The policy column

In the foreword to the Museums Association’s (MA) current code of ethics (2008), Vanessa Trevelyan, the former president of the association, reminds us that it must constantly evolve.

And rather than being consulted only in the event of an ethical emergency, it should give confidence to the public and support museums in day-to-day decision making.

The code is also clear that museums must “work collaboratively with other organisations to address social disadvantage and exclusion”, so we should not be under the misapprehension that it is either narrow or static. However, the seismic changes of the past six years demand a fresh appraisal of its contents.

For the code to remain contemporary, relevant and respected, a broad range of situations need consideration, including, of course, collections-based challenges.

How far should we go in accepting funding if it supports the public good? How do we balance our social justice programmes, which may be resource intensive, with the struggle to keep the doors open? How do staff pay and conditions feed into this mix?

Such questions can be daunting, particularly for those with governing bodies pressing for courses of action that they may feel powerless to influence.

But whatever our experience and situation, a code that helps us consider – and, at times, to justify – a broad range of ethical dilemmas in a balanced way is invaluable.

I very much welcome the current consultation on the sector’s ethics through discussion at MA members’ meetings; the process itself is a useful thinking tool. And whatever the outcome, the code should be a document we refer to on a regular basis, not just when crisis looms.