Suggest that you look at the ICOM Code of Ethics which is available at:

http://palimpsest.stanford.edu/icom/ethics

You should pay particular attention to developing a clear acquisitions policy. You should not assume that just because someone offers to donate something to your museum they have full title. If you accept without exercising due diligence in investigating the title you may find yourself subsequently in a very hot legal dispute when the real owners turn up and claim what is rightfully theirs.

A recent case shows how essential a code of ethics is. The Museum of Modern Art in Toulouse appears to have accepted  a donation before all questions of ownership had been settled - moreover the museum appears to have been fully aware of the questionable title being passed on. This is quite contrary to the ICOM code which puts the onus on Museums to exercise the utmost caution when accepting donations and to examine the provenance very carefully. 

The pictures had been on long term loan to the Dallas Museum of Art and were extracted by means of forged signatures shortly after the owners death. Full details of the case can be seen at:

http://museum-security.org/denney/index.htm


----------
From:   Karen C Whitehair[SMTP:[log in to unmask]]
Sent:   30 April 1997 03:06
To:     [log in to unmask]
Subject:        staff code of ethics

We have begun preparing our application for AAM accreditation and with
the new requirements we will need to develop our own code of ethics for
our staff.  We would be interested seeing models of  what others have
developed for their staff.   Please reply directly by e-mail or by snail
mail at:

                Karen Whitehair, Curator
                Historic Spanish Point
                Gulf Coast Heritage Association, Inc.
                P.O. Box 846
                Osprey, FL  34229

Much thanks in advance.