General aims/Goals/Objective

To develop an official ICOM DOCUMENTATION definition for ‘Museum Documentation’— a short statement that aims to encapsulate the scope, boundaries, and applications of documentation activities in museums — and draft related literature.

Present projects/Resources

Version I (V.I) of the ‘Museum Documentation’ definition
Accompanying explanatory article, publication expected Fall 2025 – Spring 2026

Materials

Rationale and working draft

History

The Task Force was launched in May 2023 by the ICOM DOCUMENTATION board. The process of drafting the definition has been iterative and collaborative, inviting multiple opportunities for feedback and public commentary from a diverse, global group of museum documentalists. An introduction to the project was first presented to the ICOM DOCUMENTATION membership in an open forum during the 2023 annual conference in Mexico City. Draft I (D.1) of the definition was offered for formal feedback to the board and working group chairs in November 2023.
Draft II (D.II) was again offered for feedback to the board and working group chairs in May 2024. Draft III (D.III) was proffered for in-depth public input at a half-day roundtable discussion during the 2024 annual conference in Amsterdam in November 2024, which resulted in the current draft, Draft IV (D.IV).

Participants and contact

Adele Barbato, Chair
Paula Casajus
Kaie Jeeser
Gordon McKenna
Trilce Navarrete
Dominic Oldman
Jonathan Ward