Museum Begins Multi-Year Decluttering Project

Jersey Heritage has warned that a major review of its museum collections will take several years to complete, as the charity begins its first large-scale decluttering exercise.

The process started last month and involves a detailed assessment of items accumulated over more than a century. Senior registrar Helen Kergozou said the scale of the task meant progress would be gradual, describing it as “a long process”.

The collections date back to 1873, when they were first established by the Société Jersiaise, and have continued to grow for more than 150 years. Today, Jersey Heritage is responsible for more than 300,000 objects, ranging from everyday household items to significant historical artefacts. Among them are 199 chairs and 10 bathtubs.

Ms Kergozou said each object considered for removal would be assessed individually, with staff carefully checking historic records before any decision was made. She stressed that caution was essential, particularly where items lacked clear documentation.

“Some objects came to us without strong provenance, so we don’t always know exactly where they originated,” she said. “That means we have to be especially careful to ensure nothing of importance is lost.”

She added that decluttering did not mean shrinking the collections entirely. Items not currently suitable for display may still be retained or donated, with the possibility of being used in future exhibitions.

“Even if something isn’t relevant right now, it might become important years down the line,” she said. “Some items could remain in storage for decades before the right exhibition comes along.”