The definition of a museum has evolved, in line with developments in society. Within the cultural sector, museums play an important role in the transmission of knowledge, learning and understanding of cultural identities. The guidelines and application form are now available for download. Net, and specifically within the work package 2, dedicated to the creation of a common language in the virtual museum domain. Undergraduate, master, phd students enrolled in a museology, museum studies, museum education, museum management, conservation, art history or equivalent museum related subject course. Icom canada is the voice of its members among the international museum community. International council of museums icom statutes 2017 3 section 1 museum a museum is a nonprofit, permanent institution in the service of society and its development, open. The international council of museums icom, created in 1946, is the world organisation of museums and museum professionals. Today, it has over 37,000 members, including experts from 141 countries and territories. International council of museums international committee. The reactions to icoms proposed museum definition show us what is really at stake the reactions to the proposal to change the official international council of museums icom definition of a museum have been revealing. The unesco icom practical handbook provides an overview of all aspects of modern museum management each chapter of the handbook provides practical guidelines and entry points for discussion on various aspects of museum management, the main text being accompanied by supplementary information that includes technical data and standards, suggestions for practical exercises, and discussion topics. Then literature on tourisms principles and practices and documents from organisations like wto. The icom code of ethics for museums, translated into 39 languages and revised in 2006, establishes values and principles shared by icom and the international museum community.
Museum definition a shared definition of the museum serves as the backbone for icom as a global organization. A discomforting definition of museum fraser 2019 curator. In this plenum icom will bring together network experts and external voices to discuss about the overall need for a change in the museum definition and of the visions and potentials for a new definition. Also a name for a parts of exhibitions of a museum that are sent to another museum. In many countries, the icom definition is seen as an. The updated definition built on the last icom definition formally adopted in august, 2007 by icoms 22nd general assembly in austria.
Paris unesco icom museum documentation centre, 1968 dlc 72197546 ocolc658579. Ethics, standards and best practices for museums what are standards. A museum is defined by the international council of museums icom as a nonprofit, permanent institution in the service of society and its development, open to the public, which acquires, conserves, researches, communicates and exhibits the tangible and intangible heritage of humanity and its environment for the purposes of education, study and. Accountability begins with compliance with laws and regulations.
Museums australias 2002 definition, though lengthy, is worth setting out here. Museum definition a shared definition of the museum serves as the backbone for icom as a global organisation. According to the international council of museums icom, the definition of museums has changed over time. In this issue of icom news, we present some of the debates on key terms of the definition and an overview of the decisionmaking process. Icom values human creativity and its contribution to understanding the past, shaping the present and mapping the future. The word museum is derived from the latin word museion and can be pluralized as museums or a museum is defined as a building where historical arts, artifacts, works, sculptures, objects of cultural or biological interests are stored, preserved, studied and shown to the students and the general public. Icom is the voice of museum professionals on the international. The treasures of world culture in the public museum by peterklaus schuster general director, state museums of berlin focus no. May 24, 2019 the same icom definition applies, the same icom standards, the same icom code of ethics. Icom uk uk committee of the international council of museums. Work session for icom netherlands members on the museum definition. I hadnt really been paying attention until i saw that icom uk and ma members in online polls voted resoundingly against it. Even when describing principles, it is as guidelines for action.
Icom avicom audiovisual, new technologies and social. This page is the introductory page of the international guidelines for museum object information. Although many technologies are used to do this, those used. Since 1946, icom has assisted members of the museum community in their mission to preserve, conserve and share cultural heritage.
The values shared by icom canada members embrace the values of the international council of museums in its entirety. Museum knowledge day of the dutch museum association, under the title is the museum a clubhouse with a collection. Finally, various books and recent articles dealing with the relationship between museums and tourism, focusing on topics like stakeholders, cultural 15 mckercher, bob and hilary du cros. Icom suggests that contributions consider the following parameters. The definition of the museum through its social role brown. A museum is a nonprofit, permanent institution in the service of society and its development, open to the public, which acquires, conserves, researches, communicates and exhibits the tangible and intangible heritage of humanity and its environment for the purposes of education, study and enjoyment. Icomicmemo offsite meeting at hiroshima peace memorial museum september 5, 2019. The same icom definition applies, the same icom standards, the same icom code of ethics. The international council of museums icom definition of a museum was adopted in 2007 as a part of icoms statutes and has been used as an international reference international council of museums, 2007, which is now in the process of change. Pdf for the seventh time in its history the icom definition of a museum is under discussion, with a view to possible revision to be agreed at. Icom announces the alternative museum definition that will.
They could be exhibited from a vehicle or they could move from museum to museum as guests. Art museums and the public smithsonian institution. Museums that have no specific strict place of exhibiting. Its closure is planned for the general assembly of icom in 2019 in kyoto, where a new definition could be proposed.
As part of icoms statutes the definition shall function as a governance tool. Icom is a membership association and a nongovernmental organisation which establishes professional and ethical standards for museum activities. It aims to advise museums and professionals about the usefulness and potential of new technologies in terms of education, information, promotion and business activities. Museum simple english wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. The documentation policy should conform to the icom code of ethics for museums and take account of any national or subjectspecific codes adopted by the museum and the museums collections policy icom code of ethics, 2. The reactions to icom s proposed museum definition show us what is really at stake the reactions to the proposal to change the official international council of museums icom definition of a museum have been revealing. Defining the museum of the 21st century academic archive snhu. A museum helps people understand the world by using objects and ideas to interpret the past and present and explore the future. Museum policies should clearly define the process for responding to such requests. The oldest museum structure in the world is the shosoin in nara, japan todays museums are nonprofit, permanent institutions in the service of. The definition of the museum through its social role. A museum is a nonprofit, permanent institution in the service of society and its development, open to the public, which acquires, conserves, researches, communicates and exhibits the tangible and intangible. The above definition of a museum shall be applied without any limitation arising from the nature of the governing body, the territorial character, the functional structure or the orientation of the collections of the institution concerned.
Going beyond legal requirements, many museums voluntarily choose to adhere to ethical codes and accountability standards to ensure good stewardship of assets held in the public trust and to maintain public. According to the international council of museums icom, the definition of a museum evolves over. Committee on museum professional training compt, an alliance professional network, standards and best practices guidelines committee on education edcom, excellence in practice. About museums from aquariums to art museums, botanical gardens to battlefields, childrens museums to cultural heritage centers, americas diverse and engaging museums capture the attention of nearly 900 million visitors each year. Statement by the international council of museums concerning. Definition, types and importance of museum to children and. Given their diverse origins, varying philosophies, and differing roles in society, museums do not lend themselves to rigid classification. The international council of museums icom definition of a museum was. This process was started in 2016 with the establishment of a working group on the museum definition, headed by jette sandahl. The icom statutes and the museum definition the purpose of the new museum definition for icom was that it should be part of the icom statutes. Replying something different would be to deliberately position university museums outside the museum sector, and in fact, outright reject everything our. Icom also partners with entities such as the world intellectual property organization, interpol, and the world customs organization in order to carry out its international. A shared definition of the museum serves as the backbone for icom as a global organisation.
Icom icfa museums and collections of fine arts icom icfa. The only definition that we can give is that a university museum is a museum in the icom sense that belongs to a university or, more broadly, a higher education institution. Icoms general conferences are an occasion for museum professionals from all around the world to exchange knowledge, practices, ideas and have fun. The definition of the museum icom website archives. The purpose of this study is to identify and describe the characteristics of the universal museum as they apply to the institutions mission, collections, and overall size. International council of museums icom home facebook.
This document describes the work currently in progress within the virtual museum transnational project vmust. Icfa is the international committee for museums and collections of fine arts of all centuries and all continents. Alissandra cummins, president international council of museums icom v. The definition of the museum through its social role brown 2018. Icom russia conducted an online survey from july to 6 august 2018 aimed at identifying attitudes of the museum community to existing definition of the term museum. The universal museum has continued to evolve since the first museums started to form in the 16th century.
A definition of museum in general is not the same as a. Museum definition is an institution devoted to the procurement, care, study, and display of objects of lasting interest or value. These standards of selfregulation by museums include basic principles for museum governance, the acquisition and disposal of collections, and rules for professional conduct. The international council of museums icom defines a museum as. Definition of a museum is under discussion, with a view to possible. The international committee for architecture and museum techniques was founded in 1948 and offers a forum for the exchange of expertise concerning museum architecture and exhibition techniques, especially the aspects of planning, design, construction and the operation of museum buildings, exhibitions and facilities. Defining the characteristics of the universal museum. Institutional membership museums or other institutions that comply with the definition of a museum as defined in article 3 of the icom statutes. Pdf the definition of the museum through its social role. Eference guide ethics, standards and best practices for. An ecomuseum is a museum focused on the identity of a place, largely based on local participation and aiming to enhance the welfare and development of local communities.
Icom is committed to promoting and protecting natural and cultural heritage, present and future, tangible and intangible. About the international council of museums icom the international council of museums icom, created in 1946, is the world organisation of museums and museum professionals. According to the icom statutes, adopted during the 21st general conference in vienna, austria, in 2007. Icom cidoc statement of principles of museum documentation. For the seventh time in its history the icom definition of a museum is under discussion, with a view to possible revision to be agreed at the general conference in kyoto in september 2019. A museum is a nonprofit, permanent institution in the service of society and its development, open to the. Abstract for the seventh time in its history the icom definition of a museum is. Across the world icom provides a common framework for museums, a forum for professional discussions, and a platform for questioning and celebrating heritage and collections in museums and cultural institutions. As a forum of experts, it makes recommendations on issues related to cultural heritage, promotes capacity building and advances knowledge. Usually display objects from nature like stuffed animals or pressed plants. Oct 28, 2018 for the seventh time in its history the icom1 1 the international council of museums icom was established in 1946. The cidoc information categories, produced by the international committee for documentation cidoc of the international council of museums icom.
Eference guide ethics, standards and best practices for museums. A shared definition of the museum serves as the backbone for icom as a global organization. Definition of a museum is under discussion, with a view to possible revision to be agreed at the general conference in kyoto in september 2019. February 2020 at museum catharijneconvent, utrecht upcoming. Created in 1946, the international council of museums icom is a nongovernmental organisation maintaining formal relations with unesco and having a consultative status with the united nations economic and social council. Icom needs to think of itself not merely as a facilitator of professional acti vities but also as. Certain museums provide for a specialist audiencefor example, children, societies, universities, or schools. The international council of museums icom is an international organisation of museum professionals for the. International council of museums international committee for. Icom avicom audiovisual, new technologies and social media. Major dissent has been predicted if the proposed definition for museums is adopted at icoms general assembly on 7 september. Museums or other institutions that comply with the definition of a. Icofom has launched in parallel with icoms project to revise its own museum definition. This is a description of the information categories that can be used when developing records about the objects in museum collections.
Avicom, established in june 1991, is the icom international committee for audiovisual, new technologies and social media. Museology is the theoretical study of museum practices, encompassing the history and development of museums. Icom russia recommendations for the elaboration of the new. Annual icfa meetings are platforms for discussing problems, exchanging opinions and developing strategies that shape icfa. Proposed definition of museum icom canada 2 it should retain even if current terminology may vary the unique, defining and essential unity in museums of the functions of collecting, preserving, documenting, researching, exhibiting and in other ways communicating the collections or other. Icom is the international organisation of museums and museum professionals which is committed to the research, conservation, continuation and communication to society of the worlds natural and cultural heritage, present and future, tangible and intangible. The categories of this classification correspond to the following definitions. Icom international paris the international council of museums is an organisation of museums and museum professionals worldwide, committed to the conservation, preservation and communication to society of the worlds natural and cultural heritage. The icom website serves as a communication platform for museum and heritagerelated projects, experiences and discussions about the sector. Icom international council of museums proposed a new museum definition at the 25th extraordinary general assembly of icom in kyoto in autumn 2019. Since its creation in 1946, icom updates this definition in accordance with the realities of the global museum community.
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