thoughts on readings for 9/23 ( done on 9/20)

After reading the ICOM code of ethics, the American Association of Museums Code of Ethics, the Besterman and Edson articles, I see how important it is to make sure and follow these guidelines in order to make sure that all legal aspects of the museum in regards to the collections are followed. By following the ethical code, it shows that you wish to do everything right in order to keep the public perception favorable towards you. Also, that you acquire objects legally, and keep all papers and documents about a particular collection on hand in order to show them to people if necessary. With these ideas, one can give back any object which was acquired illegally back to the original owner of the particular object if possible. After visiting and reading about the British Museum and seeing all of the different exhibits which I learned were stolen from the native owners, it is intriguing to see how it is trying to get around being ethical. It was interesting to learn that a law was made which allowed the museum to keep the collections and to not have to give the objects back. Making a law like this shows the lack of ethics and loyalty only to the museum which flows around in different museums. The board and curators of the different museums should work to get themselves back onto ethical standing by giving objects back, like giving the pieces of the Parthenon back to the Greeks. This sort of act shows commitment to ethical strategies and to groups of people to whom have had many objects stolen from them throughout the ages. Thus we see how important it is to have the code of ethics in order to make sure that the occupation is following the legal and moral responsibilities of keeping objects.