Museum collections software: questions and answers
What small museums, historical societies and family collections ask before they start. For prices, see pricing; to see the screens, take the interactive tour.
Who it is for
Do we need to be an accredited museum?
No. MuseumBuild is built for family collections, historical societies, and small museums, not just accredited institutions.
Can volunteers use it?
Yes — cataloging an object requires only a name. Everything else can be filled in over time.
How many staff can use MuseumBuild?
Trial and Essentials plans include a small number of seats; Museum and Professional plans support larger teams, with role-based access for owners, editors, and read-only viewers.
Cataloging and labels
Can we import spreadsheets?
Yes. The Import screen takes a CSV file of objects or of contacts. It recognizes common column names, lets you check how each column maps before anything is created, keeps your existing object numbers, and brings every imported object in private until you choose to publish it.
Can we print labels and QR codes?
Yes — every object gets a QR label automatically, printable on demand, and you can link an existing physical code instead if one's already on the item.
Can we track loans and conservation work?
Yes — record objects out on loan (and returned), and log conservation treatments with real costs, so that history stays with the object permanently.
Exhibits, privacy and the Museum Coach
Can we design rooms and exhibits?
Yes — the Exhibit & Floor Planner lets you lay out rooms, walls, doors, cases, and tables, place objects from inventory, and generate installation tasks automatically.
Can we keep values and locations private?
Yes. Publishing shares only a name and description you explicitly approve — donor details, values, and exact locations never leave your private workspace.
Does the Museum Coach make museum decisions?
No. The Museum Coach can catalog, look things up, and answer questions, but never deletes, publishes, or withdraws anything — those stay human-click-only.
Volunteers, projects and meetings
Can volunteers sign up online?
Yes — post an opportunity with a real shift schedule and volunteers sign up on a public page, no login required. Capacity is enforced automatically.
Can we run projects with people outside our staff?
Yes — assign a task to an outside collaborator by name and email; they get a no-login link to see their work, mark it done, and leave comments, with dependencies and milestones tracked the same as staff tasks.
Can we hold virtual team meetings in MuseumBuild?
Yes — schedule or start a video meeting from any project, with calendar invites sent automatically to the whole team.
Your data
Can we export our data?
Yes, always — your data is never locked in.
What happens if we cancel?
You keep access to export your data; nothing is held hostage.
More detail: security and privacy, importing your records, guides for small museums.