Museum Collection Ethics : Acquisition, Stewardship, and Interpretation

Collection ethics – the third rail of the museum profession.

What are the encompassing issues museum face regarding how they acquire, keep and work with their collections? Museum Collection Ethics discusses the complexities inherent in preserving and interpreting the extraordinary range of culturally significant objects entrusted to museums. The book presents an encompassing look at every aspect of the intellectual and stewardship duties museums by definition assume. The differences between ethics, laws, customs, and expectations are discussed. They are not synonymous. Ethics vary widely and are fluid.

Essential factors include:

Defining a museum as an ethical pursuitThe role of museum governing authorities regarding ethicsThe ethics of collection authority: who is responsible for collection truthsHow museums collect and how ethics influences that activityThe ethics of assuring collection authenticityThe ethical access to collections, be it physical or digitalEthics and conservationExhibition ethicsThe ethics of collection removals be they voluntary or involuntary
This is the first book devoted solely to the ethical concerns museums face regarding their collections.