Museums are multifaceted institutions that reach across all disciplines and encounter a complex range of legal questions. Experts in museum and art law join forces in this essay-format volume. These unique, nonprofit cultural organizations face a myriad of legal concerns as they launch into the twenty-first century and will continue to require specific guidance. From intellectual property law to navigating waters of social media, de-accessioning concerns to governance law, copyright, and rights and reproduction questions to issues of public domain and public trust, The Legal Guide for Museum Professionals seeks to provide answers and courses of action for museums of all disciplines. This book will assist professionals in determining when to seek professional legal counsel and when to educate themselves and proceed on their own. The book was inspired by a panel of experts who have presented at numerous regional and national conferences for museum professionals are especially practiced at providing insight into current legal concerns, including: Gil Whittemore Esq. of Rath, Young and Pignatelli, P.C. and former Chair of the American Bar Association’s Museum Law Committee; Katherine E. Lewis Esq. Chair of the American Bar Association’s Museum Law Committee and practicing New York attorney; Mark S. Gold Esq. practicing attorney in Williamstown, MA with the firm of Parese, Sabin, Smith & Gold LLP who has written and edited extensively on all aspects of museum and art law. All three contributed to this volume.

Table of Contents:
Preface Acknowledgments Part 1: Collections and Exhibits Chapter 1: Found in Collections: Museum Property Statutes to Resolve Abandoned Property Issues in Museums Gilbert Whittemore, Phd. Esq. Chapter 2: Stolen Cultural Property: A Risk Management Primer David L. Hall and Ivana D. Greco Chapter 3: Museums and Museum Curators: Caught in the Cross-Hairs Of Authenticity Disputes Ronald D. Spencer and Judith Wallace Chapter 4: Nazi-Looted Art—Risks and Best Practices for Museums Nicholas M. O’Donnell Chapter 5: A Brief Guide to Provenance Research Dr. Sharon Flescher Chapter 6: A Native American Graves Protection Act (NAGPRA) Case Study Dr. Ellen Savulis Chapter 7: Road Trip: Reviewing and Creating Contracts for Traveling Exhibits Julia Hollett Courtney Chapter 8: Managing Historic Firearms in Museum Collections Alex MacKenzie and David Arnold Part 2: Museum Government and Finance Chapter 9: Monetizing the Collection: The Intersection of Law, Ethics and Trustees Prerogative Mark S. Gold Chapter 10: Keeping Deaccessioned Objects in the Public Domain: Legal and Practical Issues Stefanie S. Jandl and Mark S. Gold Chapter 11: There’s No Such Thing as Public Trust, And It’s a Good Thing, Too Donn Zaretsky Chapter 12: Endowments and Restricted Gifts: Accessible or “Hands Off ?” Anita Lichtblau Esq. Chapter 13: The Fresno METropolitan Museum Story: Assignment for Benefit of Creditors Riley Walter Chapter 14: The Higgins Armory and Worcester Art Museum Integration: A Case Study in Combining and Transforming Mature Cultural Institutions James C. Donnelly, Jr. and Catherine M. Colinvaux Part 3: Museum Operations Chapter 15: Employee and Independent Contractor Issues in the Museum Context Ethan S. Klepetar, Esq. Chapter 16: To Train or Not to Train, Is that a Question? The Training of Security Officers in Museums R. Michael Kirchner, CPP Part 4: Digital Technology and Social Media in Museums Chapter 17: Social Media: Use Responsibly Katherine E. Lewis Chapter 18: Digital and Information Technology at the Museum Katherine E. Lewis Chapter 19: Crowdfunding for Museums Alyssa L. Reiner, Esq. Chapter 20: Rights and Reproduction: The Rapidly Changing Landscape Julia Courtney and Katherine E. Lewis Index About the Contributors and Editor