Many thanks Peter, I will think on this.  But you should also feel free to
contribute directly to the suggested revisions on ICOM-L.  I'm staying
quiet a little while to allow others to react or propose more.  I've always
been careful about leaping into the ICOM-L discussions with my
Vice-President identity.

However I have a high degree of interest in this issue: to ensure that now
the moment has come, a really good re-definition is achieved (and not -
again - a bad compromise of differently angled possibilities, or
bureaucratic alteration).  This so easily occurs in ICOM, through language,
cultural and other differences, and the difficulty that many have in
shaping a debate carefully and constructively).  We achieved a remarkable
degree of movement forward in recent years through the Reform process and
wonderful group-effort I chaired.  A much better set of statements and ICOM
documents is emerging.
I'm now really concerned that we achieve a good new definition of museums.
Best wishes,
Bernice

At 15/10/2003 09:27 AM, you wrote:
>Dear Bernice
>
>Your definition is quite long.  What about splitting it thus:
>
>Museums are permanent institutions that conserve and communicate
>knowledge of the natural world and the cultural inheritance of humanity
>through collections, records, memories, images, and sites. Museums
>interpret
>and research for present and future generations."
>
>  It removes the possibly unnecessary and to my mind ugly "they care
>for" and (less defensively) in public trust.  I think it is really
>important to keep any definition short.
>
>This is my personal comment.
>
>Sincerely
>
>Peter
>
>
>
>
>Peter Stanbury OAM, PhD
>Chair, UMAC
>ICOM's International Committee for University Museums and Collections)
>Museums, Collections & Heritage
>Vice-Chancellors Office
>Macquarie University
>New South Wales 2109
>AUSTRALIA
>
>+61 (0) 2 9850 7431
>+61 (0) 2 9850 75 65 (fax)
>
>[log in to unmask]
>
>www.icom.org/umac
>www.museums.mq.edu.au
>
> >>> [log in to unmask] 14/10/2003 11:37:58 am >>>
>I have one more element to add to the definition I proposed last week.
>
>Reviewing the conversation about the important elements in our
>re-definition of museums, I appreciate that 'research' is such an
>important
>value in the life of museums (and requires continued defence and
>resources), that we would do well to make sure it is not lost from
>public
>consciousness - including all the ethical considerations attaching to
>standards of scientific research internationally.
>
>I would be pleased to include it in the suggestion I made earlier,
>adding
>to Gary Edson's current list of options.  I am still arguing for a
>simple-sentence, readable definition for general public understanding,
>but
>one that also has intellectual integrity for the diversity of the
>museum
>profession today.  I would therefore include 'research' towards the end
>of
>the statement I propose - NOT near the beginning, as in the various
>older
>ICOM definitions (where 'research' seemed straight away to present
>museums
>as focused primarily on the activities of the researchers, rather than
>the
>public as beneficiaries and social participants in the conservation of
>cultural and natural heritage).
>
>The addition of 'research' would therefore make my suggestion read:
>
>"Museums are permanent institutions that conserve and communicate
>knowledge
>of the natural world and the cultural inheritance of humanity through
>collections, records, memories, images, and sites they care for,
>research
>and interpret, in public trust, for present and future generations."
>
>Bernice Murphy
>
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