Can the German experiment be transfered to other countries?

Of course it is very important to put this question and to consider well 
the German particularities, as some of you did in your recent 
contributions to ICOM-L.

As an active member of ICOM-Germany, the German Museums Association and 
my regional (Saxonian) museums association I would like go give some 
comments.

Reviewing the German experiment Aidan Walsh wrote:
"but do bear in mind that Germany may not be typical as it has no 
national association and ICOM is very attractive in that context."

Manus Brinkmann wrote: "ICOM Germany has a super-active national 
committee and it is also a country with a relatively weak museums 
association."

I disagree with both statements.

1) Since 1917 there is a national association (Deutscher Museumsbund); 
see <http://www.museumsbund.de>. In addition to that - and this is very 
particular in Germany - each federal state has its own regional museums 
association, that cares particularly for the middle seized and smaller 
museums.

2) During the last years both ICOM and the German Museums Association 
have worked more closely together than before - the executive boards as 
well as the staff (e.g. both offices are situated now in the same building).

3) What about the "weakness"? It is obvious, that ICOM has by far more 
personal members, but the Museums Associations have more institutional 
members. Concerning publications, conventions and working groups the 
German Museums Association is the lead.

According to my view, in Germany there are three levels of associations 
(international, national and regional), each of them being strong and 
active in its own field.

Therefore my personal case is quite typical: My museum is an 
institutional member of the regional as well as the national museums 
association, but I could not convince my City Council to pay for a third 
museums association - therefore I am a personal ICOM member. Under these 
conditions it was very wise that ICOM Germany made the institutional 
membership more attractive.

Summing up: not the weakness but the strength of  the national and 
regional museums associations was the reason for the experiment as well 
as for its success.

Dr. Thomas Schuler
former director of Schloßbergmuseum Chemnitz
Chairperson of  ICOM "Disaster Relief for Museums Task Force"

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Change ICOM-L subscription options, unsubscribe, and search the
archives at:  http://home.ease.lsoft.com/archives/icom-l.html