By Sydney Vu Huynh, University College Cork student, MA Museum Studies
As part of the MA Museum Studies program at University College Cork, my classmates and I took part in workshops, and site visits with the National Museum of Ireland (NMI). One site visit was to the Collections Resource Centre (CRC) which houses most of the reserve collections. In February 2026 we toured the CRC with the Deputy Registrar/ Collections Resource Centre Manager, Sylviane Vaucheret, and the Collections Assistant/ Radiation Protection Officer, Ryan Daniel Koenig. I was immediately interested in the work that goes on there. What stood out most to me was how a building not built for the storage of museum collections could be repurposed into an efficient storage space for museum collections.
Choosing a Placement
Two placements are required within the MA Museum Studies program. Before my placement at the CRC, I had worked in the collections storage facilities of other museums. This previous experience, in addition to my studies, provided me with an understanding of what an ideal collections storage facility requires, versus what is often the reality. I was interested to learn how the CRC functions as a museum collections storage facility. When my request to be placed at the CRC with the Registration department was approved, my professor noted it was a ‘pioneering’ collaboration between the National Museum of Ireland and University College Cork’s MA Museum Studies program.
A ‘Pioneering’ placement
I completed a four-week placement within the NMI’s Registration Department in June 2026. During my placement, I learned about the various processes involved in managing museum collections. I worked with multiple departments, and experts in their fields, every day at the CRC.
Sylviane and Ryan taught me about the management of collections storage facilities. They showed me the importance of preventive conservation to reduce the risk of pests. This includes keeping a clean storage facility, through simple actions such as hoovering floors to interrupt the pest food chain and keeping a tidy storage facility. I also conducted location audits of the collections to understand the importance of location control within managing museum collections.
I also had the opportunity to learn about collections risk management. The Collections Assistant / Radiation Protection Officer, Ryan, provided comprehensive training on radiation risk management. Including how to safely work with low-risk objects from the Art & Industry and the Natural History collections. This work is undertaken to help keep the collections stores safe for all.
I worked closely alongside the Archivist, Christina Tse. Christina introduced me to the substantial archival materials of the NMI. The volume of material is befitting of a national museum that has been keeping records for over 150 years. Christina also taught me standard archival procedures in relation to accessioning and cataloguing.
I also worked with the Documentation Officers, Faith Nolan and Aodhán Ó Gogáin. I cleaned topographical data from 1900 to 1911, and transcribed paleontological registers from January 1982. This work prepared data for migration to the museum's collection management system, Axiell. Both tasks required meticulous attention to detail, and a methodical approach, to ensure accurate records. It allows for the preservation of collections data, making it available for future use by staff, researchers and the public.
The Outcome
From learning museum theories in the classroom, to then apply my learnings in real time during my placement, the experience was truly insightful. A museum at the scale of the NMI relies on many divisions working together effectively and efficiently. I was fortunate to witness that collaboration firsthand. By providing proper storage conditions, maintaining environments and climates, alongside maintaining detailed records, the CRC is the ideal preservation and research hub for museum collections. It safeguards the integrity and longevity of the histories it stores.
More Information
Find out more about the collections stored at the CRC: Aladdin’s Cave | National Museum of Ireland
To learn about other work placements and internships with the NMI and the Registration Department see other articles on Registration Corner: Work Placement at the National Museum of Ireland: A Transformative Experience | National Museum of Ireland
