The Ethics Committee is revising the ICOM Code of Professional
Ethics.  A draft of the current revisions, received at the recent
meetings of the Executive Council and Advisory Committee, is now
given below.

It is also available on the ICOM Web Site [http://www.icom.org]

This work is continuing and members of ICOM are invited to
comment on the text and to submit case studies.   These should be
sent to me at the address below by 30 September 2000.  Any
comments will then be considered by the Committee in time for
inclusion in the new version of the Code of Professional Ethics
to be submitted to the ICOM General Assembly in Barcelona, 2001.

Geoffrey Lewis
Chair, ICOM Ethics Committee
[log in to unmask]
Fax : (44.1455) 220.708

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

REVISION
of the
ICOM Code of Professional Ethics
 [2 June 2000]

PROPOSED MODIFICATIONS ARE INDICATED IN BOLD
The Ethics Committee is revising the ICOM Code of Professional Ethics. A
draft of the current revisions, received at the recent meetings of the
Executive Council and Advisory Committee, is now given below.
This work is continuing and members of ICOM are invited to comment on the
text and to submit case studies. These should be sent to me at the address
below by 30 SEPTEMBER 2000. Any comments will then be considered by the
Committee in time for inclusion in the new version of the Code of
Professional Ethics to be submitted to the ICOM General Assembly in
Barcelona, 2001.
Geoffrey Lewis
Chair, ICOM Ethics Committee
Email: [log in to unmask]
Fax.: (44.1455) 220.708
I. Preamble
1. Definitions
II. Institutional Ethics
2. Basic Principles for Museum Governance
3. Acquisitions to Museum Collections
4. Disposal of Collections
III. Professional Conduct
5. General Principles
6. Professional Responsibility to the Collections
7. Professional Responsibility to the Public
8. Professional Responsibility to Colleagues and the Profession

I. PREAMBLE
The ICOM Code of Professional Ethics was first adopted by the unanimous
decision of the 15th General Assembly of ICOM, meeting in Buenos Aires,
Argentina on 4 November 1986. [This revised version was adopted by ]
This Code provides a general statement of professional ethics. It may be
regarded as a minimum standard of practice for members of the museum
profession. It will be possible to strengthen the Code to meet particular
national or specialised requirements and ICOM wishes to encourage this so
long as it promotes the highest standards in the museum profession. A copy
of such developments of the Code should be sent to the Secretary-General of
ICOM, Maison de l'UNESCO, 1 rue Miollis, 75732 Paris cedex 15, France.
This Code is deemed to be the statement of professional ethics referred to
in the ICOM Statutes, Articles 2 (2), 9(1(d)), 14(17(b)), 15(7(c)),
17(12(e)) and 18(7(d)). and payment of the annual subscription to ICOM by
individual and institutional members is taken as an affirmation of this Code
of Professional Ethics.
1. Definitions
1.1 The International Council of Museums (ICOM)
The International Council of Museums (ICOM) is defined in Article 1(1) of
its Statutes as "the international non-governmental organisation of museums
and professional museum workers established to advance the interests of
museology and other disciplines concerned with museum management and
operations."
The objectives of ICOM, as defined in Article 3(1) of its Statutes, are:
        "(a) To encourage and support the establishment, development and
professional management of museums of all kinds;
        (b) To advance knowledge and understanding of the nature, functions
and role of museums in the service of society and of its development;
        (c) To organise co-operation and mutual assistance between museums
and between professional museum workers in the different countries;
        (d) To represent, support and advance the interests of professional
museum personnel of all kinds
        (e) To advance and disseminate knowledge in museology and other
disciplines concerned with museum management and operations".
The words "International Council of Museums" and its logo may not be used by
members of ICOM in any published material, printed or electronic, to promote
a member or any commercial service or product.
1.2 Museum
A museum is defined in Article 2(1) of the ICOM Statutes as:
        "a non-profit making, permanent institution in the service of
society and of its development and open to the public which acquires,
conserves, researches, communicates and exhibits, for purposes of study,
education and enjoyment, material evidence of people and their environment."
        (a) The above definition of a museum shall be applied without
limitation arising from the nature of the governing body, the territorial
character, the functional structure or the orientation of the collections of
the institution concerned.
        (b) In addition to institutions designated as 'museums' the
following qualify as museums for the purposes of this definition:
        (i)     natural, archaeological and ethnographic monuments and sites
of a museum nature that acquire, conserve and communicate material evidence
of people and their environment;
        (ii)    institutions holding collections of and displaying live
specimens of plants and animals, such as botanical and zoological gardens,
aquaria and vivaria;
        (iii)    science centres and planetaria;
        (iv)     conservation institutes and exhibition galleries
permanently maintained by libraries and archive centres;
        (v)      nature reserves;
        (vi)     (vi) international or national or regional or local museum
organisations, ministries or departments or public agencies responsible for
museums as per the definition given under this article;
        (vii)    (vii) non-profit institutions or organisations undertaking
research, education, training, documentation and other activities relating
to museums and museology;
        (viii)   (viii) such other institutions as the Executive Council,
after seeking the advice of the Advisory Committee, considers as having some
or all of the characteristics of a museum, or as supporting museums and
professional museum workers through museological research, education or
training.
        [(ix) cultural centres engaged in the preservation, continuation and
management of living heritage systems on a non-profit basis.]
1.3 The Museum Profession
ICOM defines the members of the museum profession, under Article 2(2) of its
Statutes, as follows:
*       "Professional museum personnel include all the personnel of museums
or institutions qualifying as museums in accordance with the definition in
Article 2(1) (as detailed under para. 1.2 above), having received
specialised training, or possessing an equivalent practical experience, in
any field relevant to the management and operations of a museum and
independent persons respecting the ICOM Code of Professional Ethics and
working for museums as defined above, either in a professional or advisory
capacity, but not promoting or dealing with any commercial products and
equipment required for museums and services."
1.4 Governing Body
The governance and strategic control of museums in terms of policy, finance
and administration, varies greatly from one museum to another according to
the legal and other national or local provisions in force.
In this Code the term "governing body" has been used throughout to signify
the superior authority concerned with the policy, finance and administration
of the museum. This may be a government minister or official, a ministry, a
local authority, a board of trustees, a society, a non-profit company, the
head of the museum or another authorised individual or body.
The professional head of the museum is normally appointed by and directly
responsible to the governing body for the proper care and management of the
museum.
1.5 Social Responsibility
Museums are provided by a variety of public and private agencies. Those who
work for museums represent many different disciplines and skills, are
engaged under different contractual conditions. Despite this diversity, all
involved in the provision of museums - governing bodies and staff - are
responsible for the preservation and interpretation of a part of the world's
cultural heritage. All conduct their work in the service of society and of
its development. This responsibility has an important bearing on the
fundamental values and ethics of museums and museum work. All persons and
institutions are publicly accountable for their actions. Therefore, every
aspect of museum work should be conducted in an open and honest manner, and
the public interest must be predominant in decision-making.


II. INSTITUTIONAL ETHICS

This section assumes that the institution is a museum providing a public
service. Where the institution is a museum service provider, the relevant
paragraphs are still applicable.

2. Basic Principles for Museum Governance
2.1 Minimum Standards for Museums
The governing body of a museum has an ethical duty to maintain and enhance
all aspects of the museum, its collections and its services. Above all, it
has the responsibility of ensuring that all collections in its care are
adequately housed, conserved and documented.
The minimum standards for museum finance, premises, staffing and services
may be defined by law or other government regulation in some countries. In
others, guidance on and assessment of minimum standards is available in the
form of 'Accreditation', 'Registration' or similar evaluative schemes. Where
such standards are not available locally they can be obtained through the
National Committee, the appropriate International Committee of ICOM or the
ICOM Secretariat.
2.2 Constitution
Each museum should have a written constitution or other document setting out
clearly its legal status, mission and permanent, non-profit nature, in
accordance with the appropriate national laws. The governing body of a
museum should prepare and publicise a clear statement of the aims,
objectives and policies of the museum and of the role and composition of the
governing body.
2.3 Finance
The governing body holds the ultimate financial responsibility for the
museum and for protecting all its resources, including the collections and
related documentation, the premises, facilities and equipment, the financial
assets and the staff. It is required to develop and define the purposes and
related policies of the institution, and to ensure that all assets are used
properly and effectively for museum purposes. Sufficient funds must be
available on a regular basis, either from public or private sources, to
carry out and develop the work of the museum. Proper accounting procedures
must be adopted and maintained in accordance with the relevant national laws
and professional accounting standards. The collections are held in public
trust and may not be treated as a financial asset.
2.4 Premises
The governing body has an obligation to provide a suitable environment for
the physical security and preservation of the collections. The buildings and
facilities must be adequate for the museum to fulfil its basic functions of
collection, research, storage, conservation, education and display. They
should comply with all appropriate national legislation in relation to the
health, safety and accessibility of the premises having regard for the
special needs of disabled people. Proper standards of protection should be
in place at all times against hazards such as theft, fire, flood, vandalism
and deterioration. The course of action to be taken in the event of
emergency should be clearly specified.
 2.5 Personnel
The governing body has an obligation to ensure that the museum has
sufficient staff and expertise to meet its responsibilities. The size of the
staff and its nature (permanent or temporary), will depend on the size of
the museum, its collections and its responsibilities. Proper arrangements
have to be made in relation to the care of the collections, public access
and services, research and security.
The governing body has a particularly important obligation in relation to
the appointment of the director or head of the museum and should have regard
to the knowledge and skills required to fill the post effectively. The
director of a museum should be directly responsible to and have direct
access to the governing body in which trusteeship of the collections is
vested.
Members of the museum profession require appropriate and continuing
academic, technical and professional training in order to fulfil their role
in the operation of the museum and the care for the heritage. The governing
body should recognise the need for, and value of, a properly qualified and
trained staff, and offer adequate opportunities for further training and
re-training to maintain current awareness and an effective workforce.
The governing body should ensure that when the appointment, promotion,
dismissal or demotion of any member of staff occurs, such action is taken
only in accordance with appropriate procedures under the legal or other
constitutional arrangements and policies of the museum. Even when such
action has been delegated to the director or senior staff, it should ensure
that such staff changes are made in a professional and ethical manner and in
the best interests of the museum, rather than through any personal or
external factor or prejudice.
A governing body should never require a member of the museum staff to act in
a way that could reasonably be judged to conflict with the provisions of
this Code of Professional Ethics, or any national law or national or
specialist code of ethics.
2.6 Friends of Museums and Supporting Organisations
Museums depend on the public to encourage their growth and development. Many
museums have Friends and supporting organisations and it is the
institution's responsibility to create a favourable environment for their
promotion and support and to recognise their contribution, encourage the
practice, and promote a harmonious relationship between them and the
professional staff.
2.7 Educational and Community Role of the Museum
A museum is an institution in the service of society and of its development
and is generally open to the public (even though the participating public
may be limited in the case of certain specialised museums).
The museum has an important duty to develop its educational role and attract
wider audiences from all levels of the community, locality or group that it
aims to serve. It should offer opportunities for such people to become
involved in the museum and to support its aims and activities. Interaction
with the constituent community is an integral part in realising the
educational role of the museum and specialist staff are likely to be
required for this purpose.
2.8 Public Access
The museum's displays and other facilities should be physically and
intellectually accessible to the public during reasonable hours and for
regular periods. The museum should also offer the public reasonable access
to members of staff and to undisplayed collections by appointment or other
arrangement with access to requested information about the collections
subject to restrictions for reasons of confidentiality and security (see 7.3
below).
2.9 Displays, Exhibitions and Special Activities
The primary duty of the museum is to preserve its collections for the future
and use them for the creation and dissemination of knowledge, through
research, educational work, permanent displays, temporary exhibitions and
other special activities. These should be in accordance with the stated
policy and educational purpose of the museum and should not compromise
either the quality or the proper care of the collections. The museum should
seek to ensure that the information it publishes, whether through displays,
exhibitions, publications or electronically is accurate, honest, objective
and well-founded academically.
2.10 Commercial Support and Sponsorship
Museums may seek and accept financial or other support from commercial or
industrial organisations, or from other outside sources, a policy is needed
to define clearly the relationship between the museum and the sponsor. It is
of particular importance that the standards and objectives of the museum are
not compromised by such a relationship.
2.11 Income-Generating Activities
Many museums provide visitor facilities such as shops and restaurants which
have income-generating potential. In some cases there are other
opportunities for collaboration with commercial or promotional activities.
To address these issues the governing body should have a clearly defined
income-generating policy regarding the use of collections and the purpose of
the museum which does not compromise the quality or care of the collections
or the institution. This policy should clearly differentiate between
knowledge-driven and income-generating activities. Income-generating
activities should be financially beneficial for the museum but consistent
with its non-profit status. All such activities should be planned and
operated as an enhancement to the visitor experience.
Where voluntary or commercial organisations are involved in the provision of
income generating activities, relationships with the museum must be clearly
defined as well as an understanding of the activity in its museum context.
The related publicity and products should conform to agreed standards.
Replicas, reproductions and copies of items in a museum's collection must
respect the integrity of the original and be permanently marked as
facsimiles. All items offered for sale should comply with relevant national
and local legislation.
2.12 Legal Obligations
Each governing body should ensure that the museum complies fully with all
legal obligations, whether in relation to international, regional, national
or local legislation and treaty obligations. The governing body should also
comply with any legally binding trusts or conditions relating to any aspect
of the museum collections or facilities.

3. Acquisitions to Museum Collections
3.1 Collections Policies
Each museum authority should adopt and publish a written statement of its
collections policy. This policy should address issues relevant to existing
public collections (documentation, care, and use), and include guidelines
for maintaining the collections in perpetuity. Except in very exceptional
circumstances, all objects acquired should be consistent with the objectives
defined in the collections policy and selected with the expectation of
permanency and not for eventual disposal. Acquisitions of objects outside
the stated policy should only be made after careful consideration by the
governing body of the museum having regard to the interests of the object
under consideration, the national or other cultural heritage and the special
interests of other museums. However, even in these circumstances objects
without a valid title should not be acquired. The policies should include
instructions on acquisitions with conditions and limitation as well as the
restriction against acquiring material that cannot be catalogued, conserved,
stored or exhibited properly. New acquisitions should normally be made known
in a regular and consistent manner. The collections policies should be
reviewed at least once every five years.
3.2 Acquisition of Illicit Material
The illicit trade in objects destined for public and private collections
encourages the destruction of historic sites and ethnic cultures and
promotes theft at local, national and international levels. It places at
risk endangered species of flora and fauna, and contravenes the spirit of
national and international patrimony. Museums should recognise the
relationship between the market place and the destruction of objects for the
market. The museum professional must recognise that it is highly unethical
for a museum to support the illicit market in any way, directly or
indirectly.
A museum should not acquire any object by purchase, gift, bequest or
exchange unless the governing body and responsible officer are satisfied
that a valid title to it can be secured. Every endeavour must be made to
ensure that it has not been acquired in, or exported from, its country of
origin or any intermediate country in which it may have been owned legally
(including the museum's own country), in violation of that country's laws.
In addition to the safeguards set out above, a museum should not acquire
objects by any means where the governing body or responsible officer has
reasonable cause to believe that their recovery involved the unauthorised or
unscientific or intentional destruction or damage of ancient monuments or
archaeological sites, or involved a failure to disclose the finds to the
owner or occupier of the land, or to the proper legal or governmental
authorities.
A museum should not acquire, directly or indirectly, biological or
geological material that has been collected, sold or otherwise transferred
in contravention of any national or international wildlife protection or
natural history conservation law or treaty of the museum's own country or
any other country.
If appropriate and feasible, the same tests outlined in the preceding
paragraphs should be applied in determining whether or not to accept loans
for exhibition or other purposes.
Nothing in this section shall prevent a museum from acting as the authorised
repository for objects or specimens recovered from illicit trading or export
in the country in which it is situated.
3.3 Field Study and Collecting
Museums should assume a position of leadership in the effort to halt the
degradation of the world's natural history, archaeological, ethnographic,
historic and artistic resources. Each museum should develop policies that
allow it to conduct its activities within appropriate national and
international laws and treaty obligations, and with a reasonable certainty
that its approach is consistent with the spirit and intent of both national
and international efforts to protect and enhance the cultural heritage.
Field exploration, collecting and excavation should only be conducted in
accordance with the laws and regulations of the host country. Planning for
field studies and field collecting must be preceded by investigation,
disclosure and consultation with the proper authorities and any interested
museums or academic institutions in the country or area of the proposed
study. This consultation should ascertain if the proposed activity is both
legal and justifiable on academic and scientific grounds. Any field
programme must be executed in such a way that all participants act legally
and responsibly in acquiring specimens and data, and that they discourage
unethical, illegal and destructive practices by all practical means.
3.4 Co-operation Between Museums on Collections Policies
Each museum should recognise the need for co-operation and consultation
between museums with similar interests and collecting policies, and should
consult with such other institutions both on acquisitions where a conflict
of interest is possible and on defining areas of specialisation. Museums
should respect the collecting areas of other museums.

3.5 Conditional Acquisitions and Other Special Factors
Gifts, bequests and loans should only be accepted if they conform to the
stated collections and exhibitions policies of the museum. Offers that are
subject to special conditions may have to be rejected if the conditions
proposed are judged to be contrary to the long-term interests of the museum
and its public.
3.6 Loans to and from Museums
The loan of objects and the mounting or borrowing of loan exhibitions can
have an important role in enhancing the interest and quality of a museum and
its services. However, the ethical principles outlined above (paras. 3.1 to
3.5) must apply to the consideration of proposed loans and loan exhibitions
as well as to the acceptance or rejection of items offered to the permanent
collections. Loans should not be accepted or exhibited if they do not have a
valid educational, scientific or academic purpose.
Objects from a museum collection should be loaned only to other scientific,
research or educational institutions and not to private individuals. Such
loans should support valid educational, scientific or academic activities.

3.7 Conflicts of Interest
The collections policy or regulations of a museum should include provisions
to ensure that no person involved in the policy or management of that
museum, such as a trustee or other member of a governing body, or a member
of the museum staff, may compete with the museum for objects or may take
advantage of privileged information received because of his or her position.
Should a conflict of interest develop between the needs of the individual
and the museum, those of the museum should prevail. Special care is also
required in considering any offer of an item either for sale or as a
tax-benefit gift, from members of governing bodies, members of staff, or the
families or close associates of these persons.
4. Disposal of Collections
4.1 General Presumption of Permanence of Collections
One of the key functions of almost every kind of museum is to acquire
objects and keep them for posterity. Consequently, there must always be a
strong presumption against the disposal of objects or specimens to which a
museum has assumed formal title. Any form of disposal, whether by donation,
exchange, sale or destruction requires a high order of curatorial judgement
and should be approved by the governing body only after full expert and
legal advice has been taken.
Special considerations may apply to certain kinds of specialised
institutions such as "living" or "working" museums and some teaching and
other educational museums. Museums and other institutions which display
living specimens, such as botanical and zoological gardens and aquaria, may
find it necessary to regard at least part of their collections as
replaceable or renewable. In other cases destructive analytical techniques
for investigative purposes may result in the loss of part of a specimen or
object. In all cases there is a clear ethical obligation to ensure that such
activities are not detrimental to the long-term survival of examples of the
material studied, displayed or used and that a detailed report of all such
activities becomes a permanent part of the collections record.
4.2 Legal or Other Powers of Disposal
The laws on the protection and permanence of museum collections and the
power of museums to dispose of items from their collection vary greatly from
one museum to another. No disposals are permitted by some institutions,
except for items that have been seriously damaged by natural or accidental
deterioration. Elsewhere, there may be no explicit restriction on disposals.

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 fully be complied with. Even where legal powers of
disposal exist, a museum may not be completely free to dispose of items
acquired with financial assistance from an outside source (e.g. public or
private grants, donations from a Friends of the Museum organisation, or
private benefactor). These disposals normally require the consent of all
parties who had contributed to the original purchase.
Where the original acquisition was subject to mandatory restrictions these
must be observed unless it can be clearly shown that adherence to such
restrictions is impossible or substantially detrimental to the institution.
Even in these circumstances the museum can be relieved only from such
restrictions through appropriate legal procedures.
4.3 Deaccessioning Policies and Procedures
Where a museum has the necessary legal powers to dispose of an object the
decision to sell or otherwise dispose of material from the collections
should be taken only after due consideration and such material should be
offered first by exchange, gift or private treaty sale to other museums
before sale by public auction or other means is considered. The manner of
disposal should reflect the best interest of the museum, the public trust it
fulfils in maintaining and preserving its collections and the scholarly
community it represents. A decision to dispose of a museum object or
specimen whether by exchange, sale or destruction should be the
responsibility of the governing body of the museum acting in conjunction
with the director and the curator of the collection. The manner of
deaccessioning should reflect the ethical and legal responsibilities of the
museum, the character of its collections (whether renewable or
non-renewable) and the public trust it fulfils in preserving its
collections. Full records must be kept of all such decisions and the objects
involved and proper arrangements made for the preservation and/or transfer,
as appropriate, of the documentation relating to the object, including
photographic records and any other technological media where practicable.
Members of the museum staff, the governing body, or their families or close
associates, should never be permitted to purchase objects that have been
de-accessioned from a collection. Similarly, no such person should be
permitted to appropriate items from the museum collections, even
temporarily, to any personal collection or for personal use.

4.4 Return and Restitution of Cultural Property
If a museum should come into possession of an object that can be
demonstrated to have been exported or otherwise transferred in violation of
the principles of the UNESCO Convention on the Means of Prohibiting and
Preventing the Illicit Import, Export and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural
Property (1970) and the country or people of origin seek its return and
demonstrate that it is part of the country's or people's cultural heritage,
the museum should, if legally free to do so, take prompt and responsible
steps to co-operate in the return of the object.
In response to the return of cultural property to the country or people of
origin, museums should be prepared to initiate dialogues with an open-minded
attitude based on scientific and professional principles (in preference to
action at a governmental or political level). In addition the possibility of
developing bilateral or multilateral partnerships with museums in countries
which have lost a significant part of their cultural heritage should be
explored.
Museums should also respect fully the terms of the Convention for the
Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict (The Hague
Convention, 1954 and its Second Protocol, 1999). In support of this
Convention, museums should abstain from purchasing, appropriating or
acquiring cultural objects from any occupied country.
4.5. Income from Deaccessioning of Collections
Moneys or compensation received from the deaccessioning and disposal of
objects and specimens from a museum collection should be used for the
purchase of additions to the collection.

III. PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT
This section assumes that the museum professional is employed in a museum.
Where the individual provides a service to a museum through a specialised
agency or as a museum service provider, the relevant sections are still
applicable.

5. General Principles
5.1. Ethical Obligations of Members of the Museum Profession
Employment by a museum, whether publicly or privately supported, is a public
trust involving great responsibility. Therefore, museum employees must act
with integrity and in accordance with the most stringent ethical principles
as well as the highest standards of objectivity in all activities.
An essential element of membership of a profession is the implication of
both rights and obligations. Although the conduct of a professional is
ordinarily regulated by the basic rules of moral behaviour which govern
human relationships, every occupation involves standards, as well as
particular duties, responsibilities and opportunities that create the need
for a statement of guiding principles. The museum professional should
understand two guiding principles: first, that museums are the object of a
public trust whose value to the community is in direct proportion to the
quality of service rendered; and, second, that intellectual ability and
professional knowledge are not, in themselves, sufficient, but must be
inspired by a high standard of ethical conduct.
The director and other professional staff owe professional and academic
allegiance to their museum and should always act in accordance with the
approved policies of the museum. The director or other principal museum
officer should comply with the terms of the ICOM Code of Professional
Ethics. The director or other principal museum officer should also be aware
of any other codes or policies on ethics relevant to museum work, and should
urge the governing body to comply with these standards whenever appropriate.
5.2 Personal 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.
Applicants for any professional post should divulge frankly and in
confidence all information relevant to the consideration of their
applications and, if appointed, should recognise that museum work is
normally regarded as a full-time vocation. Even when the terms of employment
permit outside employment or business interests, the director and other
senior staff should not undertake other paid employment or accept outside
commissions that are in conflict with the ethical and legal interests of the
museum. In accepting such paid or unpaid assignments museum staff should be
alert to the personal and institutional ethical principles that should not
be compromised.
5.3 Private Interests
While members of a profession are entitled to a measure of personal
independence, museum professionals must realise that no private business or
professional interest can be wholly separated from their institution or
other official affiliation, despite disclaimers that may be offered. Any
museum-related activity by the individual may reflect on the institution or
be attributed to it. The professional must be concerned not only with true
personal motivations and interests, but also with the way in which such
actions might be construed by the outside observer.
Museum employees and others in a close relationship with them must not
accept gifts, favours, loans or other personal benefits that may be offered
to them in connection with their duties for the museum (see also 8.4 below).

6. Professional Responsibility to the Collections
6.1 Acquisitions to Museum Collections
The director and professional staff should take all possible steps to ensure
that a written collections policy is adopted by the governing body of the
museum and thereafter reviewed and revised at regular intervals. This
policy, as formally adopted and revised by the governing body, should form
the basis of all professional decisions and recommendations in relation to
acquisitions.
Negotiations concerning the acquisition of items for museum collections from
members of the public must be conducted with scrupulous fairness to the
seller or donor. No object should be deliberately or misleadingly identified
for the benefit of the museum. Also, an object should not be taken or
retained on loan with the deliberate intention of improperly procuring it
for the collections.
6.2 Care of Collections
It is a crucial professional obligation to care for the collections. It is,
therefore, an important professional responsibility to ensure that all items
accepted temporarily or permanently by the museum are properly and fully
documented to facilitate provenance, identification, condition and
treatment. All objects accepted by the museum should be properly housed and
maintained.
Careful attention should be given to the development of policies to protect
the collections against natural and man-made disasters and the means of
ensuring the best possible security as a protection against theft in
displays, exhibitions, working or storage areas, against accidental damage
when handling objects and against damage or theft in transit. Where it is
the national or local policy to use commercial insurance arrangements, the
staff should ensure that the insurance cover is adequate, especially for
objects in transit and loan items, or other objects which are not owned by
the museum but are its current responsibility.
Members of the museum profession should not delegate important curatorial,
conservation, or other professional responsibilities to persons who lack the
appropriate knowledge and skill, or who are inadequately supervised to
assist in the care of the collections. There is also a clear duty to consult
professional colleagues within or outside the museum if at any time the
expertise available in a particular museum or department is insufficient to
ensure the welfare of items in the collections under its care.
6.3 Conservation and Restoration of Collections
One of the essential ethical obligations of each member of the museum
profession is to ensure the proper care and conservation of collections and
individual items for which the employing institutions are responsible and to
ensure that the collections are passed on to future generations in as good
and safe a condition as practicable having regard to current knowledge and
resources.
Special attention must be paid to preventative conservation, including the
provision of suitable environmental protection against natural or artificial
causes of deterioration of museum collections.
The degree of replacement or restoration of lost or damaged parts of an
object, specimen or work of art that may be ethically acceptable calls for
proper co-operation between all who have a specialised responsibility for
the object and should not be decided unilaterally. The restoration of sacred
objects may be unacceptable to the communities which produced them and have
on-going associations with them.
6.4 Documentation of Collections
The recording and documenting of collections in accordance with appropriate
standards is an important professional obligation and responsibility. It is
particularly important that collection documentation should include a
complete description of all items, their provenance and source and the
conditions of acceptance by the museum. Collection data should be maintained
actively and augmented in the on-going life of the museum. Such data should
be kept in a secure environment and be supported with retrieval systems
providing access to the data by the staff and other legitimate users (see
2.7).
6.5 Welfare of Live Animals
Where museums and related institutions maintain living animals for
exhibition or research purposes, the health and well-being of any such
creatures must be a basic ethical consideration. It is essential that the
animals and their living conditions are inspected regularly by a veterinary
surgeon or other equally qualified persons. The museum should prepare and
implement a safety code for the protection of staff and visitors which has
been approved by an expert in the veterinary field.
6.6 Human Remains and Material of Sacred Significance
Where a museum maintains collections of human remains and material of sacred
significance, these should be housed securely and respectfully, and
carefully maintained as archival collections in scholarly institutions and
be available for legitimate study on request. Research on such objects,
their housing and care as well as any replication of them must be
accomplished in a manner acceptable not only to fellow professionals but
also to those of various beliefs, including particular members of the
community, ethnic or religious groups concerned. Although there may be
occasion to use sensitive material in interpretative exhibits, this must be
done with great tact and with respect for the feelings of human dignity held
by all peoples.
Furthermore, requests for removal from public display of human remains or
material of sacred significance 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.

6.7 Private Collecting
The acquiring, collecting and owning of objects by a museum professional for
a personal collection may not in itself be unethical but may be regarded as
a valuable way of enhancing professional knowledge and judgement. However,
no member of the museum profession should compete with their institution
either in the acquisition of objects or in any personal collecting activity.
In some countries and in many individual museums, members of the museum
profession are not permitted to have private collections and such rules must
be respected. Where there are no such restrictions, a member of the museum
profession with a private collection should, on appointment, provide the
governing body with a description of the collection and a statement of the
extent of the practised collecting. An agreement between the museum
professional and the governing body concerning the private collection must
be formulated and scrupulously followed. (See also 8.4 below).
7. Professional Responsibility to the Public
7.1. Upholding Professional Standards
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 in the aims,
purposes and aspirations of the profession in order to develop a better
public understanding of the purposes and responsibilities of museums and of
the profession.
7.2. Relations with the Public
Members of the museum profession should always deal with the public
efficiently and courteously and should respond promptly to all
correspondence and enquiries. Subject to the requirements of
confidentiality, museum professionals should share their expertise with the
public and specialists, allowing legitimate researchers controlled but full
access to requested material or ocumentation in their care even when this is
subject of personal research or special field of interest.
7.3. Confidentiality
Members of the museum profession must protect all confidential information
about the source of material owned by or loaned to the museum, as well as
information concerning the security arrangements of the museum, or of
private collections and locations visited during official duties (see also
2.7 above).
Items brought to the museum for identification and information associated
with them can result in a strong conflict of interest over the professional
requirement to disseminate and advance knowledge and the wish of a private
person or institution to maintain confidentiality. The advantages of
advancing knowledge should be explained to the informant but such
information should not be passed to any other institution or person without
specific authority from the owner. Information recorded for oral histories
and other purposes must be treated in the same way. This situation is
subject to a legal obligation to assist the police or other proper
authorities in investigating possible stolen, illicitly acquired or
transferred property.

8. Professional Responsibility to Colleagues and the Profession
8.1 Professional Responsibility
Members of the profession may properly object to proposals or practices
which are perceived to have a damaging effect on a museum or museums, or the
profession on matters of professional ethics. Such differences should be
expressed in an objective manner.

8.2 Professional Relationships
Members of the museum profession have an obligation to share their knowledge
and experience with their colleagues and with 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 which may be of benefit to others without thought of personal
gain.
The training of personnel in the specialised activities involved in museum
work is of great importance in the development of the profession and all
should accept responsibility, where appropriate, in the training of
colleagues. Members of the profession who have responsibility for junior
staff, trainees, students and assistants undertaking formal or informal
professional training, should give these persons the benefit of their
experience and knowledge and should also treat them with the consideration
and respect customary among members of the profession.
Similarly, the development of beneficial volunteer work depends on a
positive relationship between members of the museum profession and
volunteers. The professional staff of museums should give constructive
attention to volunteers to sustain a viable and harmonious working
environment. (See 1.5 and 2.6 above)
Members of the profession form working relationships with numerous other
people, professional and volunteer, within and outside the museum in which
they are employed. They are expected to conduct these relationships with
courtesy and fair-mindedness and to render their professional services to
others efficiently and to a high standard.
8.3 Dealing
No member of the museum profession should participate in any dealing (buying
or selling for profit), in cultural property. Dealing by museum employees
can present serious problems even if there is no risk of direct conflict
with the employing museum and should not be permitted. (See Article 7(5) of
the ICOM Statutes)
8.4 Other Potential Conflicts of Interest
Generally, members of the museum profession should refrain from all acts or
activities which may be construed as a conflict of interest. Museum
professionals by virtue of their knowledge, experience and contacts are
frequently offered opportunities, such as advisory and consultancy services,
teaching, writing and broadcasting opportunities, or requests for
valuations, in a personal capacity. Even where the national law and the
individual's conditions of employment permit such activities, these may
appear to colleagues, the employing authority, or the public, to create a
conflict of interest. In such situations, all legal and employment contract
conditions must be scrupulously followed and, if a potential conflict
arises, the matter should be reported immediately to an appropriate superior
officer or the museum governing body and steps must be taken to eliminate
the potential conflict of interest.
Great care should be taken to ensure that outside interests do not interfere
in any way with the proper discharge of official duties and
responsibilities.
8.5 Authentication and Valuation (Appraisal)
Sharing knowledge and expertise with professional colleagues and the public
(see 7.2 above) is integral with the purpose of museums. This service should
be conducted to the highest scholarly standards. However, conflicts of
interest can arise in the authentication and valuation or appraisal of
objects. Opinions on the monetary value of objects should be given only on
official request from other museums or competent legal, governmental or
other responsible public authorities. Where the museum may be the
beneficiary for financial or legal reasons, appraisal must be undertaken
independently.
Members of the museum profession should not identify or otherwise
authenticate objects which they believe, or suspect, have been illegally or
illicitly acquired, transferred, imported or exported. They should not act
in any way that could be regarded as benefiting such activity, directly or
indirectly. Where there is reason to believe, or suspect, illegal or illicit
conduct, the appropriate authorities should be notified.
8.6. Unprofessional Conduct
Every member of the museum profession should be conversant with national and
local laws, conditions of employment, as well as rules concerning corrupt
practices. They should avoid situations which could be construed as corrupt
or improper conduct of any kind. No museum official should accept any gift,
hospitality, or any form of reward from any dealer, auctioneer or other
person as an improper inducement of soliciting favour or in respect of the
purchase or disposal of museum items or any other benefit.
A museum professional should not recommend a particular dealer, auctioneer
or appraiser to a member of the public to avoid any suspicion of corruption.
Nor should a museum employee accept any "special price" or discount for
personal purchases from any dealer with whom the individual or employing
museum has a professional relationship.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Change ICOM-L subscription options, unsubscribe, and search the
archives at:  http://home.ease.lsoft.com/archives/icom-l.html