deaccession

American  

[dee-ak-sesh-uhn] / ˌdi ækˈsɛʃ ən /

Or de-accession

verb (used with object)

1. to sell (a work of art) from a museum's or gallery's collections, especially with a view to acquiring funds for the purchase of other works.

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verb (used without object)

1. to deaccession a work of art from a museum's or gallery's collections.

noun

1. a deaccessioned work of art.

Etymology

Origin of deaccession

First recorded in 1970–75; de- + accession

Example Sentences

During the lengthy 2020 pandemic closure, the cash-strapped museum made the controversial decision to deaccession and then sell a prized 1974 Helen Frankenthaler painting, which brought $4.7 million at auction.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 18, 2025

I tried to deaccession her from this story, to put her out of my mind, but I couldn't.

From Salon • Oct. 19, 2022

“You don’t deaccession anything in a museum easily, nor should you. And the process is a pain. But there was no resistance or debate,” she said.

From Washington Post • Oct. 11, 2022

The gallery is free; it does not deaccession work; and it would keep her collection together.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 17, 2022

But she added, “We will continue to deaccession things that have no place in our library or that we can’t take care of.”

From New York Times • Dec. 27, 2010