labs@atheron:~/industries/arts-culture/rescue$ recover --codebase --modernise

Collections rescue

Your collection records, moved out of the old file and made safe.

Many museums keep decades of registrar work in a database built long ago, on one computer, understood by one person. We review it first, then move every record out, check it with your registrar, and rebuild it so the collection is safe and the next registrar can pick it up.

Start a project See the example projects

// what matters here

What is different in this industry.

A review before the move

A short written review of the old database and how it is used, with a plan you approve before anything moves.

Every record counted

Objects, images, locations and loans moved and counted, with any differences shown to your registrar.

Read-only until you are sure

The old file stays readable until you are happy to retire it.

Backed up and logged

Nightly backups in Canada, and a log of every change to every record.

// example projects

Priced examples for this service.

Each one is hypothetical, labelled as such, and priced live from our rate card. Open any of them in the estimator and make it yours.

Example projectWeb app

Collections database rescue

Hypothetical. Not a client, not a result.

// The problem

A regional museum keeps its object records, images and loans in a FileMaker file built two decades ago, on one office computer, with no backup and one registrar who knows how it works.

// What we would build

We start with a short architecture review of the old file and how your registrar uses it, then move every record, image and loan into a web collections system with roles, a change log and nightly backups. Every moved record is counted and checked with your registrar, and the old file stays read-only until you retire it.

// What is in it

A written review of the old database and a plan, before anything moves
Every object, image, location and loan moved and counted
Object records, locations and movements in one web system
Roles for registrars, curators and volunteers, with a change log
Nightly backups in Canada, tested by restoring them
The old file kept read-only until you retire it

// Stack

Next.js
PostgreSQL
FileMaker and Access import
Object storage for images
DigitalOcean Toronto

// estimate

Build: ≈ US$69,700 to US$107,000, delivered within 17 weeksCAD 99,200 to 151,800
Hosting: ≈ US$176 a monthCAD 250 a month
Support: ≈ US$2,500 a monthCAD 3,565 a month

Prices in your currency are estimates from today's Bank of Canada rate. All invoicing is in CAD or USD.

Timeline by milestone

Discovery: 2.9 to 3.4 weeks
Design approved: 2.9 to 5.4 weeks
Core features: 2.4 to 3.9 weeks
Full build: 1.4 to 2.4 weeks
Testing and fixes: 0.9 weeks
Moved records checked with your registrar: 0.9 weeks
Launch: 0.9 to 1.4 weeks

How it is paid

Deposit 20%: CAD 19,840 to 30,360
Discovery 6.8%: CAD 6,745.60 to 10,322.40
Design approved 6.8%: CAD 6,745.60 to 10,322.40
Core features 20.4%: CAD 20,236.80 to 30,967.20
Full build 13.6%: CAD 13,491.20 to 20,644.80
Testing and fixes 6.8%: CAD 6,745.60 to 10,322.40
Moved records checked with your registrar 8.7%: CAD 8,630.40 to 13,206.60
Launch 6.9%: CAD 6,844.80 to 10,474.20
Holdback, 30 days after launch (10%): CAD 9,920 to 15,180

Start from this example

// questions

Questions we get about this.

Our collections database was customised by someone who has left. Can you still read it?

Almost always. FileMaker, Access and older collections packages can be read directly. We check a copy of yours before we quote.

Will the object numbers and accession history stay the same?

Yes. Object numbers, accession records and the history of each object move across as they are.

Could we move to a commercial collections system instead?

Yes, and the review says so if that suits you better. We can move your records into it rather than build one.

Back to the industry: Museums, arts and culture About the service: Rescue and modernization

// next

Not quite your project?

Tell us what you have in mind. We will come back to you with a range and the questions that would narrow it. Or book a call and talk it through.

Start a project Book a call