Dear all,

Thanks to the CMA for sharing its draft version. I wonder what the Canadian 
thinking is about 'virtual' museums, and whether they should be overtly 
included in a definition?

In Australia, we recently (March 2002) adopted a new definition of 'museum' 
as part of the constitution of our national peak professional organisation, 
Museums Australia. Note that it acknowledges both the 'actual' and the 
'virtual', and moves the technical references to 'non-profit' and 
'permanent' to the final sentence.

Museums Australia defines 'museum' as an institution with the following 
characteristics:

A museum helps people understand the world by using objects and ideas to 
interpret the past and present and explore the future. A museum preserves 
and researches collections, and makes objects and information accessible in 
actual and virtual environments. Museums are established in the public 
interest as permanent, not-for-profit organisations that contribute 
long-term value to communities.

Museums Australia recognises that museums of science, history and art may 
be designated by many other names (including gallery and Keeping Place). In 
addition, the following may qualify as museums for the purposes of this 
definition:
(a) natural, archaeological and ethnographic monuments and sites and 
historical monuments and sites of a museum nature that acquire, conserve 
and communicate material evidence of people and their environment;
(b) institutions holding collections of and displaying specimens of plants 
and animals, such as botanical and zoological gardens, herbaria, aquaria 
and vivaria;
(c) science centres;
(d) cultural centres and other entities that facilitate the preservation, 
continuation and management of tangible or intangible heritage resources 
(living heritage and digital creative activity);
(e) such other institutions as the Council considers as having some or all 
of the characteristics of a museum.

Margaret Birtley
Vice-President, Museums Australia
&
Hon Secretary, ICOM-ICTOP


At 04:30 PM 12/6/2003 -0400, you wrote:
>As requested by many of you, I am posting the DRAFT definition of "museum" 
>that a special committee of the CMA has been working on.
>
>Voici la plus récente version de la définition de "musée" de l'AMC.
>
>
>Please note this is a draft still and some changes are under 
>consideration.  If you have any comments, we would certainly be interested 
>in them. Please send to both myself and Andrée Gendreau, the chair of the 
>CMA Committee.
>
>Si vous avez des commentaires, veuilliez me les faire parvenir, ainsi qu' 
>à  Mme Andrée Gendreau, la présidente du comité.  Merci.
>
>
>
>Proposed CMA's definition of  "museum"  (version May 2003)
>
>
>«A museum is a non-profit permanent institution in service of society, 
>that operates an exhibition place regularly open to the general public. By 
>acquiring, preserving, researching, interpreting and exhibiting tangible 
>and intangible evidence of society and the environment, the museum engages 
>with its visitors, promotes understanding and learning, and offers to all 
>the enjoyment of sharing authentic cultural and/or natural heritage. This 
>definition includes institutions that pursue similar objectives and 
>accomplish most or some of the museum's functions.
>
>
>
>VERSION FRANCAISE  (mai 2003)
>
>
>Un musée est une institution permanente sans but lucratif qui maintient un 
>lieu d'exposition régulièrement ouvert au public. Par l'acquisition, la 
>conservation, la recherche, l'interprétation et l'exposition des témoins 
>matériels et immatériels de la société et de l'environnement, le musée 
>interagit avec ses visiteurs, favorise la compréhension et l'éducation, et 
>offre à tous le plaisir de partager un authentique patrimoine culturel 
>et/ou naturel. Cette définition inclut les institutions qui poursuivent 
>des objectifs similaires et accomplissent la plupart ou certaines des 
>fonctions du musée.
>
>
>----------------------------------------------------------
>John G. McAvity
>Executive Director/Directeur général
>Canadian Museums Association   www.museums.ca
>Association des musées canadiens   www.musees.ca
>
>
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