With the Museums Act No. 141/2011, the Museums Council was given the role of discussing the recognition of museums and the withdrawal of recognition before proposals are sent to the Minister. In addition, the Museums Council shall set conditions regarding housing, security, accessibility, registration systems and professional work that museums must meet in order to receive recognition from the Museums Council. Recognition by the Museums Council is a prerequisite for museums to apply for operating grants from the Museums Fund and only recognized museums can become responsible museums. The aim of the recognition is to strengthen the activities of museums in preserving Iceland's cultural and natural heritage, ensure that it is passed on intact to future generations, provide people with access to it and promote increased knowledge of this heritage and understanding of its relationship with the outside world.
The Museum Council shall supervise the activities of accredited museums, and if a museum does not meet the requirements for accreditation, the Museum Council may submit a proposal to the Minister for the withdrawal of accreditation.
The conditions for recognition according to Article 10 of the Museums Act No. 141/2011, together with further elaboration based on other provisions of the Act, the ICOM Code of Ethics, as well as other laws and regulations, are as follows:
1. A museum shall be owned by a public body, a non-profit organization, a society or an enterprise that ensures the financial basis for the museum's normal operations and appoints a board of directors. A museum shall not be operated for profit.
- The Museum Council defines a reasonable financial basis as follows: that the museum has the resources to support professional activities in accordance with the Museum Council's requirements.
2. A museum shall have independent finances, separate from the other operations of the owner. The museum's accounts shall be certified by a certified public accountant. It shall submit an annual report on its activities and financial statements to the Museum Council. The Museum Council shall issue guidelines on the content of the report.
3. A museum shall operate in accordance with a charter or bylaw that has been approved by the museum board, cf. Article 7 of the Museums Act No. 141/2011. The charter or bylaw shall specify the subject matter and area of operation of the museum and the manner in which the provisions of the Museums Act on the termination of operations and the disposal of assets and museum property will be met. The charter or bylaw of a recognized museum shall be published in Section B of the Official Gazette.1
4. A museum shall operate in accordance with the terms of reference of the museum council.
- housing
- the museum shall have work permit from the health inspectorate and submit a copy of it to the museum board upon request.
- fire safety inspection Regular inspections of the museum's premises shall be conducted, and a copy of the fire safety inspector's report shall be submitted to the museum board upon request.
- Conditions in exhibition and storage facilities must be such that the long-term preservation of artifacts is ensured.2
- security issues
- The museum must have a functioning security system, including fire, burglary and moisture alarms. Confirmation of the functioning of the security systems must be submitted to the museum board upon request.
- The museum shall monitor the amount of light, temperature and humidity in its premises, measurements shall be recorded regularly and information shall be submitted to the museum board upon request.
- A museum must have an emergency plan for staff, visitors and museum resources.3 and submit a copy of them to the museum board upon request.
- collection registration system.
- Systems used for recording data at accredited museums must, at a minimum, meet the Museum Council's terms and conditions for recording systems as set out on the Museum Council's website. If a recording system does not meet the Museum Council's terms and conditions, the museum must submit a timed plan for improvements to the Museum Council, which the Council will consider.
- see a special checklist published by the Museum Council
- professional activities (pursuant to Articles 3 and 14 of the Museums Act)
- Collection: A museum shall operate according to a publicly published collection policy.
- Registration: Collection shall be subject to the main library's instructions about registration.4
- Preservation: Collection shall comply with the main library's instructions on preservation and preventive custody.5
- A museum shall submit a strategy for its activities to the central museum every four years.
- A museum shall be open to the public during advertised opening hours.
- Information about registered artifacts in the custody of a museum shall be accessible to the public.
- A museum shall conduct research, disseminate information, and participate in collaboration, regionally, nationally, and internationally.6
5. A museum shall grant free admission to school students visiting the museum on organized study trips.
6. Accessibility to museum premises shall be in accordance with laws and regulations and take into account the needs of people with disabilities as much as possible.
7. A museum shall operate in accordance with the Code of Ethics of the International Council of Museums (ICOM) and the provisions of law.
8. The director of a museum shall have education in the museum's field of responsibility or have acquired equivalent qualifications in another way.
The Museum Council reserves the right to revise this list and update it in line with any changes that may occur in professional standards, laws and regulations.
In its assessment of applications for recognition, the Museum Council will take into account special circumstances that may exist if they are adequately justified and a plan for improvement is presented.
In cases where a central library in the relevant field has not issued guidelines or guidelines, libraries should follow guidelines from other central libraries, as appropriate.
[1] See the Museum Council's guidelines on charters, which can be found on the Museum Council's website: www.safnarad.is.
[2] See instructions in Handbook on the preservation of museum collections. http://www.thjodminjasafn.is/minjar-og-rannsoknir/forvarsla/handbaekur/
[3] See instructions in Handbook on the preservation of museum collections. http://www.thjodminjasafn.is/minjar-og-rannsoknir/forvarsla/handbaekur/
[4] See the main museums' instructions on registration, which can be found on the Museums Council's website: www.safnarad.is
[5] See instructions in Handbook on the preservation of museum collections. http://www.thjodminjasafn.is/minjar-og-rannsoknir/forvarsla/handbaekur/ and Guidelines for the professional preservation of collectibles from the National Museum of Iceland which can be found on the Museums Council website: www.safnrad.is
[6] The criteria of the main museums as set out in their museum policies shall be followed.