Museal quality kits

[Tymko1878]

Hello!
I have searched a lot but have not found any similar topic.
What kit models do you mind as a museal quality? I mean by kind of wood - boxwood, pear or sth like that, highly recommended Admiralty style ones, precision, artful details.
I am going to build Requin distributed by ZHL (it looks perfect) but maybe you have any other ideas?
Best regards!

 

[AllanKP69]

What kit models do you mind as a museal quality

This is a long topic that has been hashed out numerous times. One easy definition...... Would the Royal Museum Greenwich, Musée National de la Marine in Paris, Preble Hall in Annapolis or other naval museums display it? Look at the models at the RMG Collections website for examples of what THEY consider museum quality as possible examples.

If one is to believe AI definitions, here is one.......
A museum-quality ship model is an exceptionally detailed, historically accurate, hand build replica using high-grade, materials and traditional shipbuilding techniques like plank on frame to give a compelling impression of the actual vessel.

Allan

 

[Tymko1878]

I know what you mean, but I thought about the museal quality as about peace of art, hand made and very accurate but from a kit. It is not about selling or giving such a model to the museum - but I know that in Prague and Cracovia there are very good quality kit models in Museums displays. I want to build it on my own and for my pleasure only.

 

[AllanKP69]

peace of art, hand made and very accurate but from a kit.

Which kit maker are you considering? I have not seen any definition that states it must be scratch built. Then again only a few kit makers' products bear any resemblance to reality so most would not qualify anyway. Even so these serve a huge purpose as they are meant for hobbyists, not professional builders, and fulfill that need. Sorry to open Pandora's box again, but if anyone knows of any maritime museum's (not model competitions) written rules to qualify a model that would be great to see. I did find the following that is interesting. https://www.rmg.co.uk/policies/collections-development-policy
Allan

 

[kuba91nt]

This is a long topic that has been hashed out numerous times. One easy definition...... Would the Royal Museum Greenwich, Musée National de la Marine in Paris, Preble Hall in Annapolis or other naval museums display it? Look at the models at the RMG Collections website for examples of what THEY consider museum quality as possible examples.

If one is to believe AI definitions, here is one.......
A museum-quality ship model is an exceptionally detailed, historically accurate, hand build replica using high-grade, materials and traditional shipbuilding techniques like plank on frame to give a compelling impression of the actual vessel.

Allan

Dear Allan.
I'll describe the current situation in Poland in one meme.
Currently, every model here is a museum art, every bread is craft, every ice cream is artisanal, every beer is craft from selected Czech ingredients, every wine is from selected grape varieties, every handicraft is a masterpiece, painting a room by a painter is an artistic art and requires consultation with a designer. Every old piece of junk imported from Germany is a relic and an antique.
Trust me, whatever he does, it will be a magnieficient museum treasure...

 

[AllanKP69]

Your post made me hungry. Happy we have a Polish delicatessen not too far away for my Keilbasa. Not as good as my grandmother made in the basement when I was a kid, but brings back memories.
Allan

 

[Bob Ellis]

Hello!
I have searched a lot but have not found any similar topic.
What kit models do you mind as a museal quality? I mean by kind of wood - boxwood, pear or sth like that, highly recommended Admiralty style ones, precision, artful details.
I am going to build Requin distributed by ZHL (it looks perfect) but maybe you have any other ideas?
Best regards!

The Nat. Maritime Museum has some very rough unsophisticated model ships in their collection. You would expect this in a contemporary Egyptian boat as an artisanal example. So it isn't detail, many of the 18c models lack detail and are rough builds (AI needs to get out more!)

It comes down to the same discussion as 'what is art'.

In kit terms it means 'expensive'!

 

[Roger Pellett]

The term Museum Quality is just kit marketing hype. The odds of any of the models that we build being purchased for display in a museum are about the same as a small country high school basketball star playing in the NBA. It ain’t gonna happen.

Even local museums are now reluctant to accept donations that do not relate to whatever story that they are trying to tell.
I spent my first 10 years after retiring volunteering for a very small local museum associated with the only surviving Great Lakes Whaleback Steamship. The cargo hold of the ship was the museum. It was like your grandmother’s closet; a catchall for all kinds of stuff; even a Revell Plastic Titanic. Those days are past. Professional museum curators are now trying to figure out how to get rid of this stuff.

If you want to build a museum quality model:

1 Choose a unique subject. (Not Victory, Constitution or Mayfower.)

2. Research it. Origional materials preferred

3. Build it to scale avoiding generic purchased fittings. Belaying pins that would scale to the size of bowling pins do not indicate Museum Quality.

4. Maintain a high standard of workmanship.

Roger