John and list (including AAM'ers to correct if I'm wrong)--as I recall
the "old" definition it was along these lines:

a museum is an organized, permanent, non-profit institution, aesthetic
or educational in purpose, with professional staff, which owns and
utilizes tangible objects, cares for them, and exhibits them to the
public on some regular schedule

This definition is quoted, along with several others, in G. Ellis
Burcaw's _Introduction to Museum Work_, originally an American
Association of State and Local History publication, recently re-published
in a third edition by AltaMira Press.

I believe that there is ongoing discussion at the AAM about the
definition, and perhaps an AAM person will respond and let us know.

John Pearce

On Tue, 24 Mar 1998, John Chadwick wrote:

> 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.
>
> Does anyone have a source for this definition?
>
> Thanks,
>
> john chadwick
>
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