Standards and Guidelines
Information about Museum Ethics and Professional Practices
College Art Association members may, from time to time, have inquiries about ethical guidelines for museums and museum professionals, either with respect to their own institutions or that otherwise may be of interest. These questions might arise, for example, in connection with the propriety of deaccessioning objects in the museum’s permanent collection, the rights and responsibilities of curators, directors and boards of trustees and various types of exhibition practices and procedures. This memo is intended to direct members to certain readily available sources that may be helpful in illuminating particular issues or addressing concerns.
These ethical issues have been described in several books and codified by several different organizations, including the American Association of Museums (AAM), the International Council of Museums (ICOM), and the Association of Art Museum Directors (AAMD).
Two excellent books are Museum Governance: Mission, Ethics, Policy (Washington: Smithsonian Institution Press, 1994), written by Marie C. Malaro, the former legal advisor to the Smithsonian Institution, and A Legal Primer on Managing Museum Collections (Washington: Smithsonian Institution Press, 1998), also by Malaro. Both books are available from the AAM Bookstore. See the section titled “Legal Issues and Ethics.” Check for each title individually.
The following guidelines of these associations also are available through the AAM Bookstore:
- “Code of Ethics for Museums.” Washington, DC: American Association of Museums, 1991 (with 1993 amendments)
- “Professional Practices in Art Museums.” New York: Association of Art Museum Directors, 2001
- “Code of Professional Ethics.” Paris: International Council of Museums, 1986, rpt. 1990 with minor changes. The ICOM guidelines are also published in Appendix A of Malaro, Museum Governance.
The CAA Board of Directors wishes to thank the chair of the Museum Committee, Katherine Crum, for researching and compiling this information.
