The Preservation Society of Newport County has announced a Deaccession Initiative to support the continued growth and care of its permanent collection.

As a nonprofit cultural institution charged with educating the public on Newport County’s history through historical spaces and objects, the Preservation Society has built an important collection of fine art, decorative art, archives and material culture, much of which has been received through generous donations. The Preservation Society routinely evaluates and reinterprets its properties and collections based on new evidence and research. As part of this process, the staff works diligently to review the permanent collection holdings.

The result of this evaluation can include a deaccession. The deaccession process is a standard aspect of museum collections management. The decision to deaccession an object is determined by its alignment with the organization’s interpretive goals. Deaccessioning is intended to strengthen the collection and is carried out with the highest accountability.

Once formally deaccessioned, the removal of an object is determined on a case-by-case basis through careful research and deliberation. As an accredited educational museum, the Preservation Society abides by the American Alliance of Museums standards to either transfer the deaccessioned objects to other museums or relevant nonprofits, or sell them at public auction with all proceeds to benefit The Preservation Society of Newport County’s Collections Fund. In the coming months, relevant donors or their next of kin will be contacted and notified of the decision to deaccession their gift. Donors of objects remaining in the Preservation Society’s permanent collection will not be contacted.

To learn more about the deaccession process and the disposal of objects, please visit www.newportmansions.org/our-collections. Inquiries can be directed to deaccessions@newportmansions.org.

“The Preservation Society has been fortunate to benefit from the generosity of generations of donors to our collections. We are grateful for their gifts as well as their support in this process as we serve our mission to care for and uphold the highest standards in collections practices,” said Leslie B. Jones, Director of Museum Affairs and Chief Curator for the Preservation Society.

The Preservation Society of Newport County, Rhode Island, is a nonprofit organization accredited by the American Alliance of Museums. It is dedicated to preserving and interpreting the area's historic architecture, landscapes, decorative arts and social history. Its 11 historic properties – seven of them National Historic Landmarks – span more than 250 years of American architectural and social development.

For more information, please visit www.NewportMansions.org.