Ethics

Section of the Early Permian Cundlego Formation siltstone. Photo by Geoff Deacon

Section of the Early Permian Cundlego Formation siltstone. Photo by Geoff Deacon
Image copyright WA Museum 

Image from 'An introduction to fossils at the WA Museum'.

Ethics are very important in the cultural heritage sector. As guardians of the National Distributed Collection, holders of donated items, and protectors of local history, museums and other collections have responsibilities to the community.

The National Standards for Australian Museums and Galleries v 1.4 and ICOM’s Code of Ethics provide good starting points for discussions about ethics. It can be useful to have a discussion about how these relate specifically to your collection. 

Museums Australia, Code of Ethics for Art, History, and Science Museums(1999)