John,
You might try the following books:
George, Gerald and Cindy Sherrell-Leo.
1986 Starting Right: A Basic Guide to Museum Planning.
Nashville, TN: AASLH.
Nichols, Susan K., ed.
1989 Organizing Your Museum: The Essentials. Washington,
D.C.: AAM.
Oleck, Howard L.
Nonprofit Corporations, Organizations and Associations.
Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, Inc.
Some of these books and others that may prove to be very helpful are
available through the AAM bookstore catalogue. Also, consult
books/articles on Nonprofits, since museums have to follow similar legal
guidelines.
I had to do a paper similar to what you asked, but creating
a hypothetical museum. First, you will need to establish a board and
seek out the necessary paperwork for establishing a nonprofit in your
state. This information is typically available from the Secretary of
State (also consult the appropriate laws for the State in which you want
to establish the museum). You will also need to obtain a copy of IRS
publication 557: Tax Exempt Status for your organization, to familiarize
yourself with the necessary procedure for seeking out tax exemption.
State tax laws will also need to be looked into. Then, depending on the
State, you will also need to have an Organization Meeting to elect
Officers and to draft Bylaws. All of these issues should be covered in
the above listing of books.
Good luck in your search.
Laura McMann
Museum Studies Program
The George Washington University
<[log in to unmask]>
On Thu, 12 Oct 1995, John C. Lewandowski wrote:
> I was looking for a source (book, article, or even a personal interview)
> of someone who has started a museum from scratch: from idea to opening
> day. I know it can be done with a little work, however I was looking to
> avoid any pitfalls that others may have faced. I have found a local
> library which carries items from AAM, but they are not very well
> cataloged and not very complete. Thanks in advance.
>
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