Museum Acquisitions Policies and the 1970 UNESCO Convention

Abstract

One of UNESCO’s major functions in the preservation of the world cultural heritage is the adoption of appropriate legislation defining the nature and scope of the protection to be provided. In laying down the rules that govern international relations in this field, the Organization has set out principles and standards that have, over time, modified the attitudes and behaviour of heritage professionals and the general public alike. Nowhere is this more evident than in the implementation of the 1970 Convention on the Means of Prohibiting and Preventing the Illicit Import, Export and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural Property, which has had a major impact on the way museums acquire their holdings. Patrick J. O’Keefe is an author and consultant on cultural heritage law and management. Previously an Australian Government official and then an academic, he is co‐author of the five‐volume publication Law and the Cultural Heritage as well as of numerous articles and papers. He is a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of London.