Paisley,
 
Nearly every year at the ALI-ABA / Smithsonian sponsored Legal Issues of
Museum Administration Course, there is a session on privatization.  You
might look at the back issues of the proceedings.  Also, I believe that
Milwaukee Public Museum went private a couple of years ago.  I'm sure there
is something written about that.
 
>Supposing as a result of the current political and economic
>philosophies a state decides to privatize what are currently
>'state museums' (say... art, history, science/technology,
>natural history....), what are the various ethical and legal
>ramifications, limitations, complications, etc. relative to the
>ownership of the collections?
>For the sake of discussion, assume that ALL the collections
>are currently state owned.  Is a state legally obligated to
>continue ownership?  Would that vary from state to state?  If a
>state is obligated to maintain ownership, are there any
>precedents that would require a financial commitment by the
>state with respect to the collections?
>If it all boils down to the ethical issues rather than legal, what
>role should groups such as AAM, AASLH, NIC, Art Museum Directors
>Assoc., Assoc. Syst. Coll., etc. take relative to a state's
>decision - (either if the state decides to divest itself
>entirely of the collecitons, or if the state retains ownership
>but doesn't intend to spend any money for care and maintenance)?
 
Hypothetical?  Scarry!!!!
 
Suzanne
 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Suzanne Quigley
Head Registrar
Detroit Institute of Arts
313 833 0261
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