The international council of museums icom definition of a museum was. 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. A museum is a nonprofit, permanent institution in the service of society and its development, open to the. Icofom has launched in parallel with icoms project to revise its own museum definition. The international council of museums icom, created in 1946, is the world organisation of museums and museum professionals. For the seventh time in its history the icom1 1 the international council of museums icom was established in 1946. Museum definition a shared definition of the museum serves as the backbone for icom as a global organisation. Although many technologies are used to do this, those used. Ethics, standards and best practices for museums what are standards. 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. Net, and specifically within the work package 2, dedicated to the creation of a common language in the virtual museum domain. Paris unesco icom museum documentation centre, 1968 dlc 72197546 ocolc658579. Museum definition international council of museums. 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.
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. This is a description of the information categories that can be used when developing records about the objects in museum collections. This definition was intended to update and replace the current definition approved by icom members in 2007. This document describes the work currently in progress within the virtual museum transnational project vmust. It aims to advise museums and professionals about the usefulness and potential of new technologies in terms of education, information, promotion and business activities. Development of the museum definition according to icom. 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. Within the cultural sector, museums play an important role in the transmission of knowledge, learning and understanding of cultural identities. Replying something different would be to deliberately position university museums outside the museum sector, and in fact, outright reject everything our community has fought for during the past 20 years. I hadnt really been paying attention until i saw that icom uk and ma members in online polls voted resoundingly against it. Icomicmemo offsite meeting at hiroshima peace memorial museum september 5, 2019. Pdf the definition of the museum through its social role.
Definition of a museum is under discussion, with a view to possible. Avicom, established in june 1991, is the icom international committee for audiovisual, new technologies and social media. 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. Jan 10, 2018 the vimm definition of a virtual museum. Institutional membership museums or other institutions that comply with the definition of a museum as defined in article 3 of the icom statutes.
A museum helps people understand the world by using objects and ideas to interpret the past and present and explore the future. The categories of this classification correspond to the following definitions. The universal museum has continued to evolve since the first museums started to form in the 16th century. Icom international council of museums proposed a new museum definition at the 25th extraordinary general assembly of icom in kyoto in autumn 2019. Museums that have no specific strict place of exhibiting. Eference guide ethics, standards and best practices for museums. Art museums and the public smithsonian institution. 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. This page is the introductory page of the international guidelines for museum object information. 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. Icom is committed to promoting and protecting natural and cultural heritage, present and future, tangible and intangible. International council of museums icom home facebook. Icom avicom audiovisual, new technologies and social media. Committee on museum professional training compt, an alliance professional network, standards and best practices guidelines committee on education edcom, excellence in practice. Replying something different would be to deliberately position university museums outside the museum sector, and in fact, outright reject everything our.
Museum definition is an institution devoted to the procurement, care, study, and display of objects of lasting interest or value. A definition of museum in general is not the same as a. Even when describing principles, it is as guidelines for action. 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. 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. 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 same icom definition applies, the same icom standards, the same icom code of ethics. Icom needs to think of itself not merely as a facilitator of professional acti vities but also as. 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. The definition of the museum icom website archives. Icoms general conferences are an occasion for museum professionals from all around the world to exchange knowledge, practices, ideas and have fun. 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. A discomforting definition of museum fraser 2019 curator. The definition of the museum through its social role brown 2018. Icom is a membership association and a nongovernmental organisation which establishes professional and ethical standards for museum activities. 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. 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. The definition of a museum has evolved, in line with developments in society. 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. The international council of museums icom is an international organisation of museum professionals for the.
A shared definition of the museum serves as the backbone for icom as a global organization. A shared definition of the museum serves as the backbone for icom as a global organisation. 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. 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. Annual icfa meetings are platforms for discussing problems, exchanging opinions and developing strategies that shape icfa. Work session for icom netherlands members on the museum definition.
The treasures of world culture in the public museum by peterklaus schuster general director, state museums of berlin focus no. Usually display objects from nature like stuffed animals or pressed plants. Icom suggests that contributions consider the following parameters. Definition, types and importance of museum to children and. The international council of museums icom defines a museum as. Eference guide ethics, standards and best practices for.
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. The icom website serves as a communication platform for museum and heritagerelated projects, experiences and discussions about the sector. 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. Then literature on tourisms principles and practices and documents from organisations like wto.
The guidelines and application form are now available for download. Icom announces the alternative museum definition that will. Accountability begins with compliance with laws and regulations. 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. Icom icfa museums and collections of fine arts icom icfa. Museum simple english wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. 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. 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. Museums or other institutions that comply with the definition of a.
According to the international council of museums icom, the definition of museums has changed over time. Its closure is planned for the general assembly of icom in 2019 in kyoto, where a new definition could be proposed. Also a name for a parts of exhibitions of a museum that are sent to another museum. 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.
February 2020 at museum catharijneconvent, utrecht upcoming. Since 1946, icom has assisted members of the museum community in their mission to preserve, conserve and share cultural heritage. The updated definition built on the last icom definition formally adopted in august, 2007 by icoms 22nd general assembly in austria. 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. As part of icoms statutes the definition shall function as a governance tool. The definition of the museum through its social role.
Major dissent has been predicted if the proposed definition for museums is adopted at icoms general assembly on 7 september. 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. The definition of the museum through its social role brown. 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. The values shared by icom canada members embrace the values of the international council of museums in its entirety. Statement by the international council of museums concerning. According to the international council of museums icom, the definition of a museum evolves over. Icom avicom audiovisual, new technologies and social. Since its creation in 1946, icom updates this definition in accordance with the realities of the global museum community.
The word, museum, originates from musa which is the goddesses of literature, art, and science who appears in greek mythology. Abstract for the seventh time in its history the icom definition of a museum is. 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. They could be exhibited from a vehicle or they could move from museum to museum as guests. International council of museums international committee for. 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.
According to the icom statutes, adopted during the 21st general conference in vienna, austria, in 2007. 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 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. Museology is the theoretical study of museum practices, encompassing the history and development of museums. Icom russia recommendations for the elaboration of the new. Defining the characteristics of the universal museum. In many countries, the icom definition is seen as an.
The cidoc information categories, produced by the international committee for documentation cidoc of the international council of museums icom. Icom is the voice of museum professionals on the international. International council of museums international committee. 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. Given their diverse origins, varying philosophies, and differing roles in society, museums do not lend themselves to rigid classification. Icom values human creativity and its contribution to understanding the past, shaping the present and mapping the future. As a forum of experts, it makes recommendations on issues related to cultural heritage, promotes capacity building and advances knowledge. Defining the museum of the 21st century academic archive snhu. These standards of selfregulation by museums include basic principles for museum governance, the acquisition and disposal of collections, and rules for professional conduct. Icfa is the international committee for museums and collections of fine arts of all centuries and all continents. The oldest museum structure in the world is the shosoin in nara, japan todays museums are nonprofit, permanent institutions in the service of. Icom uk uk committee of the international council of museums.
Icom should initiate a process of reinterpretation, revision, rewriting, and reformulation of the current museum definition to be proposed for. Museums australias 2002 definition, though lengthy, is worth setting out here. May 24, 2019 the same icom definition applies, the same icom standards, the same icom code of ethics. This process was started in 2016 with the establishment of a working group on the museum definition, headed by jette sandahl. 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. Certain museums provide for a specialist audiencefor example, children, societies, universities, or schools.
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