Handling Sensitive Information
As a museum professional, you’re entrusted with stewarding a vast array of information; some of which may be culturally sensitive, emotionally charged, or restricted in nature. Navigating how to responsibly manage this content is essential not only for protecting communities and staff, but also for maintaining transparency and trust. This article explores practical strategies for managing culturally and emotionally sensitive records, including how to flag sensitive content, add specialized handling instructions for sacred or restricted objects, manage access to materials viewable only by specific groups, protect sensitive media, and address inappropriate or outdated language in public-facing records.
As Angela Kipp, Professional Services Specialist at Gallery Systems, notes: “Sometimes it is argued that baring people from seeing some content and removing offensive language is censorship and the value of good documentation is “telling it like it is”. I say that being respectful towards other cultures and religious beliefs and thorough documentation isn’t mutually exclusive. For me it can be both, it is a matter of how you handle sensitive information that makes all the difference.”
Using Status Flags to Raise Awareness
Collections often include objects that require special care, limited handling, or restricted visibility. These may include:
- Sacred or ceremonial objects that must only be handled by members of a particular community or after specific rites.
- Human remains, which must be treated with dignity and care.
- Materials depicting potentially triggering content—such as war crimes, natural disasters, or scenes of violence.
Status Flags in TMS Collections are an excellent way to highlight such sensitivities. Positioned prominently in data entry views, they immediately alert users to an object’s status and requirements. Status Flags can also be included in advanced searches, allowing staff to easily locate or exclude sensitive items, and can be batch updated for efficiency.
Status Flags in TMS Collections make it easy to identify sensitive objects.
Batch Update functionality in TMS Collections.
“There is a common misconception about trigger warnings: they are not about censorship; they are about avoiding harm. The use of a status flag like for example “sexual violence” isn’t put in place to hide the content from someone, it is there so people who have been traumatized don’t get unintentionally re-traumatized by being confronted with that content unprepared. By flagging the content explicitly, they can decide for themselves if they are mentally capable of handling that content on the day they visit the collection online or work with the database. As triggers are specific, it doesn’t help to have a generalized status flag “trigger warning”, one person can be fine with nudity but can’t deal with blood and vice-versa” states Angela Kipp.
Some objects or photographs may be associated with multiple types of sensitive content. Because TMS Collections allows multiple Status Flags to be applied to a single record, this complexity can be represented accurately and clearly. Alternatively, institutions can use Flexfields, a Flex Field Group, or Attributes to create customized tagging structures for sensitive materials.
Adding Handling Instructions for Sensitive Objects
While conservators often provide handling instructions related to physical stability, some objects also require culturally specific handling guidance. For instance, certain artifacts may only be handled by individuals of a particular gender, clan, or cultural role, or may require ceremonial preparation before being moved.
If these instances are rare in your collection, such details can be recorded within the standard handling instructions field, paired with a Status Flag noting “Special Handling Requirements.” However, if culturally sensitive handling is common or detailed guidance is required across multiple records, museums can add a dedicated text field specifically for Cultural Handling Instructions.
Example of a Status Flag noting “Special Handling Requirements” in TMS Collections.
Shared handling information applicable to multiple records can be efficiently added using the batch update functionality. Visual cues such as Status Flags further help staff recognize that additional protocols apply before interacting with an object.
Restricting Access to Authorized Users
In some cases, the sensitivity of an object or its data extends beyond public access and into internal operations. Depending on the level of restriction required, institutions can apply several approaches:
- Public-Only Restrictions – Simply do not publish your records to an online collection’s platform such as eMuseum. (If you are currently an eMuseum client with the standard setting, you can use batch updates to uncheck the checkbox “Public Access”.)
- Cultural or Group-Specific Restrictions – Limit access to authorized staff or community members through departmental security settings in TMS Collections.
- Full Internal Restrictions – For objects requiring total confidentiality, move them to a restricted department that only select users can access.
These measures ensure that sacred, private, or otherwise sensitive materials remain protected while still documented and discoverable to those with appropriate permissions.
Managing Sensitive Media
Images and media files often present additional challenges. Some may depict distressing or culturally restricted content, such as human remains, ceremonies, or scenes of violence. In such cases, the information about the object may remain accessible, but associated images should not be publicly viewable.
A practical solution is to create a dedicated media department with controlled access, ensuring that only authorized users can view restricted images. For example, in eMuseum, unchecking “Public Access” on selected media files will prevent their publication.
Another effective strategy is to replace sensitive visuals with “Restricted Image” placeholders.
Angela Kipp shares, “If we think about images in TMS Collections, the most prominent on each record is the primary image since it appears in the list views, in many standard reports and often in the tombstone set at the very top of a data entry view. Instead of banning people from seeing a record or work with trigger warnings via status flags which might still lead to people seeing disturbing images when they look at a list view, you can create a set of images that warn about the content. One client I worked with placed a “Restricted Image” as the primary image of their sensitive records and you might want to follow their example for all the objects that are culturally sensitive.
There is great potential in using this tool for other records as well. You can create visual trigger warnings that way, specifying that the record contains information and potentially imagery of “human remains”, “sexual abuse”, “torture” or whatever your institution agreed on content needing a warning.”
Example of what it would look like to replace sensitive visuals with “Restricted Image” placeholders.
Addressing Inappropriate or Outdated Language
Language evolves, and terminology once widely used may now be considered harmful or offensive. Museums must balance the need to preserve historical accuracy with the responsibility to present respectful, inclusive information to the public.
TMS Collections supports this balance by offering flexible tools that help staff manage sensitive language thoughtfully:
For Titles
By creating a title type such as “Former Title” or “Deprecated Title,” you can preserve original terminology while designating a revised, inclusive title as the primary one. This ensures the updated title appears in reports and online views, while the original remains documented for internal reference.
Angela Kipp shares, “You can create a second title that isn’t offensive and make it the primary title. Placing it in the top spot will result in it being picked up by our standard list views, data views, and reports. When multiple titles are used in a report, for example for your labels, you can exclude the title type ‘former title’ from the selection, so the offensive title is just documented in your database but doesn’t go out to the public.”
Example a second title in TMS Collections.
For Exhibition or Label Texts
You might duplicate the original text in a secondary field for archival purposes, then revise the public-facing version. Batch update functionality makes it easy to move, override, or append text across multiple records.
Angela shares, “Our batch update functionality allows you to easily move single value text entries and either override or append it to text that is already in another text field.”
Easily move and manage single-value text entries—override or append them to existing fields with the batch update feature.
For Standard Text Entries
Adding a new, updated entry while preserving the original as a dated record allows institutions to maintain transparency. Reports can be configured to exclude deprecated entries from public display, ensuring audiences encounter language that reflects current ethical and cultural standards.
Take the Next Step in Inclusive Collections Management
Handling sensitive information in collections is a nuanced responsibility that requires both empathy and structure. By establishing clear internal guidelines and leveraging the robust tools in TMS Collections, museums can document and manage sensitive materials with respect, precision, and care.
Whether flagging records, restricting media, or refining terminology, TMS Collections provides museums with the flexibility to balance transparency with sensitivity. It enables institutions to ensure that all voices and histories are represented thoughtfully within their collections data.
Ready to strengthen your museum’s approach to ethical and inclusive documentation? Contact Gallery Systems to learn how TMS Collections can help you manage sensitive information with care and confidence.
Header image: An ancient Egyptian sarcophagus exhibited in a museum.
