A legal primer on managing museum collections

A new edition of the bible of U.S. collections management-now updated for the 21st-century museum professional or Museum Studies student!

This is the only comprehensive discussion of the legal questions faced by museums as they acquire, use, and refine their collections.

This fully revised and expanded fourth edition addresses a thorough range of legal developments museums face, including new developments in the digital age and under new repatriation regulations. This approachable, easy-to-follow guide provides:

Major updates on deaccessioning and copyright and fair use
New chapters on ethical returns and shared stewardship

Real-life and hypothetical lawsuit case studies
Samples from museum collection policies
Templates to help with document writing
Suggestions for preventing legal problems
Footnotes with more indepth discussion of relevant cases


The book covers a wide range of issues, including nonprofit status, fraud, copyright, loans, documentation, accessioning and deaccessioning, international exhibitions, and cultural heritage concerns. The authorative A Legal Primer on Managing Museum Collections offers detailed explanations of the law that make it a go-to book for any museum professional.