Hello to all, 
I've been reading all the opinions about museum definitions, but now I am tempted to say my point of view about some of the questions that Gary Edson asked.

Because museums are a cultural product, they are with no dought changeable places. All the changes of our societies reflect directly in the way we see museums and definately change the reasons about what the public wants to see, to find or to search in a museum.
For me, there are lot of criteria that define a museum and most of them were already focused on this discussion. The main goal is to make a museum public. Of course a museum can also be private, but to me it seems like worthlessness investment. The idea of a museology project is to be able to show it to someone, is to make it acessible to the others. The museums work a lot with the memories of the communities, indeed it's all about memories. Showing those memories behind the objects - collection - is a way to preserve identities. Nobody can preserve or admire something unknown. 
This answers other question about if a museum must have a collection. I believe so. And a collection can be something you can touch - an artifact -, or can be something you can listen - like a song, a oral story or a dance -. For me, a collection is not only a huge number of artifacts. Objects without interpretation are mute, they tell nothing to us. Like I said before, a museum has to be a space that people can understand the message not only through the objects, but also though the memories, dreams, goals, etc, of the person who made or used that particular object.
To collect and to interpret the objects, the museum has to research and to research has to have a budget. To have a budget the museum has to think in a economic way, too. It cannot be the main purpose, but is absolutely necessary to make money to be able to survive and to grow in a technical, scientific and cultural way.
Collect, research and interpret have to be together in a museology project, no matter what. For me, without these three links sooner or later the museum project will die and the public will go away because it will be a bored and outdated institution. With all the cultural offers of our nowadays society, the museums have to be culturally, scientifically and creatively competitive.

I hope we can keep thinking around these subjects. With reflection new ideas will come up.

Sandra Nogueira
Portuguese Anthropologist

-------Original Message-------

From: International Council of Museums Discussion List
Date: Friday, October 10, 2003 03:17:04 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Questions and definitions

Dear ICOM Colleagues

First, let me say I really appreciate all the responses received about the
definition 
of a ³museum.² However, this attempt to define a museum has contributed more
questions than answers. These questions have been asked (among others):

Is a museum always public or can it be private?
Does ³not for profit² mean that a museum cannot make money?
Must a museum have a collection?
What is research? 
Is interpretation the same as research?
Are virtual museums (which have no ³buildings²) really museums?
Are heritage (cultural) centers museums since they often have no
collections.
Must a museum ³preserve² objects to be considered a museum?
If some forms of song and dance are intangible heritage, are concert halls
museums?

I think I know the answers to each of these questions, but it is apparent
that not everyone has the same view. My thinking is not based on ego; it is,
however, the result of background, experience, and training. Those same
attributes cause others to think and believe differently. That is why
finding a common ground of acceptance is important.

One of the many important contributions ICOM has made to the museum
profession is the Code of Ethics. The people who first formulated the Code
probably had no idea of the dynamic and professionalizing role it would play
in the international community. (They are to be applauded for their
contribution.) As the Code has evolved to meet the needs of today¹s museums,
the definition of ³museum² as determined by the ICOM membership and which is
the heart of the Code, must offer a clear message of identity. We are the
International Council of Museums; so who are we? When we say ³museum² what
do we mean<a building, a place, a collection, a process, a vision of the
past, or an idea for the future?

Gary Edson

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