1 / 13

Ethics, Laws and Sacred Objects

Explore the importance of ethics in the museum world, the intersection of laws and codes, and considerations for handling sacred objects. Learn about professional codes, acquisition laws, staff responsibilities, and building relationships with traditional communities.

aoboyle
Download Presentation

Ethics, Laws and Sacred Objects

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Ethics, Laws and Sacred Objects

  2. What are ethics to you? What does it mean to be ethical? • “Ethics are based on experience and concern the distinction between right and wrong, and how that distinction is applied to language, behavior and thought. Ethical codes evolve in response to changing conditions, values and ideas. That is why professional codes are reviewed and revised periodically” • Simmons, Page 147. • To be ethical means to do the right thing, which means following laws and current codes.

  3. How do ethics apply to the museum world? • Ethics are the backbone of a museum’s collection management policy • Ethics require the museum to do more than only following current laws • Museums need to also be concerned with the appearance of wrong doing • Transparency and Accountability • All objects have been ethically obtained

  4. What are the three types of ethical codes related to museums? • Professional Codes • Specific Profession Codes • Institutional Codes

  5. What are some laws or codes that address the acquisition of objects? • National Museum of the American Indian Act (NMAI) • Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) • American Alliance of Museums (AAM) and Association of Art Museum Directors (AAMD) • 2008 Guidelines

  6. How can a museum ensure its staff, volunteers, and board members act ethically? • Conflicts of Interest • Must put organization’s interests above their own personal interests • Personal Collecting • May be prohibited from collecting objects related to their organization’s scope of interest • If not, may have to submit inventories of personal collection • Use of Personal Collection • Museum needs to have clear policies on the use of personal collections within the museum • Cannot store personal collections

  7. Acting Ethically • Deaccessioned Collections • Cannot acquire deaccessioned objects, unless they participate in a public auction • Appraisals and Authentication • Cannot be conducted by members of the museum • Personal Activities: • If working outside museum, staff should conduct themselves to respect positively on the museum and the museum profession. • Should also identify themselves as working apart from the museum

  8. What are a museum registrar’s responsibilities? • Overseeing all management and care processes, acquisitions and deaccessions • Ensuring acquisitions have followed ethical standards and procedures • Both law and codes by overarching authorities • Addressing questionable situations

  9. Why is it important for a museum to have good relationships with traditional communities? • Ensures community’s objects are properly cared for • Preservation and meaning of object • Staff can better understand and appreciate object • A respectful and knowledgeable interpretation • Encourages public trust

  10. Who should a museum turn to decide if an object is sacred? • Turn to representatives of the group or community • If not available, a legitimate and respected authority • Should not take it upon themselves to decide

  11. When a museum has sacred objects, what are considerations that ensure their meaning is respected? • Consultation • Initiate contact to consult with the group on objects under the care of the museum • Access • Limiting object information and access to protect the objects sacredness • Care Protocols • Any specific care considerations to maintain the object in its current form • Repatriation • Reviewing, and sometimes honoring, requests for the return of the object

  12. Test your Knowledge! • Scenario 1: • An intern is going through object records and finds documents from a donor saying that an object was acquired at a reservation. The intern points this out to the registrar, who is suspicious that the object might have sacred value to Native American people. As the registrar, what are the next steps you would take to address this concern? • Conduct research on donor, object and Native American group • Contact a representative of, or a legitimate source on, the group in question to decide whether object is sacred • If found to be sacred: consult, access, care, repatriation

  13. Test your Knowledge! • Scenario 2: • When looking at object records, you notice the provenance of a piece is not well established, and the description of the object reminds you of one of a reportedly stolen item. What would you do in this situation?

More Related