National Museum of Iceland, Suðurgata, 101 Reykjavík
Present: Margrét Hallgrímsdóttir, chairman, Halldór Björn Runólfsson, Helgi Torfason, Sveinn Kristinsson, AlmaDís Kristinsdóttir and Rakel Halldórsdóttir.
1. The minutes of the 71st meeting were approved and signed.
2. Director's report. Museum work.isThe number of museums, centres and exhibitions registering on the information website safnastarf.is, which is maintained by the Icelandic Museums Council, is increasing. The institutions themselves are responsible for registering, maintaining and updating information on the site with a password. Icelandic Museum Day 2008. Registration for the advertisement for Icelandic Museum Day 2008 is going well. Promotional matters are being worked on. Structure of the Master's program in Museology at the University of IcelandA master's program in museum studies will be offered at the Faculty of Social Sciences at the University of Iceland from autumn 2009. The program has been introduced. A website about the program is being developed at the University of Iceland (the Honorary President has submitted information text for the website). Museum Council field trip 2008. The trip will take place on the 18th and 19th of August The Museum Council's response to the Ministry of Education's response to the Museum Council's request for a meeting with the Chairman of the Budget Committee. In continuation of the Museum Council's request, a response was received from Eiríkir Þorláksson at the Ministry of Education, Culture and Sports, pointing out that institutions and funds are not permitted to attend the committee's meeting. A letter has been sent to the Ministry of Education and Culture, pointing out that the council has so far operated according to that rule, but that it has in mind the consultation of the House Preservation Committee and the Budget Committee on budget allocations in the field of house preservation. The Museum Council considers it important to promote better professional utilization of funds and coordinated working methods through comparable consultation between the Museum Council and the Budget Committee. Furthermore, the Museum Council requested information about which agreement was being referred to in connection with the ministry's rule in question. No response has been received from the Minister. Advertisement for applications to the 2009 Museum Fund. An advertisement for applications to the 2009 Museum Fund was published in Morgunblaðið and Fréttablaðið on Sunday, June 15. Advertisements are also being published in the Museum List (June 13), in the Sveitastjórnartíðind, the Lögbirtingablaðið and on the Museum Council's website. www.safnarad.is.
3. Copyright issues of collections. The Minister of Culture presented information from a lawyer regarding the matter. The Minister of Culture proposes, in light of the Competition Act, that instead of a comprehensive agreement being drawn up in this area, the Museum Council prepare a proposal for an agreement that the museums can then use in a direct agreement with Myndstef. It was agreed that the Minister of Culture would continue working on the matter along those lines. The Museum Council proposes that it be a commentator on each agreement. Furthermore, the Council suggested that the draft agreement should include ideas for amounts in accordance with what happens in the other Nordic countries. It is also important to examine the difference in purpose for the use of visual material (for educational purposes vs. for advertising purposes).
4. Recognition document – designer's recommendations. The President presented the designer's (Hildigunnar Gunnarsdóttir) proposals for a recognition document for museums that receive grants from the Museum Fund, in accordance with the ideas of the Museum Council. The Museum Council approved the design and cost estimate.
5. Application for export of human bone samples for carbon dating. A presentation by Hildur Gestsdóttir from the Archaeological Institute of Iceland was discussed, requesting permission to export samples of human bones for carbon dating. Comments from the National Museum and the Icelandic Archaeological Conservation Service have been requested. A positive comment from the National Museum has been received. It was agreed to authorize the export if a positive comment is also received from the Icelandic Archaeological Conservation Service.
6. Service agreement between the Húnvetningar and Strandamanni Regional Museum and the Commercial Museum in Hvammstangi. A presentation by the Húnvetningar and Strandamanni Regional Museum was discussed, requesting the Museum Council's opinion on the museum's draft service agreement with the Commercial Museum in Hvammstangi. The Museum Council does not make any substantive comments on the draft.
7. Next meeting and other mattersThe next meeting of the Museum Council is, according to the meeting schedule, part of the Museum Council's field trip on Monday and Tuesday, August 18-19.
Other issues:
* Application for a permit for the temporary export of works of art for exhibition in Denmark. The Museum Council received a request from Valgerði Hauksdóttir, National Gallery of Iceland, requesting permission to temporarily export three works of art by Sigurjón Ólafsson. In accordance with the approval and recommendation of HBR, Director of the National Gallery of Iceland, the Museum Council approved the export and that the matter would be sent to the Minister of Education for final processing in accordance with Article 7 of the Museums Act No. 106/2001.
* Information booklet for museums regarding applications to the Icelandic Museum Fund 2009. The Minister of Culture presented a draft Information Booklet for Museums regarding applications to the Museum Fund 2009. The Museum Council approved the draft.
* Professional registrationThe Museums Council has received, at the council's request, instructions for museums from the National Museum of Iceland and the National Gallery of Iceland, on the professional registration of museum objects and works of art.
* Comment on a paper on handling firearmsMH presented the National Museum's comments on a report regarding the handling of firearms, which was discussed at the last meeting.