue of old astronomical instruments kept in Hungarian collections

Dr Lajos Bartha and Andrea Holló Szilvia

The authors have started, with the assistance from the National Scientific Research Foundation, a comprehensive catalogue of astronomical instruments in Hungarian collections, including in museums, some schools, universities, and elsewhere. The list contains estimating or measuring instruments made or bought before 1921. The inventory describes the instruments determining angle and time, as well as equipment for education and demonstration. The following information is collected:

1. Technical data of instruments, for example the diameter of the objectives of telescopes, their focus, the types of stand (azimuth, equatorial), diameter and precision of scales.

2. Date of manufacture, name of the factory, date of installation.

3. The essential data of the use of instruments and their literature.

4. Present location of the instruments and their conditions.

There are two larger collections in Hungary: at the Pedagogic High School in Eger, which has a so-called ‘Astronomical Tower’, which contains mostly English-made instruments from the 18th century; the other is in the Gothard Jenõ Astrophysic Observatory in Szombathely. Some interesting instruments are kept in the public museums of Debrecen, in the Sárospatak Protestant Collegiums, and in the Kalocsa, and Ógyalla Observatories. The finest collection from the end of the 17th till the 20th century is in the Technical Museum in Budapest.

Specialists’ training based on new information technology for technical museums: information systems in museums and exhibition centres

Professor Lioudmila Khazova

In the spring of 1999, the Faculty of Culture, Ethics and Aesthetics of Krasnoyarsk State Technical University opened a new undergraduate program called ‘Informational Systems in Museums and Exhibition Centres’, awarding the qualification of ‘Exhibitions Provider’. The new degree combines a classical foundation in the humanities with IT and museum business skills.

The programme aims to provide students with a broad understanding of the past, present and future of the museum business – from its educational and research functions to day-to-day management, commercial matters, and public relations. As the programme originates in the region’s largest technical university, emphasis is placed on the foundation in computer science and the history and development of technical museums.

Theoretical and practical IT courses teach students to use and design interactive displays, software, archive systems, libraries, data bases, search engines and network systems for museums. They learn about Internet with the ambition of building sites and ‘virtual reality museums’ on the world wide web.

Practical experience is gained through work placements with museums, exhibitions and short-term assignments during international fairs and shows. The University is affiliated with the cultural centre ‘Na Strelke’ where students help to create and set displays together with professional designers and architects. Every year the city of Krasnoyarsk holds a famous International Industry and Trade Fair where students actively participate.

Employment opportunities for graduates range from museum curators, conference and event organisers to executives in media, advertising or marketing.