International Council of Museums

ICOM, the International Council of Museums, was founded in 1946, a non-commercial and non-governmental organization closely related to UNESCO. ICOM’s mission is to protect the cultural heritage. The organization spreads information and participates in the decision making concerning the museum branch. ICOM develops the standards that define the administration of museums and the organizing of collections, as well as the best practices in the field. The headquarters of ICOM is situated in Paris. Its members come from 141 countries and altogether there are more than 35 000 of us museum professionals.

The organization is divided into National and International Committees. ICOM Finland is one of 115 National Committees. As a member of ICOM Finland, you can join the International Committee that is related to your own field. The International Committees are subdivided according to theme, so as a member you can actively participate in the discussion that concerns your own field.

ICOM Finland

The mission of The Finnish National Committee of ICOM is to promote the professional cooperation between members active in the museum field and to offer possibilities of following the international development of the branch. ICOM Finland encourages the Finnish members’ participation in the activity of the international ICOM and carries out the organization’s strategic plan on a national level. ICOM Finland is also active as its members’ representative in the umbrella organization.

Guarding the ICOM Code of Ethics for Museums is one of the central tasks of ICOM Finland. Together with the Finnish Museums Organization, the Finnish National Committee of ICOM grants the annual Museum Awards. ICOM Finland participates in keeping up the museum professional discussion also in its home country, by participating in the organizing of different kinds of seminars. In addition, ICOM Finland promotes the visibility of the Finnish museum know-how internationally, for example by translating Finnish publications into English.