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Museum & Exhibit Design:
Kustos can organize and plan the development of totally new exhibits of minerals and gemstones for museums or private collectors, or direct the modification of existing exhibits. Especially important is the ability of Kustos to assess the utility of current museum posssessions insofar as their use in new exhibits is concerned. Where needed, and with sufficient financial resources on the part of the museum, Kustos can arrange the acquisition of new specimens needed for the development of an appropriate exhibition. Kustos maintains a broad network of mineral and gem suppliers worldwide and can be an effective and economical acquirerer of specimen materials on behalf of clients.
Unfortunately, smaller museums tend to be underfinanced and thus often feel that they cannot embark upon major renovations and new exhibit development. Just the same, exhibits can be developed on many different levels and they do not necessarily need to be extremely expensive. Many innovative and exciting changes can be made on a modest basis that can substantially transform a museum's image.
Mr. White has planned and executed several exhibits of minerals, gems and geology while at the Smithsonian Institution. More recently he has produced a mineral and gem exhibit at The Science Museum of Minnesota, St. Paul (1993). He has collaborated on preliminary plans for the opening of a new museum, The Ben E. Clement Memorial Museum, Marion, Kentucky. He participated in the renovation of the North Carolina mineral display at the Nature Museum, Grandfather Mountain, NC.
Museum Collection Assessment:
Mr. White is prepared to evaluate old institutional mineral and gem collections from the prespective of determining their usefulness; whether as a research or reference resource or to assess their potential utility in support of creating new exhibitions. He is prepared to appraise such collections when museums need to know their value.
Collection disposal. Some institutions may decide that they must dispose of some or all of their mineral and/or gem collections. Mr. White can advise on how best to handle this and recommend appropriate steps to maximize the value of such collection items if sold.
Current Museum Affiliations:
Go To TopAdjunct curator/Consultant, The Ben E. Clement Mineral Museum
(1992-present)
205 N. Walker Street
Marion, Kentucky 42064
http://www.clementmineralmuseum.com
Adjunct curator, New Mexico Museum of Natural History
(1993-present)
1801 Mountain Road, N.W.
Albuquerque, New Mexico 87104
http://www.nmmnh.abq.mus.nm.us
Consultant, mineral exhibit, Nature Museum, Grandfather Mountain
(1993-present) P.O. Box 129
Linville, North Carolina 28646
http://www.grandfather.com/museum/mineral.htm
Appraising:
Kustos offers qualified appraisals of minerals, gems and works of lapidary art such as pietre dure. Some of the appraisals provided by White include:
- Houston Museum of Natural Science - mineral collection (Sept. 1991)
- Folch Girona Collection, Barcelona, Spain - mineral collection (Oct. 1991)
- M. Romero Museum, Puebla, Mexico - mineral collection (May 1994)
- The Lyman Museum, Hilo, Hawaii - mineral and gem collection (April 1995)
- Plus...
- Gems at Hillwood, the Marjorie M. Post Estate in Washington D.C. (1991)
- Numerous pieces of lapidary art donated to various institutions including the Smithsonian (1993-1998)
- Mineral collection donated to University of Delaware, Newark, DE (1995)
- Gem collection donated to University of Delaware, Newark, DE (1995)
- Qualifications as an appraiser:
- More than ten years as a mineral/gem dealer (1960-1962, 1991-present)
- Twenty-eight years purchasing and exchanging minerals and gemstones while at the U.S. National Museum, Smithsonian Institution (1963-1991)
- Pfeiffer Collection, Piggott, Arkansas (Jan. 2004)
HIRING A PART-TIME CURATOR:
On of the most revolutionary concepts advanced by Kustos should be of great potential benefit to smaller museums who are unable to afford the salary of a full-time mineral and/or gem curator. That is, a contractual arrangement with Kustos in which the curator's role is filled by Kustos, but only "as needed." If a new exhibit is to be planned and prepared, Kustos can do it. If a collection must be inventoried, catalogued, systematized, or even disposed of, Kustos can do it. If a museum desires a mineral or gem collection for a special exhibit, but has none, Kustos can put it together. Kustos is well-qualified to perform any conventional curatorial function and can step in to fulfill each task as it arises.
The nature of the arrangement between a museum and Kustos can take a variety of forms, but that which appears to make most sense is one in which Kustos maintains a readily apparent association with an institution. This serves to signal that the collections and exhibits are being managed professionally; it assures a continuity of appropriate representation; it provides the museum with an agent to whom queries, complaints and offers of support can be referred; and it gives the museum a prominent face at meetings and at mineral and gem shows. It is very important to a museum's image, especially if courting support from its constituency, that the collections appear to be in responsible hands. The local community cannot be persuaded to support a collection that they believe is drifting aimlessly, but the citizenry can become an important resource if they perceive the collection as vital and intelligently curated, even if the curator works only part-time and is frequently off-site.
In my view the best way to assure an ongoing association between Kustos and a museum is for the museum to place the Kustos curator on a retainer, hired for an interval of at least a year. Although Kustos can complete particular jobs as the need occurs, with a curator on retainer, the museum will always have someone ready to respond to all situations, large or small, with long-term or immediate prospects. Kustos will assume an ongoing sense of association with and responsibility for the institution. It will take time for the relationship between a museum and its part-time curator to become established in the eyes of the local community, it is important to project a sense of continuity.
The curator will interact with the community, giving talks to local organizations, supervising field trips and offering identification services to would-be collectors at special events. Such activities are good ways to recruit donations and other support for the museum. When attending mineral shows, as I often do, I will have superb opportunities to shop for specimens to fill gaps in a museum's exhibit. I know the dealers and I have vast experience in purchasing specimens. I can be extremely effective in locating people to loan specimens, or entire collections, because of my reputation and the network that I have established. Sometimes I encounter collectors looking for museums to which they may donate minerals or gems. My ability to travel to major shows would be one of the benefits of a retainer relationship, since travel and related expenses would not be charged to the institution, unless it is to attend a specific show at the institution's urging.
Many other services may be provided from a distance. The catalog as well as the inventorying system can be periodically reviewed just by faxing or emailing it back and forth. Texts for exhibits, publications, fund-raising efforts, news releases and articles can be prepared, edited or reviewed via telecommunications too. I can also assume a very active roll with respect to a museum's gift shop, in terms of recommending what the shop should buy, where it can be acquired at the best prices, and how to label properly and display merchandise. This includes literature, videos, and other related graphic materials, in addition to minerals, gems and jewelry.
I believe that a retainer relationship between Kustos and a museum makes great sense. I describe this program as "revolutionary" because it is new and it represents a dramatic departure from tradition. Until now, museums appear to have accepted as reality the need to choose between either a full-time curator or no curator. I am offering a new alternative. A retainership may cost but a fraction of the salary of a full-time curator yet prove far more effective because of the knowledge, experience and mobility of the Kustos part-time curator. I would expect a separate schedule of compensation, however, for long-term, on-site work and reimbursement of related expenses, such as travel to and from the museum. Such costs would be largely offset, though, by savings to the museum by not paying similar travel expenses for sending a curator to important shows and meetings. A retainer relationship may be reviewed annually and, if found no longer needed, discontinued at any appropriate time.
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Writing:
John White is a prolific author of articles about minerals and gems. Today his articles and editorials appear in such publications as Mineralogical Record, Rocks & Minerals, Lapidary Journal, Rock & Gem and the Munich Show Catalog.
List of publications.
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Lecturing:
Included in John White's repertoire of lectures includes:
- "The National Gem Collection"
- "The National Mineral Collection"
- "American Gems"
- "The Smithsonian Experience"
- "The Hope Diamond"
- "Inclusions in Crystals"
- "Minerals of the Foote mine, N.C."
List of speaking engagements for this decade.
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