Hold onto your hats! Developing time and cost efficient, adaptable internal support forms for the storage of headwear in museum collections

Abstract

This dissertation outlines the development of a standardised, adaptable internal mount form for the storage of hats in museum collections. A literature review highlighted the lack of non-custom mount options currently in use, as well as the prevalent use of acid free tissue paper puffs. A collection survey at the stores of National Museums Scotland (NMS) evaluated current hat mounts, concluding that tissue paper puffs are often insufficiently supportive for this type of object. The collection survey and interviews with museum professionals were used to define working parameters for developing a mount form that is more standardised in design and more time efficient than traditional custom mount forms, but that also offers more support than tissue puffs. Several design ideas were initially explored, and the most promising of these was tested on a representative sample of the hats surveyed at NMS. This mount form out-performed tissue puffs in terms of quality of fit and support. This, together with its simple construction method, gives this mount form the potential to be a viable alternative to more time consuming custom mounts options.