The AAM definition of a museum, which is essentially the one below, contains
one important change that was quietly made several years ago (1989 I
believe): the phrase "own and utilize" now reads "own or utilize". This
accommodates non-collecting institutions.

Unfortunately, the 1997 (third) edition of G. Ellis Burcaw's *Introduction
to Museum Work* does not contain this update. Burcaw's book is available
from Altamira Press.
Pat Miller


At 10:03 AM 3/26/98 -0500, you wrote:
>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)
>>Information Management Consultants                 Tel: +44 181 372 0092
>>27 Calshot Way, Enfield, Middlesex, EN2 7BQ, UK    Fax: +44 181 372 0094
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>
>
Patricia L. Miller, Executive Director
Illinois Heritage Association
602 1/2 E. Green St.
Champaign, IL 61820
(217)359-5600; fax (217) 344-6171; email [log in to unmask]