American Alliance of Museums

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0!"#!1"1"
Code of Ethics for Museums
A$o%te$ 1##1, amen$e$ 000&
'lease note that the Co$e of Ethics for Museums references the American Association of Museums (AAM), no*
calle$ the American Alliance of Museums&
Ethical co$es e+ol+e in res%onse to changing con$itions, +alues an$ i$eas& A %rofessional co$e of ethics must,
therefore, ,e %erio$ically u%$ate$& -t must also rest u%on *i$ely share$ +alues& Although the o%erating
en+ironment of museums gro*s more com%le. each year, the root +alue for museums, the tie that connects all of
us together $es%ite our $i+ersity, is the commitment to ser+ing %eo%le, ,oth %resent an$ future generations& /his
+alue gui$e$ the creation of an$ remains the most fun$amental %rinci%le in the follo*ing Co$e of Ethics for
Museums&
Code of Ethics for Museums
Museums ma0e their uni1ue contri,ution to the %u,lic ,y collecting, %reser+ing an$ inter%reting the things of this
*orl$& 2istorically, they ha+e o*ne$ an$ use$ natural o,3ects, li+ing an$ nonli+ing, an$ all manner of human
artifacts to a$+ance 0no*le$ge an$ nourish the human s%irit& /o$ay, the range of their s%ecial interests reflects
the sco%e of human +ision& /heir missions inclu$e collecting an$ %reser+ing, as *ell as e.hi,iting an$ e$ucating
*ith materials not only o*ne$ ,ut also ,orro*e$ an$ fa,ricate$ for these en$s& /heir num,ers inclu$e ,oth
go+ernmental an$ %ri+ate museums of anthro%ology, art history an$ natural history, a1uariums, ar,oreta, art
centers, ,otanical gar$ens, chil$ren4s museums, historic sites, nature centers, %lanetariums, science an$
technology centers, an$ 5oos& /he museum uni+erse in the 6nite$ States inclu$es ,oth collecting an$ non!
collecting institutions& Although $i+erse in their missions, they ha+e in common their non%rofit form of
organi5ation an$ a commitment of ser+ice to the %u,lic& /heir collections an$7or the o,3ects they ,orro* or
fa,ricate are the ,asis for research, e.hi,its, an$ %rograms that in+ite %u,lic %artici%ation&
/a0en as a *hole, museum collections an$ e.hi,ition materials re%resent the *orl$4s natural an$ cultural
common *ealth& As ste*ar$s of that *ealth, museums are com%elle$ to a$+ance an un$erstan$ing of all natural
forms an$ of the human e.%erience& -t is incum,ent on museums to ,e resources for human0in$ an$ in all their
acti+ities to foster an informe$ a%%reciation of the rich an$ $i+erse *orl$ *e ha+e inherite$& -t is also incum,ent
u%on them to %reser+e that inheritance for %osterity&
Museums in the 6nite$ States are groun$e$ in the tra$ition of %u,lic ser+ice& /hey are organi5e$ as %u,lic trusts,
hol$ing their collections an$ information as a ,enefit for those they *ere esta,lishe$ to ser+e& Mem,ers of their
go+erning authority, em%loyees an$ +olunteers are committe$ to the interests of these ,eneficiaries& /he la*
%ro+i$es the ,asic frame*or0 for museum o%erations& As non%rofit institutions, museums com%ly *ith a%%lica,le
local, state, an$ fe$eral la*s an$ international con+entions, as *ell as *ith the s%ecific legal stan$ar$s go+erning
trust res%onsi,ilities& /his Co$e of Ethics for Museums ta0es that com%liance as gi+en& 8ut legal stan$ar$s are a
minimum& Museums an$ those res%onsi,le for them must $o more than a+oi$ legal lia,ility, they must ta0e
affirmati+e ste%s to maintain their integrity so as to *arrant %u,lic confi$ence& /hey must act not only legally ,ut
also ethically& /his Co$e of Ethics for Museums, therefore, outlines ethical stan$ar$s that fre1uently e.cee$ legal
minimums&
9oyalty to the mission of the museum an$ to the %u,lic it ser+es is the essence of museum *or0, *hether
+olunteer or %ai$& Where conflicts of interest arise:actual, %otential or %ercei+e$:the $uty of loyalty must ne+er
,e com%romise$& No in$i+i$ual may use his or her %osition in a museum for %ersonal gain or to ,enefit another at
the e.%ense of the museum, its mission, its re%utation an$ the society it ser+es&
;or museums, %u,lic ser+ice is %aramount& /o affirm that ethic an$ to ela,orate its a%%lication to their
go+ernance, collections an$ %rograms, the American Association of Museums %romulgates this Co$e of Ethics
for Museums& -n su,scri,ing to this co$e, museums assume res%onsi,ility for the actions of mem,ers of their
go+erning authority, em%loyees an$ +olunteers in the %erformance of museum!relate$ $uties& Museums, there,y,
affirm their chartere$ %ur%ose, ensure the %ru$ent a%%lication of their resources, enhance their effecti+eness an$
maintain %u,lic confi$ence& /his collecti+e en$ea+or strengthens museum *or0 an$ the contri,utions of
museums to society:%resent an$ future&

American Alliance of Museums
1575 Eye Street NW, Suite 400, Washington DC 0005
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Governance
Museum go+ernance in its +arious forms is a %u,lic trust res%onsi,le for the institution4s ser+ice to society& /he
go+erning authority %rotects an$ enhances the museum4s collections an$ %rograms an$ its %hysical, human an$
financial resources& -t ensures that all these resources su%%ort the museum4s mission, res%on$ to the %luralism of
society an$ res%ect the $i+ersity of the natural an$ cultural common *ealth&
/hus, the go+erning authority ensures that<

all those *ho *or0 for or on ,ehalf of a museum un$erstan$ an$ su%%ort its mission an$ %u,lic trust
res%onsi,ilities

its mem,ers un$erstan$ an$ fulfill their trusteeshi% an$ act cor%orately, not as in$i+i$uals

the museum4s collections an$ %rograms an$ its %hysical, human an$ financial resources are %rotecte$,
maintaine$ an$ $e+elo%e$ in su%%ort of the museum4s mission

it is res%onsi+e to an$ re%resents the interests of society

it maintains the relationshi% *ith staff in *hich share$ roles are recogni5e$ an$ se%arate
res%onsi,ilities res%ecte$

*or0ing relationshi%s among trustees, em%loyees an$ +olunteers are ,ase$ on e1uity an$ mutual
res%ect

%rofessional stan$ar$s an$ %ractices inform an$ gui$e museum o%erations

%olicies are articulate$ an$ %ru$ent o+ersight is %ractice$

go+ernance %romotes the %u,lic goo$ rather than in$i+i$ual financial gain&
Collections
/he $istincti+e character of museum ethics $eri+es from the o*nershi%, care an$ use of o,3ects, s%ecimens, an$
li+ing collections re%resenting the *orl$4s natural an$ cultural common *ealth& /his ste*ar$shi% of collections
entails the highest %u,lic trust an$ carries *ith it the %resum%tion of rightful o*nershi%, %ermanence, care,
$ocumentation, accessi,ility an$ res%onsi,le $is%osal&
/hus, the museum ensures that<

collections in its custo$y su%%ort its mission an$ %u,lic trust res%onsi,ilities

collections in its custo$y are la*fully hel$, %rotecte$, secure, unencum,ere$, care$ for an$ %reser+e$

collections in its custo$y are accounte$ for an$ $ocumente$

access to the collections an$ relate$ information is %ermitte$ an$ regulate$

ac1uisition, $is%osal, an$ loan acti+ities are con$ucte$ in a manner that res%ects the %rotection an$
%reser+ation of natural an$ cultural resources an$ $iscourages illicit tra$e in such materials

ac1uisition, $is%osal, an$ loan acti+ities conform to its mission an$ %u,lic trust res%onsi,ilities

$is%osal of collections through sale, tra$e or research acti+ities is solely for the a$+ancement of the
museum4s mission& 'rocee$s from the sale of nonli+ing collections are to ,e use$ consistent *ith the
esta,lishe$ stan$ar$s of the museum4s $isci%line, ,ut in no e+ent shall they ,e use$ for anything other
than ac1uisition or $irect care of collections&

the uni1ue an$ s%ecial nature of human remains an$ funerary an$ sacre$ o,3ects is recogni5e$ as the
,asis of all $ecisions concerning such collections

collections!relate$ acti+ities %romote the %u,lic goo$ rather than in$i+i$ual financial gain

com%eting claims of o*nershi% that may ,e asserte$ in connection *ith o,3ects in its custo$y shoul$ ,e
han$le$ o%enly, seriously, res%onsi+ely an$ *ith res%ect for the $ignity of all %arties in+ol+e$&
Programs
Museums ser+e society ,y a$+ancing an un$erstan$ing an$ a%%reciation of the natural an$ cultural common
*ealth through e.hi,itions, research, scholarshi%, %u,lications an$ e$ucational acti+ities& /hese %rograms further
the museum4s mission an$ are res%onsi+e to the concerns, interests an$ nee$s of society&
/hus, the museum ensures that<

American Alliance of Museums
1575 Eye Street NW, Suite 400, Washington DC 0005
0!"#!1"1"

%rograms su%%ort its mission an$ %u,lic trust res%onsi,ilities

%rograms are foun$e$ on scholarshi% an$ mar0e$ ,y intellectual integrity

%rograms are accessi,le an$ encourage %artici%ation of the *i$est %ossi,le au$ience consistent *ith
its mission an$ resources

%rograms res%ect %luralistic +alues, tra$itions an$ concerns

re+enue!%ro$ucing acti+ities an$ acti+ities that in+ol+e relationshi%s *ith e.ternal entities are
com%ati,le *ith the museum4s mission an$ su%%ort its %u,lic trust res%onsi,ilities

%rograms %romote the %u,lic goo$ rather than in$i+i$ual financial gain&
Promulgation
/his Co$e of Ethics for Museums *as a$o%te$ ,y the 8oar$ of Directors of the American Association of
Museums on No+em,er 1, 1##=& /he AAM 8oar$ of Directors recommen$s that each non%rofit museum
mem,er of the American Association of Museums a$o%t an$ %romulgate its se%arate co$e of ethics, a%%lying the
Co$e of Ethics for Museums to its o*n institutional setting&
A Committee on Ethics, nominate$ ,y the %resi$ent of the AAM an$ confirme$ ,y the 8oar$ of Directors, *ill ,e
charge$ *ith t*o res%onsi,ilities<

esta,lishing %rograms of information, e$ucation an$ assistance to gui$e museums in $e+elo%ing their
o*n co$es of ethics

re+ie*ing the Co$e of Ethics for Museums an$ %erio$ically recommen$ing refinements an$ re+isions to
the 8oar$ of Directors&
Afterword
Each non%rofit museum mem,er of the American Association of Museums shoul$ su,scri,e to the AAM Co$e of
Ethics for Museums& Su,se1uently, these museums shoul$ set a,out framing their o*n institutional co$es of
ethics, *hich shoul$ ,e in conformance *ith the AAM co$e an$ shoul$ e.%an$ on it through the ela,oration of
s%ecific %ractices& /his recommen$ation is ma$e to these mem,er institutions in the ,elief that engaging the
go+erning authority, staff an$ +olunteers in a%%lying the AAM co$e to institutional settings *ill stimulate the
$e+elo%ment an$ maintenance of soun$ %olicies an$ %roce$ures necessary to un$erstan$ing an$ ensuring
ethical ,eha+ior ,y institutions an$ ,y all *ho *or0 for them or on their ,ehalf&
/he Co$e of Ethics for Museums ser+es the interests of museums, their constituencies, an$ society& /he %rimary
goal of AAM is to encourage institutions to regulate the ethical ,eha+ior of mem,ers of their go+erning authority,
em%loyees an$ +olunteers& ;ormal a$o%tion of an institutional co$e %romotes higher an$ more consistent ethical
stan$ar$s&

American Alliance of Museums
1575 Eye Street NW, Suite 400, Washington DC 0005
0!"#!1"1"
Collections Stewardship
Standards Regarding Collections Stewardship

/he museum o*ns, e.hi,its or uses collections that are a%%ro%riate to its mission&

/he museum legally, ethically an$ effecti+ely manages, $ocuments, cares for an$ uses the collections&

/he museum con$ucts collections!relate$ research accor$ing to a%%ro%riate scholarly stan$ar$s&

/he museum strategically %lans for the use an$ $e+elo%ment of its collections&

/he museum, gui$e$ ,y its mission, %ro+i$es %u,lic access to its collections *hile ensuring their
%reser+ation&

/he museum allocates its s%ace an$ uses its facilities to meet the nee$s of the collections, au$ience
an$ staff&

/he museum has a%%ro%riate measures in %lace to ensure the safety an$ security of %eo%le, its
collections an$7or o,3ects, an$ the facilities it o*ns or uses&

/he museum ta0es a%%ro%riate measures to %rotect itself against %otential ris0 an$ loss&
Purpose and Importance
Ste*ar$shi% is the careful, soun$ an$ res%onsi,le management of that *hich is entruste$ to a museum>s care&
'ossession of collections incurs legal, social an$ ethical o,ligations to %ro+i$e %ro%er %hysical storage,
management an$ care for the collections an$ associate$ $ocumentation, as *ell as %ro%er intellectual control&
Collections are hel$ in trust for the %u,lic an$ ma$e accessi,le for the %u,lic>s ,enefit& Effecti+e collections
ste*ar$shi% ensures that the o,3ects the museum o*ns, ,orro*s, hol$s in its custo$y an$7or uses are a+aila,le
an$ accessi,le to %resent an$ future generations& A museum>s collections are an im%ortant means of a$+ancing
its mission an$ ser+ing the %u,lic&
Implementation
Museums are e.%ecte$ to< %lan strategically an$ act ethically *ith res%ect to collections ste*ar$shi% matters?
legally, ethically an$ res%onsi,ly ac1uire, manage an$ $is%ose of collection items as *ell as 0no* *hat
collections are in its o*nershi%7custo$y, *here they came from, *hy it has them an$ their current con$ition an$
location? an$ %ro+i$e regular an$ reasona,le access to, an$ use of, the collections7o,3ects in its custo$y&
Achie+ing this stan$ar$ re1uires thorough un$erstan$ing of collections ste*ar$shi% issues to ensure thoughtful
an$ res%onsi,le %lanning an$ $ecision ma0ing& With this in min$, national stan$ar$s em%hasi5e systematic
$e+elo%ment an$ regular re+ie* of %olicies, %roce$ures, %ractices an$ %lans for the goals, acti+ities an$ nee$s of
the collections&
How Does A Museum Assess Whether Its Collections and/or Objects
Are Appropriate for Its Mission?
/his is $etermine$ ,y com%aring the institution>s mission:ho* it formally $efines its uni1ue i$entity an$ %ur%ose,
an$ its un$erstan$ing of its role an$ res%onsi,ility to the %u,lic:to t*o things< (1) the collections use$ ,y the
institution? an$ () its %olicies, %roce$ures an$ %ractices regar$ing the $e+elo%ment an$ use of collections (see
also the Stan$ar$s @egar$ing -nstitutional Mission Statements)&
A re+ie* of a museum>s collections ste*ar$shi% %ractices e.amines< *hether the mission statement or
collections $ocuments (e&g&, collections management %olicy, collections %lan, etc&) are clear enough to gui$e
collections ste*ar$shi% $ecisions? *hether the collections o*ne$ ,y the museum, an$ o,3ects loane$ an$
e.hi,ite$ at the museum, fall *ithin the sco%e of the state$ mission an$ collections $ocuments? an$ *hether the
mission an$ other collections ste*ar$shi%!relate$ $ocuments are in alignment an$ gui$e the museum>s
%ractices&

American Alliance of Museums
1575 Eye Street NW, Suite 400, Washington DC 0005
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Assessin Collections !tewardship
/here are $ifferent *ays to manage, house, secure, $ocument an$ conser+e collections, $e%en$ing on their
me$ia an$ use, an$ the museum>s o*n $isci%line, si5e, %hysical facilities, geogra%hic location an$ financial an$
human resources& /herefore, one must consi$er many facets of an institution>s o%erations that, ta0en together,
$emonstrate the effecti+eness of its collections ste*ar$shi% %olicies, %roce$ures an$ %ractices, an$ assess them
in light of +arying factors& ;or instance, museums may ha+e $i+erse ty%es of collections categori5e$ ,y $ifferent
le+els of %ur%ose an$ use:%ermanent, e$ucational, archi+al, research an$ stu$y, to name a fe*:that may ha+e
$ifferent management an$ care nee$s& /hese $istinctions shoul$ ,e articulate$ in collections ste*ar$shi%!relate$
%olicies an$ %roce$ures& -n a$$ition, $ifferent museum $isci%lines may ha+e $ifferent collections ste*ar$shi%
%ractices, issues an$ nee$s relate$ to their s%ecific fiel$& Museums are e.%ecte$ to follo* the stan$ar$s an$
,est %ractices a%%ro%riate to their res%ecti+e $isci%line an$7or museum ty%e as a%%lica,le&
"he standards re#uire that$

A current, a%%ro+e$, com%rehensi+e collections management %olicy is in effect an$ acti+ely use$ to
gui$e the museum>s ste*ar$shi% of its collections&

/he human resources are sufficient, an$ the staff ha+e the a%%ro%riate e$ucation, training an$
e.%erience to fulfill the museum>s ste*ar$shi% res%onsi,ilities an$ the nee$s of the collections&

Staff are $elegate$ res%onsi,ility to carry out the collections management %olicy&

A system of $ocumentation, recor$s management an$ in+entory is in effect to $escri,e each o,3ect an$
its ac1uisition (%ermanent or tem%orary), current con$ition an$ location an$ mo+ement into, out of an$
*ithin the museum&

/he museum regularly monitors en+ironmental con$itions an$ ta0es %roacti+e measures to mitigate the
effects of ultra+iolet light, fluctuations in tem%erature an$ humi$ity, air %ollution, $amage, %ests an$
natural $isasters on collections&

An a%%ro%riate metho$ for i$entifying nee$s an$ $etermining %riorities for conser+ation7care is in %lace&

Safety an$ security %roce$ures an$ %lans for collections in the museum>s custo$y are $ocumente$,
%ractice$ an$ a$$resse$ in the museum>s emergency7$isaster %re%are$ness %lan&

@egular assessment of, an$ %lanning for, collection nee$s ($e+elo%ment, conser+ation, ris0
management, etc&) ta0es %lace an$ sufficient financial an$ human resources are allocate$ for
collections ste*ar$shi%&

Collections care %olicies an$ %roce$ures for collections on e.hi,ition, in storage, on loan an$ $uring
tra+el are a%%ro%riate, a$e1uate an$ $ocumente$&

/he sco%e of a museum>s collections ste*ar$shi% e.ten$s to ,oth the %hysical an$ intellectual control
of its %ro%erty&

Ethical consi$erations of collections ste*ar$shi% are incor%orate$ into the a%%ro%riate museum %olicies
an$ %roce$ures&

Consi$erations regar$ing future collecting acti+ities are incor%orate$ into institutional %lans an$ other
a%%ro%riate %olicy $ocuments&
Standards Regarding Loaning Collections to Non-Museum Entities
Museums hol$ collections in trust for the %u,lic& As ste*ar$s, museums fulfill their fi$uciary an$ ethical
res%onsi,ilities ,y %reser+ing, caring for an$ %ro+i$ing access to collection o,3ects for the ,enefit of the
%u,lic& /he Alliance recogni5es that some museums loan o,3ects from their collection to non!museum entities
an$ encourages museums that $o so to consi$er ,est %ractices for collections care an$ accessi,ility, an$ %u,lic
accounta,ility&
-n some instances, loaning o,3ects from the collection to non!museum entities may 3eo%ar$i5e the le+el of care
%ro+i$e$ for the items& /his may constitute a ,reach of a museum>s %u,lic trust res%onsi,ility an$ ,e %ercei+e$
as an ina%%ro%riate or unethical use of o,3ects hel$ an$ maintaine$ for the ,enefit of the %u,lic& ;urther, loaning
o,3ects from the collection to non!museum entities may result in ina%%ro%riate or ina$e1uate %ractices in
collections $ocumentation an$ limit %u,lic access to the items&
-f a museum engages in the %ractice of loaning o,3ects from the collection to organi5ations other than museums,
such a %ractice shoul$ ,e consi$ere$ for its a%%ro%riateness to the museum>s mission? ,e thoughtfully manage$
*ith the utmost care an$ in com%liance *ith the most %ru$ent %ractices in collections ste*ar$shi%, ensuring that
loane$ o,3ects recei+e the le+el of care, $ocumentation an$ control at least e1ual to that gi+en to the o,3ects that

American Alliance of Museums
1575 Eye Street NW, Suite 400, Washington DC 0005
0!"#!1"1"
remain on the %remises? an$ ,e go+erne$ ,y clearly $efine$ an$ a%%ro+e$ institutional %olicies an$ %roce$ures,
inclu$ing a collections management %olicy an$ co$e of ethics&
Standards Regarding the nlawful Appropriation of !"#ects $uring the
Na%i Era
/his area of collections ste*ar$shi% is of such sensiti+ity an$ high im%ortance that it has se%arate stan$ar$s an$
,est!%ractice statements regar$ing a museum>s o,ligations& /hese statements ha+e ,een %romulgate$ ,y the
fiel$ to %ro+i$e gui$ance to museums in fulfilling their %u,lic trust res%onsi,ilities&
%eneral Principles
/he American Alliance of Museums, the 6&S& National Committee of the -nternational Council of Museums
(-CAM!6S), an$ the American museum community are committe$ to continually i$entifying an$ achie+ing the
highest stan$ar$ of legal an$ ethical collections ste*ar$shi% %ractices& /he Alliance4s Co$e of Ethics for
Museums states that the Bste*ar$shi% of collections entails the highest %u,lic trust an$ carries *ith it the
%resum%tion of rightful o*nershi%, %ermanence, care, $ocumentation, accessi,ility, an$ res%onsi,le $is%osal&C
When face$ *ith the %ossi,ility that an o,3ect in a museum>s custo$y might ha+e ,een unla*fully a%%ro%riate$ as
%art of the a,horrent %ractices of the Na5i regime, the museum>s res%onsi,ility to %ractice ethical ste*ar$shi% is
%aramount& Museums shoul$ $e+elo% an$ im%lement %olicies an$ %ractices that a$$ress this issue in
accor$ance *ith these gui$elines&
/hese gui$elines are inten$e$ to assist museums in a$$ressing issues relating to o,3ects that may ha+e ,een
unla*fully a%%ro%riate$ $uring the Na5i era (1#==D1#45) as a result of actions in furtherance of the 2olocaust or
that *ere ta0en ,y the Na5is or their colla,orators& ;or the %ur%oses of these gui$elines, o,3ects that *ere
ac1uire$ through theft, confiscation, coerci+e transfer or other metho$s of *rongful e.%ro%riation may ,e
consi$ere$ to ha+e ,een unla*fully a%%ro%riate$, $e%en$ing on the s%ecific circumstances&
-n or$er to ai$ in the i$entification an$ $isco+ery of unla*fully a%%ro%riate$ o,3ects that may ,e in the custo$y of
museums, the 'resi$ential A$+isory Commission on 2olocaust Assets in the 6nite$ States ('C2A), Association
of Art Museum Directors (AAMD), an$ the Alliance ha+e agree$ that museums shoul$ stri+e to< (1) i$entify all
o,3ects in their collections that *ere create$ ,efore 1#4E an$ ac1uire$ ,y the museum after 1#=, that
un$er*ent a change of o*nershi% ,et*een 1#= an$ 1#4E, an$ that *ere or might reasona,ly ,e thought to
ha+e ,een in continental Euro%e ,et*een those $ates (hereafter, Bco+ere$ o,3ectsC)? () ma0e currently a+aila,le
o,3ect an$ %ro+enance (history of o*nershi%) information on those o,3ects accessi,le? an$ (=) gi+e %riority to
continuing %ro+enance research as resources allo*& /he Alliance, AAMD an$ 'C2A also agree$ that the initial
focus of research shoul$ ,e Euro%ean %aintings an$ Fu$aica&
8ecause of the -nternet>s glo,al accessi,ility, museums are encourage$ to e.%an$ online access to collection
information that coul$ ai$ in the $isco+ery of o,3ects unla*fully a%%ro%riate$ $uring the Na5i era *ithout
su,se1uent restitution&
/he Alliance an$ -CAM!6S ac0no*le$ge that $uring Worl$ War -- an$ the years follo*ing the en$ of the *ar,
much of the information nee$e$ to esta,lish %ro+enance an$ %ro+e o*nershi% *as $is%erse$ or lost& -n
$etermining *hether an o,3ect may ha+e ,een unla*fully a%%ro%riate$ *ithout restitution, reasona,le
consi$eration shoul$ ,e gi+en to ga%s or am,iguities in %ro+enance in light of the %assage of time an$ the
circumstances of the 2olocaust era& /he Alliance an$ -CAM!6S su%%ort efforts to ma0e archi+es an$ other
resources more accessi,le an$ to esta,lish $ata,ases that hel% trac0 an$ organi5e information&
/he Alliance urges museums to han$le 1uestions of %ro+enance on a case!,y!case ,asis in light of the
com%le.ity of this %ro,lem& Museums shoul$ *or0 to %ro$uce information that *ill hel% to clarify the status of
o,3ects *ith an uncertain Na5i!era %ro+enance& Where com%eting interests may arise, museums shoul$ stri+e to
foster a climate of coo%eration, reconciliation an$ commonality of %ur%ose&
/he Alliance affirms that museums act in the %u,lic interest *hen ac1uiring, e.hi,iting an$ stu$ying o,3ects&
/hese gui$elines are inten$e$ to facilitate the $esire an$ a,ility of museums to act ethically an$ la*fully as
ste*ar$s of the o,3ects in their care, an$ shoul$ not ,e inter%rete$ to %lace an un$ue ,ur$en on the a,ility of
museums to achie+e their missions&

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Ac#uisitions
-t is the Alliance4s %osition that museums shoul$ ta0e all reasona,le ste%s to resol+e the Na5i!era %ro+enance
status of o,3ects ,efore ac1uiring them for their collections:*hether ,y %urchase, gift, ,e1uest or e.change&

Stan$ar$ research on o,3ects ,eing consi$ere$ for ac1uisition shoul$ inclu$e a re1uest that the sellers,
$onors or estate e.ecutors offering an o,3ect %ro+i$e as much %ro+enance information as they ha+e
a+aila,le, *ith %articular regar$ to the Na5i era&

Where the Na5i!era %ro+enance is incom%lete or uncertain for a %ro%ose$ ac1uisition, the museum
shoul$ consi$er *hat a$$itional research *oul$ ,e %ru$ent or necessary to resol+e the Na5i!era
%ro+enance status of the o,3ect ,efore ac1uiring it& Such research may in+ol+e consulting a%%ro%riate
sources of information, inclu$ing a+aila,le recor$s an$ outsi$e $ata,ases that trac0 information
concerning unla*fully a%%ro%riate$ o,3ects&

-n the a,sence of e+i$ence of unla*ful a%%ro%riation *ithout su,se1uent restitution, the museum may
%rocee$ *ith the ac1uisition& Currently a+aila,le o,3ect an$ %ro+enance information a,out any co+ere$
o,3ect shoul$ ,e ma$e %u,lic as soon as %ractica,le after the ac1uisition&

-f cre$i,le e+i$ence of unla*ful a%%ro%riation *ithout su,se1uent restitution is $isco+ere$, the museum
shoul$ notify the $onor, seller or estate e.ecutor of the nature of the e+i$ence an$ shoul$ not %rocee$
*ith ac1uisition of the o,3ect until ta0ing further action to resol+e these issues& De%en$ing on the
circumstances of the %articular case, %ru$ent or necessary actions may inclu$e consulting *ith
1ualifie$ legal counsel an$ notifying other intereste$ %arties of the museum>s fin$ings&

/he Alliance ac0no*le$ges that un$er certain circumstances ac1uisition of o,3ects *ith uncertain
%ro+enance may re+eal further information a,out the o,3ect an$ may facilitate the %ossi,le resolution of
its status& -n such circumstances, the museum may choose to %rocee$ *ith the ac1uisition after
$etermining that it *oul$ ,e la*ful, a%%ro%riate an$ %ru$ent an$ %ro+i$e$ that currently a+aila,le o,3ect
an$ %ro+enance information is ma$e %u,lic as soon as %ractica,le after the ac1uisition&

Museums shoul$ $ocument their research into the Na5i!era %ro+enance of ac1uisitions&

Consistent *ith current %ractice in the museum fiel$, museums shoul$ %u,lish, $is%lay or other*ise
ma0e accessi,le recent gifts, ,e1uests an$ %urchases, there,y ma0ing all ac1uisitions a+aila,le for
further research, e.amination an$ %u,lic re+ie* an$ accounta,ility&
&oans
-t is the Alliance4s %osition that in their role as tem%orary custo$ians of o,3ects on loan, museums shoul$ ,e
a*are of their ethical res%onsi,ility to consi$er the status of material they ,orro* as *ell as the %ossi,ility of
claims ,eing ,rought against a loane$ o,3ect in their custo$y&

Stan$ar$ research on o,3ects ,eing consi$ere$ for incoming loan shoul$ inclu$e a re1uest that len$ers
%ro+i$e as much %ro+enance information as they ha+e a+aila,le, *ith %articular regar$ to the Na5i era&

Where the Na5i!era %ro+enance is incom%lete or uncertain for a %ro%ose$ loan, the museum shoul$
consi$er *hat a$$itional research *oul$ ,e %ru$ent or necessary to resol+e the Na5i!era %ro+enance
status of the o,3ect ,efore ,orro*ing it&

-n the a,sence of e+i$ence of unla*ful a%%ro%riation *ithout su,se1uent restitution, the museum may
%rocee$ *ith the loan&

-f cre$i,le e+i$ence of unla*ful a%%ro%riation *ithout su,se1uent restitution is $isco+ere$, the museum
shoul$ notify the len$er of the nature of the e+i$ence an$ shoul$ not %rocee$ *ith the loan until ta0ing
further action to clarify these issues& De%en$ing on the circumstances of the %articular case, %ru$ent or
necessary actions may inclu$e consulting *ith 1ualifie$ legal counsel an$ notifying other intereste$
%arties of the museum>s fin$ings&

/he Alliance ac0no*le$ges that in certain circumstances %u,lic e.hi,ition of o,3ects *ith uncertain
%ro+enance may re+eal further information a,out the o,3ect an$ may facilitate the resolution of its
status& -n such circumstances, the museum may choose to %rocee$ *ith the loan after $etermining that
it *oul$ ,e la*ful an$ %ru$ent an$ %ro+i$e$ that the a+aila,le %ro+enance a,out the o,3ect is ma$e
%u,lic&

Museums shoul$ $ocument their research into the Na5i!era %ro+enance of loans&
'(istin Collections
-t is the Alliance4s %osition that museums shoul$ ma0e serious efforts to allocate time an$ fun$ing to con$uct
research on co+ere$ o,3ects in their collections *hose %ro+enance is incom%lete or uncertain& @ecogni5ing that

American Alliance of Museums
1575 Eye Street NW, Suite 400, Washington DC 0005
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resources a+aila,le for the often lengthy an$ ar$uous %rocess of %ro+enance research are limite$, museums
shoul$ esta,lish %riorities, ta0ing into consi$eration a+aila,le resources an$ the nature of their collections&
)esearch

Museums shoul$ i$entify co+ere$ o,3ects in their collections an$ ma0e %u,lic currently a+aila,le o,3ect
an$ %ro+enance information&

Museums shoul$ re+ie* the co+ere$ o,3ects in their collections to i$entify those *hose characteristics
or %ro+enance suggest that research ,e con$ucte$ to $etermine *hether they may ha+e ,een
unla*fully a%%ro%riate$ $uring the Na5i era *ithout su,se1uent restitution&

-n un$erta0ing %ro+enance research, museums shoul$ search their o*n recor$s thoroughly an$, *hen
necessary, contact esta,lishe$ archi+es, $ata,ases, art $ealers, auction houses, $onors, scholars an$
researchers *ho may ,e a,le to %ro+i$e Na5i!era %ro+enance information&

Museums shoul$ incor%orate Na5i!era %ro+enance research into their stan$ar$ research on collections&

When see0ing fun$s for a%%lica,le e.hi,ition or %u,lic %rograms research, museums are encourage$
to incor%orate Na5i!era %ro+enance research into their %ro%osals& De%en$ing on their %articular
circumstances, museums are also encourage$ to %ursue s%ecial fun$ing to un$erta0e Na5i!era
%ro+enance research&

Museums shoul$ $ocument their research into the Na5i!era %ro+enance of o,3ects in their collections&
Disco*er+ of '*idence of ,nlawfull+ Appropriated Objects

-f cre$i,le e+i$ence of unla*ful a%%ro%riation *ithout su,se1uent restitution is $isco+ere$ through

research, the museum shoul$ ta0e %ru$ent an$ necessary ste%s to resol+e the status of the o,3ect, in
consultation *ith 1ualifie$ legal counsel& Such ste%s shoul$ inclu$e ma0ing such information %u,lic
an$, if %ossi,le, notifying %otential claimants&

-n the e+ent that conclusi+e e+i$ence of unla*ful a%%ro%riation *ithout su,se1uent restitution is foun$
,ut no +ali$ claim of o*nershi% is ma$e, the museum shoul$ ta0e %ru$ent an$ necessary ste%s to
a$$ress the situation, in consultation *ith 1ualifie$ legal counsel& /hese ste%s may inclu$e retaining the
o,3ect in the collection or other*ise $is%osing of it&

/he Alliance ac0no*le$ges that retaining an unclaime$ o,3ect that may ha+e ,een unla*fully
a%%ro%riate$ *ithout su,se1uent restitution allo*s a museum to continue to care for, research an$
e.hi,it the o,3ect for the ,enefit of the *i$est %ossi,le au$ience an$ %ro+i$es the o%%ortunity to inform
the %u,lic a,out the o,3ect>s history& -f the museum retains such an o,3ect in its collection, it shoul$
ac0no*le$ge the o,3ect>s history on la,els an$ %u,lications&
Claims of Ownership
-t is the Alliance4s %osition that museums shoul$ a$$ress claims of o*nershi% asserte$ in connection *ith o,3ects
in their custo$y o%enly, seriously, res%onsi+ely an$ *ith res%ect for the $ignity of all %arties in+ol+e$& Each claim
shoul$ ,e consi$ere$ on its o*n merits&

Museums shoul$ re+ie* %rom%tly an$ thoroughly a claim that an o,3ect in its collection *as unla*fully
a%%ro%riate$ $uring the Na5i era *ithout su,se1uent restitution&

-n a$$ition to con$ucting their o*n research, museums shoul$ re1uest e+i$ence of o*nershi% from the
claimant in or$er to assist in $etermining the %ro+enance of the o,3ect&

-f a museum $etermines that an o,3ect in its collection *as unla*fully a%%ro%riate$ $uring the Na5i era
*ithout su,se1uent restitution, the museum shoul$ see0 to resol+e the matter *ith the claimant in an
e1uita,le, a%%ro%riate an$ mutually agreea,le manner&

-f a museum recei+es a claim that a ,orro*e$ o,3ect in its custo$y *as unla*fully a%%ro%riate$ *ithout
su,se1uent restitution, it shoul$ %rom%tly notify the len$er an$ shoul$ com%ly *ith its legal o,ligations
as tem%orary custo$ian of the o,3ect in consultation *ith 1ualifie$ legal counsel&

When a%%ro%riate an$ reasona,ly %ractical, museums shoul$ see0 metho$s other than litigation (such
as me$iation) to resol+e claims that an o,3ect *as unla*fully a%%ro%riate$ $uring the Na5i era *ithout
su,se1uent restitution&

/he Alliance ac0no*le$ges that in or$er to achie+e an e1uita,le an$ a%%ro%riate resolution of claims,
museums may elect to *ai+e certain a+aila,le $efenses&

American Alliance of Museums
1575 Eye Street NW, Suite 400, Washington DC 0005
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-iduciar+ Obliations
Museums affirm that they hol$ their collections in the %u,lic trust *hen un$erta0ing the acti+ities liste$ a,o+e&
/heir ste*ar$shi% $uties an$ their res%onsi,ilities to the %u,lic they ser+e re1uire that any $ecision to ac1uire,
,orro*, or $is%ose of o,3ects ,e ta0en only after the com%letion of a%%ro%riate ste%s an$ careful consi$eration&

/o*ar$ this en$, museums shoul$ $e+elo% %olicies an$ %ractices to a$$ress the issues $iscusse$ in
these gui$elines&

Museums shoul$ ,e %re%are$ to res%on$ a%%ro%riately an$ %rom%tly to %u,lic an$ me$ia in1uiries&
Standards Regarding Archaeological Material and Ancient Art
/o %romote %u,lic trust an$ accounta,ility for 6&S& museums, the Alliance offers the follo*ing stan$ar$s to gui$e
the o%erations of museums that o*n or ac1uire archaeological material an$ ancient art originating outsi$e the
6nite$ States&
Collections Polic+
Museums shoul$ ha+e a %u,licly a+aila,le collections %olicy setting out the institution>s stan$ar$s for %ro+enance
concerning ne* ac1uisitions of archaeological material an$ ancient art&
.ew Ac#uisitions
Museums shoul$<

rigorously research the %ro+enance of an o,3ect %rior to ac1uisition

ma0e a concerte$ effort to o,tain accurate *ritten $ocumentation *ith res%ect to the history of the
o,3ect, inclu$ing e.%ort an$ im%ort $ocuments, an$

re1uire sellers, $onors, an$ their re%resentati+es to %ro+i$e all a+aila,le information an$
$ocumentation&
Museums must com%ly *ith all a%%lica,le 6&S& la*, inclu$ing treaties an$ international con+entions of *hich the
6&S& is a %arty, go+erning o*nershi% an$ title, im%ort an$ other issues critical to ac1uisitions $ecisions&
8eyon$ the re1uirements of 6&S& la*, museums shoul$ not ac1uire any o,3ect that, to the 0no*le$ge of the
museum, has ,een illegally e.%orte$ from its country of mo$ern $isco+ery or the country *here it *as last legally
o*ne$&
-n a$$ition, the Alliance recommen$s that museums re1uire $ocumentation that the o,3ect *as out of its %ro,a,le
country of mo$ern $isco+ery ,y No+em,er 17, 1#70, the $ate on *hich the 6NESCA Con+ention on the Means
of 'rohi,iting an$ 're+enting the -llicit -m%ort, E.%ort, an$ /ransfer of A*nershi% of Cultural 'ro%erty *as
signe$&
;or o,3ects e.%orte$ from their country of mo$ern $isco+ery after No+em,er 17, 1#70, the Alliance recommen$s
that museums re1uire $ocumentation that the o,3ect has ,een or *ill ,e legally e.%orte$ from its country of
mo$ern $isco+ery, an$ legally im%orte$ into the 6nite$ States&
/he Alliance recogni5es that there are cases in *hich it may ,e in the %u,lic>s interest for a museum to ac1uire
an o,3ect, thus ,ringing it into the %u,lic $omain, *hen there is su,stantial ,ut not full $ocumentation that the
%ro+enance meets the con$itions outline$ a,o+e& -f a museum acce%ts material in such cases, it shoul$ ,e
trans%arent a,out *hy this is an a%%ro%riate $ecision in alignment *ith the institution>s collections %olicy an$
a%%lica,le ethical co$es&
'(istin Collections
-n or$er to a$+ance further research, %u,lic trust, an$ accounta,ility museums shoul$ ma0e a+aila,le the 0no*n
o*nershi% history of archaeological material an$ ancient art in their collections, an$ ma0e serious efforts to

American Alliance of Museums
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0!"#!1"1"
allocate time an$ fun$ing to con$uct research on o,3ects *here %ro+enance is incom%lete or uncertain&
Museums may continue to res%ect re1uests for anonymity ,y $onors&
Claims
Museums shoul$ res%ectfully an$ $iligently a$$ress o*nershi% claims to anti1uities an$ archaeological material&
Each claim, *hether ,ase$ on ethical or legal consi$erations, shoul$ ,e consi$ere$ on its o*n merits&
When a%%ro%riate an$ reasona,ly %ractical, museums shoul$ see0 to resol+e claims through +oluntary
$iscussions $irectly *ith a claimant or facilitate$ ,y a thir$ %arty&
-iduciar+ )esponsibilities
Mem,ers of the ,oar$, staff, an$ +olunteers *ho %artici%ate in the ac1uisition an$ management of the collections
shoul$ ,e 0no*le$gea,le concerning the legal com%liance re1uirements an$ ethical stan$ar$s that %ertain to
anti1uities an$ archaeological materials, as *ell as the collecting %olicies an$ $isclosure %ractices of the
museum&