Key Concepts of Museology - ICOM

F OREWORD
The development of professional standards is one of the core
objectives of ICOM, particularly in the area of advancement, sharing,
and communication of knowledge to the broad-ranging global museum
community, but also to those who develop policies in relation to its
work, to those responsible for managing the legal and social aspects
of its profession, and not least to those to whom it is directed and who
are expected to participate in and benefi t from it. Launched in 1993,
under the supervision of André Desvallées, and with the collaboration
of François Mairesse from 2005 onwards, the Dictionary of Museology
is a monumental work resulting from many years of research,
interrogation, analysis, revision and debate by ICOM’s International
Committee for Museology (ICOFOM), which is particularly devoted
to the process of developing our comprehension of the practice and
theory of museums and the work that is undertaken within these
institutions daily.
The role, development and management of museums has changed
greatly in the last couple of decades. Museum institutions have become
steadily more visitor-focused and some of the larger museums are
veering more towards a corporate management model in their daily
operations. The museum profession and environment have therefore
inevi tably evolved. Countries such as China have seen an unprecedented
increase in their museum presence, but there are equally important
museum developments occurring at the micro level, for example
in Small Island Developing States (SIDS). These exciting changes
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