Stephen Nowlin wrote:
>
> If it is the intention of the organizers to ultimately donate these
> artifacts to a public collection, then I don't see that their other
> commercial activities  present an ethical issue for an exhibiting museum.
>
> However, if these objects are to be sold after being temporarily exhibited
> in a museum, the ethics become more problematic.  The exhibiting museum
> would be allowing itself to serve as a marketing tool for the commercial
> enterprise -- both advertising its merchandise and possibly affecting the
> value of the objects.


How would this apply to the policy of art museums relating to the
display of privately-owned works of art which are loaned to museums?

Is it possible that their display and the public enjoyment of the
resource may be diminished by the fact that they may someday be sold at
a profit by the individual who owns them?

Greg Stemm