Begin with accountability, not a perfect description
Assign a unique number before research begins. Keep that number with the object, its photographs, and every later document. A simple, consistent identifier prevents the most damaging cataloging mistake: information becoming detached from the object it describes.
Record what you know about ownership, current location, acquisition, and the person creating the record. If information is unknown, say so. An explicit gap is safer than a confident guess and gives a future researcher a clear task.
- Unique object or inventory number
- Current owner and location
- Acquisition source and date, when known
- Recorder and recording date
Describe observable evidence before interpretation
Write a short identification that another person could use to recognize the object. Note its form, visible materials, construction, colour, decoration, inscriptions, marks, and measurements. Separate direct observation from an attribution such as maker, culture, or period.
Use controlled terms when your institution has an approved vocabulary, but preserve the language supplied by communities and previous documentation. One object can carry several histories, and the catalog should make their sources visible.
Photograph a sequence, not just a beauty shot
Capture the principal view, reverse, sides, identifying marks, construction details, and areas of damage. Include a scale in the same plane as the object when dimensions need to be estimated from the image. Store the photographer and date with every photograph.
Use filenames that include the object number and view. Consistent filenames make exports, backups, and later migrations much easier to audit.
Review, export, and keep improving
A catalog is not finished once. Review required fields, distinguish measured values from estimates, and record who approved the description. Export records and images in open formats so the collection is not trapped in one system.
CurioAI can turn photographs and notes into an editable draft, but the collection holder remains responsible for provenance, cultural attribution, rights, and final wording.
Review checklist
- Every object has one stable identifier.
- Photographs and files include that identifier.
- Observed facts are separated from interpretations.
- Dimensions include units and measurement method.
- Condition concerns are described and photographed.
- Provenance statements name their source.
- The record has a recorder, date, and reviewer.
- Records and images can be exported together.
Where AI fits
Technology can accelerate capture, transcription, field suggestions, and consistency checks. It cannot establish provenance, legal title, cultural authority, or conservation conclusions from an image alone. CurioAI keeps generated fields editable and requires a person to review the record before saving it.
See the guided cataloging workflowSources and professional guidance
These sources inform the workflow above. Institutions should also follow their own documentation policy, legal requirements, community protocols, and specialist standards.