Wednesday, January 25, 2017, 12-2 p.m.
Location: Museum House, Hverfisgata 15
Present: Ólafur Kvaran, chairman, Anna Sigríður Kristjánsdóttir, vice chairman, Helga Lára Þorsteinsdóttir, Sigríður Björk Jónsdóttir, Halldór Björn Runólfsson, Hilmar J. Malmquist and Þóra Björk Ólafsdóttir, managing director.
Haraldur Þór Egilsson and Margrét Hallgrímsdóttir did not make it.
1. Presentation case
1.1. Overview of the Council's activities since the last meeting
1.2. New museum council welcomed. Museum council members were given a folder with information about the council's activities and projects. The chairman led a discussion about the council's procedures and the director presented the information contained in the folder.
1.3. The draft budget and project plan for the Museum Council 2017 were presented to the Museum Council. Both plans will be ready for the next meeting.
1.4. The Executive Director presented a number of applications for the 2017 Museum Fund, the application evaluation committee will begin work within a few days and it is expected that a proposal will be ready in the first week of March.
2. Matters for decision
2.1. At the 148th meeting of the Museum Council on 23 February 2016, a cost of 500,000 kr. for a new website was approved. At the 152nd meeting of the Museum Council in June, it was approved to seek bids for the design and implementation of the Museum Council's new website. The project was delayed in 2016 due to other work, but is now well underway. The Managing Director has been working with Margréti Sveinbjörnsdóttir at Brúarsmiðjan to implement the site tree and the usability of the site. Brúarsmiðjan has worked with Jón Ingi Stefánsson, a web designer, who will set up the website for the Council. The Museum Council approved Brúarsmiðjan's and Jón Ingi's bid for this part of the project.
2.2. The Museums Act No. 141/2011 does not directly address how to proceed if a museum is notified of the withdrawal of recognition or if a museum wishes to renounce the recognition of the Museums Council. Article 9 of the Museums Act states: “The Minister may withdraw the recognition of a museum upon receipt of a proposal from the Museums Council if the Council considers that the museum no longer meets the conditions for recognition.” And Article 12 states: “End of operations and disposal of assets and collections. The charter or bylaws of a recognized museum shall provide for the disposal of its assets and collection if the museum is closed down or its operating form is changed. If a recognized museum has received public funding pursuant to Articles 11 or 22, its collection shall be disposed of in accordance with the provisions of the charter or bylaws and in consultation with the relevant main museum. Other assets shall be disposed of after consultation with the ministry.” The Museum Council agreed to obtain a legal opinion on how to proceed with the withdrawal of recognition or the renunciation of recognition if this should occur.
3. Other issues
No other issues discussed.
Meeting adjourned at 1:40 p.m. / ÞBÓ