After completing the course Principles of Art, Antiquities, Cultural Heritage and the Law and writing a paper on freeports, I continued my research in art law on museums and collections and chose this topic for my JD dissertation.
Abstract of the Paper:
Museums are traditionally regarded as non-profit institutions, yet their operations may involve legal risks similar to those faced by commercial organisations. Activities related to acquiring, deaccessioning, lending, and displaying collections can expose museums and museum professionals to regulatory risks, contractual disputes, civil liability, and in some cases criminal allegations. Despite these potential risks, the legal dimension of museum operations has received relatively limited attention. This issue has become increasingly significant as the number of museums worldwide has grown rapidly in recent decades.
This paper examines the legal risks that may arise in the course of museum operations and highlights the need for greater awareness of these risks among museum professionals. It argues that museums should recognise the legal implications of their activities and develop clear internal policies to manage potential liabilities more effectively.
The full paper can be accessed at https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=6379420.
Photo by the author, taken at the British Museum.
