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 pursuit *The role of museum governing authorities regarding ethics *The ethics of collection authority: who is responsible for collection truths *How museums collect and how ethics influences that activity *The ethics of assuring collection authenticity *The ethical access to collections, be it physical or digital *Ethics and conservation *Exhibition ethics *The 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.

About the Author
Steven Miller has been in the museum field for nearly fifty years. During that time he has been a curator, administrator, director, trustee, writer, consultant, and museum studies educator. He has served with six major museums in the northeastern United States. He holds a BA in sculpture (with honors) from Bard College and an international graduate certificate in the Principles of Conservation Science from the International Centre for the Study of the Conservation and Preservation of Cultural Property, Rome, Italy.


Book Information
ISBN 9781538135204
Author Steven Miller
Format Paperback
Page Count 222
Imprint Rowman & Littlefield
Publisher Rowman & Littlefield
Weight(grams) 358g
Dimensions(mm) 222mm * 152mm * 14mm