Dear ICOM colleagues,

After lengthy discussion amongst the museum community in Australia, Museums
Australia has revised its definition of 'museum'.

The new definition, through amendment of Article 5.3 of the MA
Constitution, was formally adopted at the Annual General Meeting of Museums
Australia on 22 March 2002.

It now reads:


Museums Australia defines "museum" as an institution with the following
characteristics:

A museum helps people understand the world by using objects and ideas to
interpret the past and present and explore the future. A museum preserves
and researches collections, and makes objects and information accessible in
actual and virtual environments. Museums are established in the public
interest as permanent, not-for-profit organisations that contribute
long-term value to communities.

Museums Australia recognises that museums of science, history and art may
be designated by many other names (including gallery and Keeping Place). In
addition, the following may qualify as museums for the purposes of this
definition:

(a) natural, archaeological and ethnographic monuments and sites and
historical monuments and sites of a museum nature that acquire, conserve
and communicate material evidence of people and their environment;

(b) institutions holding collections of and displaying specimens of plants
and animals, such as botanical and zoological gardens, herbaria, aquaria
and vivaria;

(c) science centres;

(d) cultural centres and other entities that facilitate the preservation,
continuation and management of tangible or intangible heritage resources
(living heritage and digital creative activity);

(e) such other institutions as the Council considers as having some or all
of the characteristics of a museum.


Regards,

MARGARET BIRTLEY
Vice-President
Museums Australia
www.museumsaustralia.org.au

Direct tel      ( 61  3 )  9251 7057
Direct fax      ( 61  3 )  9244 6755
Email           <[log in to unmask]>
http://arts.deakin.edu.au/museumstudies

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