The U.S. Institute of Museum & Library Services (formerly Institute of
Museum Services) provides this definition under "eligibility criteria" for
its museum operating grants:

> be organized as a public or private non-profit institution that exists on
a permanent basis for essentially educational or aesthetic purposes, and

>care for, and own OR USE tangible objects, whether animate or inanimate,
and exhibit these objects on a regular basis through facilities which it
owns or operates, and

>have at least one professional staff member or the fulltime equivalent,
whether paid or unpaid, whose primary responsibility is the acquisition,
care or exhibition to the public of objects owned or used by the museum, and

>be open an providing museum services to the general public (minimum of 120
days per year) and

>two paragraphs specifically related to how long it has existed, and its
location within the United States or its territories, all requisite to grant
eligibility.

"The following are among the types of museums that may apply:
Aquariums, arboretums, art museums, botanical gardens, children's/youth
museums, general museums with two or more significant disciplines, history
museums, historic houses/sites, natural history museums, nature centers,
planetariums, science/technology centers, specialized museums limited to a
single, distinct subject, zoological parks."


>>I seem to remember that there is AAM had, at one time, amd maybe still
>>does, an official definition of a museum. It included a collection, public
>>access, regular hours, etc.
>
>In case it is of interest, the definition used by the UK Museums and
>Galleries Commission as a requirement for its museum registration scheme
>is the one adopted by the UK Museums Association in 1984:
>
>        "A museum is an institution which collects, documents,
>        preserves, exhibits and interprets material evidence and
>        associated information for the public benefit"
>
>Each of the terms in this definition is expanded in a series of notes in
>the MGC's "Registration guidelines" document dated 1995.
>
>Leonard Will
>--
>Willpower Information       (Partners: Dr Leonard D Will, Sheena E Will)
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