MUSEUMS PAST & PRESENT
AND MODERN-DAY COLLECTION GUIDELINES
40
MILLION
People Went To The Top 10 Most Visited Museums in 2022 (12, 13)
Hall + Merrick Photographers, ArchDaily (42)
Museums can teach, inspire, and challenge. They rely on numerous works of art and science, artifacts, or other objects to do so. This page shares details about major museums by attributes such as size, age, and vistorship numbers. PLUS, it offers a glimpse into object-collection standards (and challenges) for museums. Ethical collection practices, addressing questionable provinence of previously aquired objects, and repatriation activities to return objects to original owners/cultures are a few topics introduced here. I hope museum-goer's are inspired to explore the topics in greater depth on their own after visiting this page.
MUSEUM ORIGINS, 19th CENTURY & PRIOR
"The evolution of the museum from private collections and cabinets of curiosities to public institutions reflects(ed) broader social and intellectual trends, highlighting the growing importance of education and public access to knowledge." (1)
MUSEUM NUMBERS IN MODERN TIMES
104
THOUSAND
Estimated # Of Museums
Worldwide In 2021 (14, 17)
U.S. Museums In 2021;
Highest # Globally (14, 17)
33.1
THOUSAND
UNESCO YouTube Video, Posted May 2017
COLLECTING NEW OBJECTS
"Sphae" by Mavis Pusey, Detroit Institute of
Arts 2020 Acquisition (21, 22)
Billions of objects exist in museums around the world. Some of those objects were acquired from the same local region where the museums exist. Many of the objects come from other regions -- other countries or nationalities, for example.
Modern standards guide museums in ethical collection practices, including what to consider when researching the provenance of objects added to or already in their collections.
​​
Other collecting groups (e.g. auction houses, universities) and individual collectors should also pay attention to an object's origins when selling and acquiring objects.
Browse Collection Guidelines From
UNESCO & Museum Associations
​​"Under the 1970 Convention, cultural property is under protection. Cultural property includes anything of scientific, historical, artistic, and or religious significance, as defined by Article I of the convention." Convention Highlights by Wikipedia (20)
REPATRIATING EXISTING OBJECTS
Repatriation by museums is the act of returning items (art, artifacts, sacred objects, human remains, etc.) that have a questionable or unethical history of aquisition to the verified original owner(s). Owners could be invidividuals, tribes or other Indigenous groups, or countries of origin. In some cases, museums continue caring for and displaying objects on behalf of the identified owners via agreements with the entity to which ownership has been re-established. Agreements may include monetary restitution to owners.
In 2023, Musée d’Orsay was ordered to return Renoir's Marine Guernsey & 3 other paintings stolen in WWII to heirs of Ambroise Vollard.
(43, Picture from Wikimedia Commons)
​Candidates for repatriation are things identified as stolen, smuggled, or looted property such as art stolen during war (e.g. by the Nazi regime in WWII). The Museum of Looted Antiquities defines looted items as those “illegally excavated, taken during colonial conflicts, stolen from documented collections, or removed without permission from Indigenous communities and trafficked through the art market". (9)
EXAMPLE REPATRIATIONS BY MUSEUMS
Graphic by Karen Farrelly with Images/Info from Victoria & Albert Museum (47), MFA Boston (48), Stadel Museum (49), Anadolu Agency (49), Dingena Mol (49), The Nation (50), David Stover (50)
Repatriation Of Nisga'a Totem Pole in 2023 from Scotland (See Also Source 10)
"The National Museum of the American Indian Act (NMAI Act) requires the Smithsonian to return, upon request, Native American human remains, funerary objects, sacred objects, and objects of cultural patrimony to culturally affiliated federally recognized Indian tribes." (40)
313
Native American Ancestral Remains Repatriated by Smithsonian, 1991-2024 (41)
Chart by Karen Farrelly with Smithsonian NMAI Data (41)
Catalog Numbers* of Native American Items Repatriated by Smithsonian, 1991-2024
*Sets of 1 or More Items (41)
2,794
Looted Sculptures Returned to Afghanistan, Facilitated by The British Museum (46, Image from Trustees of British Museum)
VISITING MUSEUMS
"Many museums are utilizing new technologies to transform their public programs, digitize their collections,
and share their research. With these modern methods, museums are able to engage audiences in new ways and extend their missions beyond their walls." (11)
Support museums by visiting ones near you or while out traveling. Enjoy some facts about museums below.
LARGE
MUSEUMS
HIGHEST #
VISITORS
SMALL
MUSEUMS
NEW
MUSEUMS
Munch Museum, Oslo, Norway (42, Image by Adria Goula)
(1) "The Evolution of Museums: From Ancient Temples to Modern Institutions." Dimosthenis Vasiloudis. June 29, 2024.
(2) "The Babylonian Princess Who Founded the World's First Museum." Margherita Cole. June 10, 2023.
(3) "The Oldest Museums Around the World." Goodle Arts & Culture. Multiple Contributors.
(4) "Cabinets of Curiosities and The Origin of Collecting." Sotheby's Institute of Art. Giovanni Aoli. Aug. 28, 2018.
(5) "Vatican Museums, Wikipedia." Wikipedia Entry About Vatican Museums.
(6) "The Birth of The Public Museum." Elissavet Ntoulia. May 18, 2017.
(7) "Best Museums of Latin America." VIP Journeys. July 23, 2015.
​(8) "Cabinets of Curiosities and the Desire to Collect." Real Archaeology, Gschmid. Sept. 18, 2022.
(9) "A New Online Museum is Sharing the Histories of Rrepatriated Objects," Elena Goukassian. Sept. 16, 2024.
(10) "From Scotland to Canada, a Totem Pole Finally Returns Home." Nadine Yousif & Eloise Alanna. Oct. 1, 2023.
(11) "How Museums Evolved Over Time From Private Collections To Modern Institutions." Kelly Richman-Abdou. April 1, 2018.
(12) "The 100 Most Popular Art Museums in The World — Who Has Recovered and Who is Still Struggling?" Lee Chesire and Jose da' Silva; Research by Alex Colville and Justin Kamp. March 27, 2023.
(13) "Chart: The World's Most-Visited Museums." Florian Zandt for Statista. May 17, 2024.
(14) "Top Museums Worldwide Attendance by Country 2023." Statista Summary of UNESCO Research. Aug. 10, 2024.
(15) "15 Best Small-Town Museums in the U.S. – Fodors Travel Guide." Annie Bruce. Feb. 20, 2017.
(16) "Return and Restitution Cases." Section of UNESCO Website.
(17) "Museums Around The World in the Face of COVID-19." UNESCO Report. April 2021.
(18) "Top Countries Worldwide by Number of Museums 2021." Statista Summary of UNESCO Research. Oct. 21, 2024.
(19) "https://www.unesco.org/en/node/66148". UNESCO Website Text of the 1970 Convention April 27, 2023.
(20) "UNESCO 1970 Convention, Wikipedia." Wikipedia Entry About 1970 Convention Document.
(21) "The Detroit Institute of Arts Added 463 Works of Art To Its Collection in 2020." Ryan Patrick Hooper. Dec. 28, 2020.
(22) "Detroit Institute of Arts ... Highlights of 2020 Acquisitions.." Detroit Institute of Arts Press Release. Dec. 8, 2020.​​
(23) "The 20 Biggest Museums in the World - Newsweek." Amancay Tapia. Sept. 17, 2021.
(24) "List of Largest Art Museums, Wikipedia." Wikepedia Entry.
(25) "The Largest Art Museums In The World - WorldAtlas." Amber Pariona. May 30, 2017.
SOURCES
​(26) "The Smallest Museums in the World — Google Arts & Culture." Google Arts & Culture. Multiple Contributors.
​(27) "6 of the World’s Tiniest Museums — Daily Passport." Julia Hammond.
(28) "Bashful Adventurer's 25 Best Small Museums." The Bashful Adventurer. May 31, 2019.
(29) "World's Best Under the Radar Small Museums." Becca Hensley. July 8, 2019.
(30) "Number of Museums Worldwide by Region 2021." Statista Summary of UNESCO Research. Oct. 21, 2024,
(31) "Culture & Development: Stop the Illicit Traffic of Cultural Property." UNESCO Digital Library, 2013
(32) "AAMD Guidance on Art from Colonized Areas.pdf". Association of Art Museum Directors Website Document. Oct. 2022.
(33) "AAMD Statement of Purpose." Association of Art Museum DIrectors Website Document. Jan. 29, 2013.
(34) "Standards on Accessioning of the Internation Council of Museums." International Council of Museums. Dec. 2020.
(35) "Code of Ethics and Professional Practices for Collections Professionals." American Alliance of Museums. Feb. 24, 2021.
(36) "2. Stewardship of collections - Museums Association." Ethics Section of Museums Association's Website.
(37) "Ethical Guidelines Advice from the Museums Association Ethics Committee." Museums Association. Number 1 Second Edition 2004.
(38) "https://www.unidroit.org/instruments/cultural-property/1995-convention/." UNIDROIT Website's Copy Of 1995 Convention Text.
(39) "1970 Convention on the Means of Prohibiting and Preventing the Illicit Import, Export and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural Property." UNESCO Website's Copy Of 1970 Convention Text.
(40) "Repatriation | National Museum of the American Indian." From Website Of Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian.
(41) "Repatriation Dashboard | National Museum of the American Indian." Dashboard From Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian. Figures as of Oct. 2024.
​(42) "9 Newly Opened Museums Enriching the Arts and Culture Scene | ArchDaily." Andreea Cutiera. Jan. 12, 2022. ​
(43) "French Court Orders Musée d’Orsay to Restitute Masterpieces Stolen During World War II | Smithsonian."​ Ella Feldman. Feb. 23, 2023.
(44) "These 10 museums are set to open in 2024 - The Spaces." The Spaces Team. Dec. 29, 2023.
(45) "The Most Anticipated Museum Openings of 2024 | Smithsonian." Laura Kiniry. Jan. 29, 2024.
(46) "British Museum to Return Buddhist Heads Looted in Afghan War | The Guardian." Mark Brown. July 8, 2019.
(47) "Repatriated Artifacts That Were Sent Back to Their Home Countries in 2021." Alex Brelser. Dec. 31, 2021.
(48) "Kneeling Figure and Figure of Ewe, DJENNE Peoples." Boston Musuem of Fine Arts Website, Links to Object's Transfer Details.
(49) "A Timeline of All the Looted & Stolen Art Repatriated in 2023."Emily Burack. Dec. 15, 2023.
(50) "Trends in Repatriation of Cultural Objects from US Museums - Center for Art Law." Harper Johnson and Suzanna Neal. May 15, 2024.