Call for Contributions: Ethical Principles for Museum Collections

The CIMAM Museum Watch Committee is launching an international research initiative to develop a framework of ethical principles for building and maintaining museum collections through processes of acquisition, accessioning, safeguarding, and caretaking.

The project responds to growing concerns raised by recent cases that have exposed the vulnerability of museum collections and the ethical challenges surrounding their governance.

Drawing on professional experience from museum practitioners worldwide, the research will produce:

• An international mapping of current practices

• A lexicon of ethical terms and definitions

• Practical guidance to support ethical decision-making in museums across diverse cultural and political contexts

Museum professionals are invited to contribute by completing a short survey.

Key Information

Survey: 3 questions, taking approximately 5 minutes to complete.

Deadline: 1 September 2026, 08:00 CEST