Museums hold enormous and growing collections of objects in store. You might think the point of these is exhibitions, but only about 5% (on average) are ever exhibited.

Two books tackle the intriguing question: what is the point of collections?

Fragments of the World: uses of museum collections (see Books)brings together political and economic ideas, towards an inspirational roadmap for museums to make better use of this wonderful resource.

Collections for People: Museums' stored collections as a public resource (see Books) is the follow-up research report on whether and how museums in England and Wales actually do use collections. Surveys, research visits and interviews and Mystery Shoppers uncovered a wealth of surprising information about the use and non-use of collections.

Interesting collections information

ICOM: The worldwide museum community

Sources of statistics: Sources of statistical data on culture or areas relevant to the cultural sector. Very comprehensive list.

The values of collections

COMPENDIUM: Cultural policies and trends in Europe: - and pretty well all countries it seems
Australian museums: Significance Assessment: Method devised after wide consultation by the Australian Heritage Council, to be applied to objects in museum and other cultural collections so as to understand their significance at a number of levels. Also training course from AMOL.
Economic Impact Model for the Arts & Heritage (from Canada): From CHIN, the Canadian Heritage Information Network, miraculously surviving after more than 35 years
National Museum Directors' Conference (UK): Their own study, Valuing Museums: Impact and Innovation among National Museums, plus a guide to other similar UK studies
Association of Independent Museums: Economic value reports and toolkit that enables members to calculate their own value in their local area.
Demos: Valuing Culture conference: Influential conference held by the New Labour thinktank, attended by past and present ministers for culture and top consultants, as well as a few museum trusties. 2003.
Capturing cultural value: how culture has become a tool of government. Demos, 2004. (etc.): Various writings from John Holden, member of Demos, the UK Labour government's cozy thinktank
Canadian Cultural Network Colloquium, 2003: Book based on the Colloquium: Accounting for culture: thinking through cultural citizenship By Caroline Andrew
Values and heritage conservation: research report: Erica Avrami, Randall Mason, Marta de la Torre, eds.. Getty Conservation Institute, 2000. Much cited report on cultural values, economic and other. Authors include well known names such as Lowenthal, Throsby