ICOM Code of

thics

for Museums

    

ICOM CODE OF ETHICS
FOR MUSEUMS
The cornerstone of ICOM is the ICOM Code of Ethics for
Museums. It sets minimum standards of professional practice
and performance for museums and their staff. In joining the
organisation, ICOM members undertake to abide by
this Code.
Ethical issues that require the attention and/or consideration of
the ICOM Ethics Committee may be addressed to its Chair by
e-mail: ethics@icom.museum.

The ICOM Code of Professional Ethics was adopted unanimously by the 15th
General Assembly of ICOM in Buenos Aires (Argentina) on 4 November
1986. It was amended by the 20th General Assembly in Barcelona (Spain)
on 6 July 2001, retitled ICOM Code of Ethics for Museums, and revised by
the 21st General Assembly in Seoul (Republic of Korea) on 8 October 2004.
© ICOM, 2013
ISBN-978-92-9012-407-8

II

 PREAMBLE

Status of the ICOM Code of Ethics for Museums
The ICOM Code of Ethics for Museums has been prepared by the International
Council of Museums. It is the statement of ethics for museums referred to in the
ICOM Statutes. The Code reflects principles generally accepted by the international
museum community. Membership in ICOM and the payment of the annual subscription to ICOM are an affirmation of the ICOM Code of Ethics for Museums.

A Minimum Standard for Museums
The ICOM Code represents a minimum standard for museums. It is presented as a
series of principles supported by guidelines for desirable professional practice. In some
countries, certain minimum standards are defined by law or government regulation.
In others, guidance on and assessment of minimum professional standards may be
available in the form of ’Accreditation’, ’Registration’, or similar evaluative schemes.
Where such standards are not defined, guidance can be obtained through the ICOM
Secretariat, a relevant National Committee of ICOM, or the appropriate International Committee of ICOM. It is also intended that individual nations and the specialised
subject organisations connected with museums should use this Code as a basis for
developing additional standards.

Translations of the ICOM Code of Ethics for Museums
The ICOM Code of Ethics for Museums is published in the three official languages
of the organisation: English, French and Spanish. ICOM welcomes the translation of
the Code into other languages. However, a translation will be regarded as “official”
only if it is endorsed by at least one National Committee of a country in which the
language is spoken, normally as the first language. Where the language is spoken
in more than one country, it is preferable that the National Committees of these
countries also be consulted. Attention is drawn to the need for linguistic as well as
professional museum expertise in providing official translations. The language version
used for a translation and the names of the National Committees involved should be
indicated. These conditions do not restrict translations of the Code, or parts of it, for
use in educational work or for study purposes.

IV

 TABLE OF CONTENTS
ICOM Code of Ethics for Museums

V

Page 1

1. Museums preserve, interpret and promote the natural and
cultural inheritance of humanity.
• Institutional standing
• Physical resources
• Financial resources
• Personnel

Page 3

2. Museums that maintain collections hold them in trust for the
benefit of society and its development.
• Acquiring collections
• Removing collections
• Care of collections

Page 6

3. Museums hold primary evidence for establishing and
furthering knowledge.
• Primary evidence
• Museum collecting & research

Page 8

4. Museums provide opportunities for the appreciation,
understanding and management of the natural and cultural
heritage.
• Display and exhibition
• Other resources

Page 9

5. Museums hold resources that provide opportunities for other
public services and benefits.
• Identification services

Page 10

6. Museums work in close collaboration with the communities
from which their collections originate as well as those they
serve.
• Origin of collections
• Respect for communities served

Page 11

7. Museums operate in a legal manner.
• Legal framework

Page 12

8. Museums operate in a professional manner.
• Professional conduct
• Conflicts of interest

Page 15

Glossary

 1. MUSEUMS PRESERVE, INTERPRET AND PROMOTE THE
NATURAL AND CULTURAL INHERITANCE OF HUMANITY.

Principle
Museums are responsible for the tangible and intangible natural and cultural
heritage. Governing bodies and those concerned with the strategic direction and
oversight of museums have a primary responsibility to protect and promote this
heritage as well as the human, physical and financial resources made available for
that purpose.

INSTITUTIONAL STANDING
1.1 Enabling Documentation

1. 5 Health and Safety

The governing body should ensure that the
museum has a written and published constitution, statute, or other public document in
accordance with national laws, which
clearly states the museum’s legal status,
mission, permanence and non-profit nature.

The governing body should ensure that
institutional standards of health, safety
and accessibility apply to its personnel
and visitors.

1. 2 Statement of the Mission,
Objectives and Policies

The governing body should develop and
maintain policies to protect the public
and personnel, the collections and other
resources against natural and humanmade disasters.

The governing body should prepare,
publicise and be guided by a statement of
the mission, objectives and policies of the
museum and of the role and composition
of the governing body.

PHYSICAL RESOURCES
1. 3 Premises
The governing body should ensure
adequate premises with a suitable
environment for the museum to fulfil the
basic functions defined in its mission.

1. 4 Access
The governing body should ensure that the
museum and its collections are available
to all during reasonable hours and for regular periods. Particular regard should be
given to those persons with special needs.

1. 6 Protection Against Disasters

1 . 7 Security Requirements
The governing body should ensure
appropriate security to protect collections
against theft or damage in displays, exhibitions, working or storage areas and while
in transit.

1. 8 Insurance and Indemnity
Where commercial insurance is used for
collections, the governing body should
ensure that such cover is adequate and
includes objects in transit or on loan and
other items that are the responsibility of
the museum. When an indemnity scheme
is in use, it is necessary that material not in
the ownership of the museum be adequately covered.

1

 FINANCIAL RESOURCES
1. 9 Funding
The governing body should ensure that
there are sufficient funds to carry out and
develop the activities of the museum. All
funds must be accounted for in a professional manner.

1.10 Income-generating Policy
The governing body should have a written
policy regarding sources of income that it
may generate through its activities or accept from outside sources. Regardless of
funding source, museums should maintain
control of the content and integrity of their
programmes, exhibitions and activities.
Income-generating activities should not
compromise the standards of the institution
or its public. (See 6.6).

PERSONNEL
1.11 Employment Policy
The governing body should ensure that
all action concerning personnel is taken
in accordance with the policies of the
museum as well as the proper and legal
procedures.

1.12 Appointment of the Director
or Head
The director or head of the museum is a
key post and when making an appointment, governing bodies should have regard for the knowledge and skills required
to fill the post effectively. These qualities
should include adequate intellectual ability
and professional knowledge, complemented by a high standard of ethical conduct.

1.13 Access to Governing Bodies
The director or head of a museum should
be directly responsible, and have direct
access, to the relevant governing bodies.

2

1.14 Competence of Museum
Personnel
The employment of qualified personnel
with the expertise required to meet all responsibilities is necessary. (See also 2.19;
2.24; section 8).

1.15 Training of Personnel
Adequate opportunities for the continuing
education and professional development
of all museum personnel should be arranged to maintain an effective workforce.

1.16 Ethical Conflict
The governing body should never require
museum personnel to act in a way that
could be considered to conflict with the
provisions of this Code of Ethics, or any
national law or specialist code of ethics.

1.17 Museum Personnel and
Volunteers
The governing body should have a written
policy on volunteer work that promotes a
positive relationship between volunteers
and members of the museum profession.

1.18 Volunteers and Ethics
The governing body should ensure that
volunteers, when conducting museum and
personal activities, are fully conversant
with the ICOM Code of Ethics for Museums
and other applicable codes and laws.

 2. MUSEUMS THAT MAINTAIN COLLECTIONS HOLD THEM IN
TRUST FOR THE BENEFIT OF SOCIETY AND ITS DEVELOPMENT.

Principle
Museums have the duty to acquire, preserve and promote their collections as a contribution to safeguarding the natural, cultural and scientific heritage. Their collections are
a significant public inheritance, have a special position in law and are protected by
international legislation. Inherent in this public trust is the notion of stewardship that
includes rightful ownership, permanence, documentation, accessibility and responsible
disposal.

ACQUIRING COLLECTIONS
2.1 Collections Policy
The governing body for each museum
should adopt and publish a written collections policy that addresses the acquisition,
care and use of collections. The policy
should clarify the position of any material
that will not be catalogued, conserved, or
exhibited. (See 2. 7; 2. 8).

2. 2 Valid Title
No object or specimen should be acquired by purchase, gift, loan, bequest, or
exchange unless the acquiring museum is
satisfied that a valid title is held. Evidence
of lawful ownership in a country is not necessarily valid title.

2. 3 Provenance and Due
Diligence
Every effort must be made before acquisition to ensure that any object or specimen
offered for purchase, gift, loan, bequest, or
exchange has not been illegally obtained
in, or exported from its country of origin or
any intermediate country in which it might
have been owned legally (including the
museum’s own country). Due diligence in
this regard should establish the full history
of the item since discovery or production.

2. 4 Objects and Specimens
from Unauthorised or Unscientific
Fieldwork
Museums should not acquire objects
where there is reasonable cause to believe their recovery involved unauthorised
or unscientific fieldwork, or intentional
destruction or damage of monuments,
archaeological or geological sites, or of
species and natural habitats. In the same
way, acquisition should not occur if there
has been a failure to disclose the finds to
the owner or occupier of the land, or to
the proper legal or governmental authorities.

2. 5 Culturally Sensitive Material
Collections of human remains and ma-terial of sacred significance should be acquired only if they can be housed securely
and cared for respectfully. This must be
accomplished in a manner consistent with
professional standards and the interests
and beliefs of members of the community, ethnic or religious groups from which
the objects originated, where these are
known. (See also 3.7; 4.3).

3

 2. 6 Protected Biological or
Geological Specimens
Museums should not acquire biological
or geological specimens that have been
collected, sold, or otherwise transferred
in contravention of local, national, regional or international law or treaty relating
to wildlife protection or natural history
conservation.

2. 7 Living Collections
When the collections include live botanical
or zoological specimens, special consideration should be given to the natural and
social environment from which they are
derived as well as any local, national,
regional or international law or treaty
relating to wildlife protection or natural
history conservation.

2.11 Repositories of Last Resort
Nothing in this Code of Ethics should prevent
a museum from acting as an authorised
repository for unprovenanced, illicitly
collected or recovered specimens or objects
from the territory over which it has lawful
responsibility.

REMOVING COLLECTIONS
2.12 Legal or Other Powers of
Disposal

The collections policy may include special
considerations for certain types of working collections where the emphasis is on
preserving cultural, scientific, or technical
process rather than the object, or where
objects or specimens are assembled for
regular handling and teaching purposes.
(See also 2.1).

Where the museum has legal powers permitting disposals, or has acquired objects
subject to conditions of disposal, the legal
or other requirements and procedures
must be complied with fully. Where the
original acquisition was subject to mandatory or other restrictions these conditions
must be observed, unless it can be shown
clearly that ad-herence to such restrictions
is impossible or substantially detrimental to
the institution and, if appropriate, relief
may be sought through legal procedures.

2. 9 Acquisition Outside
Collections Policy

2.13 Deaccessioning from
Museum Collections

The acquisition of objects or specimens
outside the museum’s stated policy should
only be made in exceptional circumstances.
The governing body should consider the
professional opinions available to it and
the views of all interested parties. Consideration will include the significance of the
object or specimen, including its context in
the cultural or natural heritage, and the
special interests of other museums collecting such material. However, even in these
circumstances, objects without a valid title
should not be acquired. (See also 3.4).

The removal of an object or specimen
from a museum collection must only be
undertaken with a full understanding of
the significance of the item, its character
(whether renewable or non-renewable),
legal standing, and any loss of public trust
that might result from such action.

2. 8 Working Collections

2.10 Acquisitions Offered by
Members of the Governing Body
or Museum Personnel
Special care is required in considering
any item, whether for sale, as a donation,
4

or as a tax-benefit gift, from members of
governing bodies, museum personnel, or
the families and close associates of these
persons.

2.14 Responsibility for
Deaccessioning
The decision to deaccession should be the
responsibility of the governing body acting in conjunction with the director of the
museum and the curator of the collection
concerned. Special arrangements may
apply to working collections. (See 2.7; 2.8)
.

 2.15 Disposal of Objects
Removed from the Collections
Each museum should have a policy defining authorised methods for permanently
removing an object from the collections
through donation, transfer, exchange,
sale, repatriation, or destruction, and that
allows the transfer of unrestricted title to
any receiving agency. Complete records
must be kept of all deaccessioning decisions, the objects involved, and the disposal of the object. There will be a strong
presumption that a deaccessioned item
should first be offered to another museum.

2.16 Income from Disposal of
Collections
Museum collections are held in public trust
and may not be treated as a realisable
asset. Money or compensation received
from the deaccessioning and disposal of
objects and specimens from a museum
collection should be used solely for the
benefit of the collection and usually for
acquisitions to that same collection.

2.17 Purchase of Deaccessioned
Collections
Museum personnel, the governing body,
or their families or close associates, should
not be permitted to purchase objects that
have been deaccessioned from a collection for which they are responsible.

CARE OF COLLECTIONS
2.18 Collection Continuity
The museum should establish and apply
policies to ensure that its collections (both
permanent and temporary) and associated information, properly recorded,
are available for current use and will be
passed on to future generations in as
good and safe a condition as practicable,
having regard to current knowledge and
resources.

2.19 Delegation of Collection
Responsibility
Professional responsibilities involving the
care of the collections should be assigned

to persons with appropriate knowledge
and skill or who are adequately supervised. (See also 8.11).

2. 20 Documentation of
Collections
Museum collections should be documented according to accepted professional
standards. Such documentation should include a full identification and description
of each item, its associations, provenance,
condition, treatment and present location.
Such data should be kept in a secure environment and be supported by retrieval
systems providing access to the information by the museum personnel and other
legitimate users.

2. 21 Protection Against
Disasters
Careful attention should be given to the
development of policies to protect the collections during armed conflict and other
human-made or natural disasters.

2. 22 Security of Collection and
Associated Data
The museum should exercise control to
avoid disclosing sensitive personal or
related information and other confidential matters when collection data is made
available to the public.

2. 23 Preventive Conservation
Preventive conservation is an important
element of museum policy and collections care. It is an essential responsibility
of members of the museum profession to
create and maintain a protective environment for the collections in their care,
whether in store, on display, or in transit.

2. 24 Collection Conservation
and Restoration
The museum should carefully monitor the
condition of collections to determine when
an object or specimen may require conservation-restoration work and the services
of a qualified conservator-restorer. The
principal goal should be the stabilisation
of the object or specimen. All conservation
5

 procedures should be documented and as
reversible as possible, and all alterations
should be clearly distinguishable from the
original object or specimen.

2. 25 Welfare of Live Animals
A museum that maintains living animals
should assume full responsibility for their
health and well-being. It should prepare
and implement a safety code for the protection of its personnel and visitors, as well
as of the animals, that has been appro-

ved by an expert in the veterinary field.
Genetic modification should be clearly
identifiable.

2. 26 Personal Use of Museum
Collections
Museum personnel, the governing body,
their families, close associates, or others
should not be permitted to expropriate
items from the museum collections, even
temporarily, for any personal use.

3. MUSEUMS HOLD PRIMARY EVIDENCE FOR ESTABLISHING
AND FURTHERING KNOWLEDGE.

Principle
Museums have particular responsibilities to all for the care, accessibility and
interpretation of primary evidence collected and held in their collections.

PRIMARY EVIDENCE
3.1 Collections as Primary
Evidence
The museum collections policy should indicate clearly the significance of collections
as primary evidence. The policy should not
be governed only by current intellectual
trends or present museum usage.

3. 2 Availability of Collections
Museums have a particular responsibility
for making collections and all relevant information available as freely as possible,
having regard to restraints arising for reasons of confidentiality and security.

MUSEUM COLLECTING & RESEARCH
3. 3 Field Collecting
Museums undertaking field collecting
should develop policies consistent with
6

academic standards and applicable national and international laws and treaty
obligations. Fieldwork should only be
undertaken with respect and consideration for the views of local communities,
their environmental resources and cultural
practices as well as efforts to enhance the
cultural and natural heritage.

3.4 Exceptional Collecting of
Primary Evidence
In exceptional cases an item without provenance may have such an inherently
outstanding contribution to knowledge
that it would be in the public interest to
preserve it. The acceptance of such an
item into a museum collection should be
the subject of a decision by specialists in
the discipline concerned and without national or international prejudice. (See also 2.11).

 3. 5 Research
Research by museum personnel should
relate to the museum’s mission and objectives and conform to established legal,
ethical and academic practices.

3. 6 Destructive Analysis
When destructive analytical techniques
are undertaken, a complete record of the
material analysed, the outcome of the
analysis and the resulting research, including publications, should become a part of
the permanent record of the object.

3 . 7 Human Remains and
Materials of Sacred Significance
Research on human remains and materials
of sacred significance must be accomplished in a manner consistent with professional standards and take into account the
interests and beliefs of the community, ethnic
or religious groups from whom the objects
originated, where these are known. (See
also 2.5; 4.3).

with the sponsoring museum regarding
all rights to such work.

3. 9 Shared Expertise
Members of the museum profession have
an obligation to share their knowledge
and experience with colleagues, scholars and students in relevant fields. They
should respect and acknowledge those
from whom they have learned and should
pass on such advancements in techniques
and experience that may be of benefit to
others.

3.10 Co-operation Between
Museums and Other Institutions
Museum personnel should acknowledge
and endorse the need for cooperation
and consultation between institutions with
similar interests and collecting practices.
This is particularly so with institutes of
higher education and certain public utilities
where research may generate important
collections for which there is no long-term
security.

3. 8 Retention of Rights to
Research Materials
When museum personnel prepare material
for presentation or to document field investigation, there must be clear agreement

7

 4. MUSEUMS PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE
APPRECIATION, UNDERSTANDING AND MANAGEMENT
OF THE NATURAL AND CULTURAL HERITAGE.

Principle
Museums have an important duty to develop their educational role and attract
wider audiences from the community, locality, or group they serve. Interaction with
the constituent community and promotion of their heritage is an integral part of the
educational role of the museum.

DISPLAY & EXHIBITION
4.1 Displays, Exhibitions and
Special Activities
Displays and temporary exhibitions, physical or electronic, should be in accordance
with the stated mission, policy and purpose
of the museum. They should not compromise
either the quality or the proper care and
conservation of the collections.

4. 2 Interpretation of Exhibitions
Museums should ensure that the information they present in displays and exhibitions is well-founded, accurate and gives
appropriate consideration to represented
groups or beliefs.

4. 3 Exhibition of Sensitive
Materials
Human remains and materials of sacred
significance must be displayed in a manner consistent with professional standards
and, where known, taking into account the
interests and beliefs of members of the
community, ethnic or religious groups from
whom the objects originated. They must
be presented with great tact and respect
for the feelings of human dignity held by
all peoples.

4. 4 Removal from Public Display
Requests for removal from public display
of human remains or material of sacred significance from the originating communities
8

must be addressed expeditiously with respect and sensitivity. Requests for the return
of such material should be addressed similarly. Museum policies should clearly define
the process for responding to such requests.

4. 5 Display of Unprovenanced
Material
Museums should avoid displaying or
otherwise using material of questionable
origin or lacking provenance. They should
be aware that such displays or usage can
be seen to condone and contribute to the
illicit trade in cultural property.

OTHER RESOURCES
4. 6 Publication
Information published by museums, by
whatever means, should be well-founded,
accurate and give responsible consideration to the academic disciplines, societies,
or beliefs presented. Museum publications
should not compromise the standards of
the institution.

4. 7 Reproductions
Museums should respect the integrity of
the original when replicas, reproductions,
or copies of items in the collection are
made. All such copies should be permanently marked as facsimiles.

 5. MUSEUMS HOLD RESOURCES THAT PROVIDE
OPPORTUNITIES FOR OTHER PUBLIC SERVICES AND BENEFITS.

Principle
Museums utilise a wide variety of specialisms, skills and physical resources that have
a far broader application than in the museum. This may lead to shared resources or
the provision of services as an extension of the museum’s activities. These should be
organised in such a way that they do not compromise the museum’s stated mission.

IDENTIFICATION SERVICES
5.1 Identification of Illegally or
Illicitly Acquired Objects

5. 2 Authentication and Valuation
(Appraisal)

Where museums provide an identification
service, they should not act in any way
that could be regarded as benefiting
from such activity, directly or indirectly.
The identification and authentication of
objects that are believed or suspected
to have been illegally or illicitly acquired,
transferred, imported or exported, should
not be made public until the appropriate
authorities have been notified.

Valuations may be made for the purposes
of insurance of museum collections. Opinions on the monetary value of other
objects should only be given on official
request from other museums or competent
legal, governmental or other responsible
public authorities. However, when the
museum itself may be the beneficiary, appraisal of an object or specimen must be
undertaken independently.

9

 6. MUSEUMS WORK IN CLOSE COLLABORATION WITH THE
COMMUNITIES FROM WHICH THEIR COLLECTIONS
ORIGINATE AS WELL AS THOSE THEY SERVE.

Principle
Museum collections reflect the cultural and natural heritage of the communities from
which they have been derived. As such, they have a character beyond that of ordinary property, which may include strong affinities with national, regional, local, ethnic,
religious or political identity. It is important therefore that museum policy is responsive
to this situation.

ORIGIN OF COLLECTIONS
6.1 Co-operation
Museums should promote the sharing of
knowledge, documentation and collections with museums and cultural organisations in the countries and communities
of origin. The possibility of developing
partnerships with museums in countries or
areas that have lost a significant part of
their heritage should be explored.

6. 2 Return of Cultural Property
Museums should be prepared to initiate
dialogues for the return of cultural property to a country or people of origin.
This should be undertaken in an impartial
manner, based on scientific, professional
and humanitarian principles as well as
applicable local, national and international legislation, in preference to action at a
governmental or political level.

6. 3 Restitution of Cultural Property
When a country or people of origin seeks
the restitution of an object or specimen
that can be demonstrated to have been
exported or otherwise transferred in violation of the principles of international and
national conventions, and shown to be
part of that country’s or people’s cultural
or natural heritage, the museum concerned should, if legally free to do so, take

10

prompt and responsible steps to cooperate in its return.

6. 4 Cultural Objects from an
Occupied Country
Museums should abstain from purchasing
or acquiring cultural objects from an occupied territory and respect fully all laws
and conventions that regulate the import,
export and transfer of cultural or natural
materials.

RESPECT FOR COMMUNITIES SERVED
6. 5 Contemporary Communities
Where museum activities involve a
contemporary community or its heritage,
acquisitions should only be made based
on informed and mutual consent without
exploitation of the owner or informants.
Respect for the wishes of the community
involved should be paramount.

6. 6 Funding of Community
Activities
When seeking funds for activities involving
contemporary communities, their interests
should not be compromised. (See 1.10).

 6 . 7 Use of Collections from
Contemporary Communities

6 . 8 Supporting Organisations in
the Community

Museum usage of collections from contemporary communities requires respect for
human dignity and the traditions and
cultures that use such material. Such collections should be used to promote human
well-being, social development, tolerance,
and respect by advocating multisocial,
multicultural and multilingual expression.
(See 4.3).

Museums should create a favourable
environment for community support (e.g.,
Friends of Museums and other supporting
organisations), recognise their contribution
and promote a harmonious relationship
between the community and museum personnel.

7. MUSEUMS OPERATE IN A LEGAL MANNER.

Principle
Museums must conform fully to international, regional, national and local legislation
and treaty obligations. In addition, the governing body should comply with any legally
binding trusts or conditions relating to any aspect of the museum, its collections and
operations.

LEGAL FRAMEWORK
7.1 National and Local Legislation
Museums should conform to all national
and local laws and respect the legislation
of other states as they affect their operation.

•

7 . 2 International Legislation

•

Museum policy should acknowledge the
following international legislation that is
taken as a standard in interpreting the
ICOM Code of Ethics for Museums:
• Convention for the Protection of Cultural
Property in the Event of Armed Conflict
(“The Hague Convention” First Protocol,
1954, and Second Protocol, 1999);
• Convention on the Means of Prohibiting

•
•
•

and Preventing the Illicit Import, Export
and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural
Property (UNESCO, 1970);
Convention on International Trade in
Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and
Flora (Washington, 1973);
Convention on Biological Diversity (UN,
1992);
Convention on Stolen and Illicitly Exported Cultural Objects (UNIDROIT, 1995);
Convention on the Protection of the Underwater Cultural Heritage (UNESCO,
2001);
Convention for the Safeguarding of the
Intangible Cultural Heritage (UNESCO,
2003).

11

 8. MUSEUMS OPERATE IN A PROFESSIONAL MANNER

Principle
Members of the museum profession should observe accepted standards and laws and
uphold the dignity and honour of their profession. They should safeguard the public
against illegal or unethical professional conduct. Every opportunity should be used to
inform and educate the public about the aims, purposes, and aspirations of the profession to develop a better public understanding of the contributions of museums to society.

PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT
8.1 Familiarity with Relevant
Legislation
Every member of the museum profession
should be conversant with relevant international, national and local legislation
and the conditions of their employment.
They should avoid situations that could be
construed as improper conduct.

8. 2 Professional Responsibility
Members of the museum profession have
an obligation to follow the policies and
procedures of their employing institution.
However, they may properly object to
practices that are perceived to be damaging to a museum, to the pro-fession, or to
matters of professional ethics.

8. 3 Professional Conduct
Loyalty to colleagues and to the employing
museum is an important professional responsibility and must be based on allegiance to fundamental ethical principles
applicable to the profession as a whole.
These principles should comply with the
terms of the ICOM Code of Ethics for Museums and be aware of any other codes
or policies relevant to museum work.

8. 4 Academic and Scientific
Responsibilities
Members of the museum profession should
promote the investigation, preservation,
and use of information inherent in collec12

tions. They should, therefore, refrain from
any activity or circumstance that might
result in the loss of such academic and
scientific data.

8. 5 The Illicit Market
Members of the museum profession should
not support the illicit traffic or market in natural or cultural property, directly or indirectly.

8. 6 Confidentiality
Members of the museum profession must
protect confidential information obtained
during their work. In addition, information
about items brought to the museum for
identification is confidential and should not
be published or passed to any other institution or person without specific authorisation from the owner.

8 . 7 Museum and Collection
Security
Information about the security of the museum or of private collections and locations visited during official duties must be
held in strict confidence by museum personnel.

8. 8 Exception to the Obligation
for Confidentiality
Confidentiality is subject to a legal obligation
to assist the police or other proper authorities in investigating possible stolen, illicitly
acquired, or illegally transferred property.

 8. 9 Personal Independence
While members of a profession are entitled
to a measure of personal independence,
they must realise that no private business
or professional interest can be wholly separated from their employing institution.

8.10 Professional Relationships
Members of the museum profession form
working relationships with numerous other
persons within and outside the museum in
which they are employed. They are expected to render their professional services to
others efficiently and to a high standard.

8.11 Professional Consultation
It is a professional responsibility to consult
other colleagues within or out-side the
museum when the expertise available in
the museum is insufficient to ensure good
decision-making.

CONFLICTS OF INTEREST
8.12 Gifts, Favours, Loans, or
Other Personal Benefits
Museum employees must not accept gifts,
favours, loans, or other personal benefits
that may be offered to them in connection
with their duties for the museum. Occasionally professional courtesy may include the
giving and receiving of gifts, but this should
always take place in the name of the institution concerned.

8.13 Outside Employment or
Business Interests
Members of the museum profession, although entitled to a measure of personal
independence, must realise that no private business or professional interest can
be wholly separated from their employing
institution. They should not undertake other
paid employment or accept outside commissions that are in conflict, or may be
viewed as being in conflict, with the interests of the museum.

8.14 Dealing in Natural or
Cultural Heritage
Members of the museum profession should
not participate directly or in-directly in
dealing (buying or selling for profit) in the
natural or cultural heritage.

8.15 Interaction with Dealers
Museum professionals should not accept
any gift, hospitality, or any form of reward
from a dealer, auctioneer, or other person as an inducement to purchase or dispose of museum items, or to take or refrain
from taking official action. Furthermore, a
museum professional should not recommend a particular dealer, auctioneer, or
appraiser to a member of the public.

8.16 Private Collecting
Members of the museum profession should
not compete with their institution either
in the acquisition of objects or in any
personal collecting activity. An agreement between the museum professional
and the governing body concerning any
private collecting must be formulated and
scrupulously followed.

8.17 Use of the Name and Logo
of ICOM
The name of the organisation, its acronym
or its logo may not be used to promote
or endorse any for-profit operation or
product.

8.18 Other Conflicts of Interest
Should any other conflict of interest develop between an individual and the
museum, the interests of the museum
should prevail.

13

 GLOSSARY

Appraisal

Governing Body

The authentication and valuation of an object or specimen. In certain countries the
term is used for an independent assessment
of a proposed gift for tax benefit purposes.

The persons or organisations defined in
the enabling legislation of the museum as
responsible for its continuance, strategic
development and funding.

Conflict of interest

Income-generating activities

The existence of a personal or private interest
that gives rise to a clash of principle in a
work situation, thus restricting, or having the
appearance of restricting, the objectivity of
decision making.

Activities intended to bring financial gain or
profit for the benefit of the institution.

Conservator-Restorer
Museum or independent personnel competent
to undertake the technical examination, preservation, conservation and restoration of
cultural property. (For further information,
see ICOM News, vol. 39, n°1 (1986), pp. 5-6.)

Cultural Heritage
Any thing or concept considered of aesthetic,
historical, scientific or spiritual significance.

Dealing
Buying and selling items for personal or
institutional gain.

Due diligence

Legal title
Legal right to ownership of property in the
country concerned. In certain countries this may
be a conferred right and insufficient to meet
the requirements of a due diligence search.

Minimum Standard
A standard to which it is reasonable to
expect all museums and museum personnel
to aspire. Certain countries have their own
statements of minimum standards.

Museum *
A museum is a non-profit making permanent
institution in the service of society and of
its development, open to the public, which
acquires, conserves, researches, communicates
and exhibits, for purposes of study, education
and enjoyment, the tangible and intangible
evidence of people and their environment.

The requirement that every endeavour is
made to establish the facts of a case before
deciding a course of action, particularly in
identifying the source and history of an item
offered for acquisition or use before acquiring it.

15

 Museum professional*
Museum professionals consist of the personnel
(whether paid or unpaid) of museums
or insti-tutions as defined in Article 2,
paras. 1 and 2, of the ICOM Statutes,
who have received specialised training, or
possess an equivalent practical experience
in any field relevant to the management and
operations of a museum, and independent
persons respecting the ICOM Code
of Ethics for Museums and working for
museums or institutions as defined in the
Statute quoted above, but not persons
promoting or dealing with commercial products and equipment required for museums
and museum services.

Natural Heritage
Any natural thing, phenomenon or concept,
considered to be of scientific significance or
to be a spiritual manifestation.

Non-profit organisation
A legally established body – corporate or
unincorporated – whose income (including
any surplus or profit) is used solely for the
benefit of that body and its operations. The
term “not-for-profit” has the same meaning.

Provenance
The full history and ownership of an item
from the time of its discovery or creation to
the present day, through which authenticity
and ownership are determined.

Valid title
Indisputable right to ownership of property,
supported by full provenance of the item
since discovery or production.

16

* It should be noted that the terms
“museum” and “museum professional” are
interim definitions for use in interpreting the
ICOM Code of Ethics for Museums. The
definitions of “museum” and “professional
museum workers” used in the ICOM
Statutes remain in force until the revision of
that document has been completed.

 The International Council of Museums (ICOM), created in 1946,
is the world organisation representing museums and museum
professionals, committed to the promotion and protection of natural
and cultural heritage, present and future, tangible and intangible.
With more than 30,000 members in 136 countries, ICOM is a
unique network of museum professionals acting in a wide range of
museum- and heritage-related disciplines.
Leading international actions
Maintaining formal relations with UNESCO and a consultative status
within the United Nations Economic and Social Council, ICOM also
partners with entities such as the World Intellectual Property
Organization, INTERPOL and the World Customs Organization, in
order to carry out its international public service missions, which
include fighting illicit traffic in cultural goods and promoting risk
management and emergency preparedness to protect world
cultural heritage in the event of natural or man-made disasters.
A centre for reflection
ICOM’s commitment to culture and knowledge promotion is
reinforced by its 31 International Committees dedicated to a wide
range of museum specialities, who conduct advanced research
in their respective fields for the benefit of the museum community.
ICOM has the ability to mobilise experts in cultural heritage worldwide in response to the challenges museums face around the globe.

International Council of Museums (ICOM)
Maison de l’UNESCO
1, rue Miollis 75732 Paris cedex 15 - France
Telephone: +33 (0) 1 47 34 05 00
Fax: +33 (0) 1 43 06 78 62
Email: secretariat@icom.museum
Website: http://icom.museum