目前使用的“博物馆定义”，在过去的几十年里只进行过微小的调整，已经不能充分的反映和表达博物馆在21世纪面对的复杂状况，以及博物馆在当前的责任和承诺，或者它们所面临的挑战和未来的愿景。——国际博协

　　国际博协（ICOM）日前在官网发布最新通告：经过仔细权衡，国际博物馆协会决定重新考虑和修订现有的博物馆定义。

　　众所周知，ICOM为遍布世界各地的博物馆提供了共同的行动框架、进行专业讨论的论坛、以及一个可以探索和尽情展现博物馆及文化机构辖内遗产和馆藏文物的平台。

　　对博物馆的共同定义是国际博物馆协会作为一个全球性组织的支柱。然而，博物馆与社区之间交汇的边界却在不断地变化。

　　根据“博物馆定义、前景和潜力”常务委员会的建议，并经过仔细权衡，国际博物馆协会执行委员会决定，重新考虑和修订现有的博物馆定义。

　　目前使用的博物馆定义，在过去的几十年里只进行过微小的调整，已经不能充分的反映和表达博物馆在21世纪面对的复杂状况，以及博物馆在当前的责任和承诺，或者它们所面临的挑战和未来的愿景。

　　在接下来的几个月里，“博物馆定义、前景和潜力”常务委员会将邀请国际博物馆协会的会员们，各委员会，合作伙伴和其他感兴趣的利益相关者，共同参与制定博物馆定义的替代版本。

　　新版本的博物馆定义，将于2019年9月1日至7日在京都举行的第25届国际博物馆协会大会上发布。

　　（上文为博物馆头条于发稿前一小时内初步编译，读者请看原版）

　　原版英文稿如下：

　　The museum definition,

　　the backbone of ICOM

　　Across the world ICOM provides a common framework for museums, a forum for professional discussions, and a platform for questioning and celebrating heritage and collections in museums and cultural institutions.

　　A shared definition of the museum serves as the backbone for ICOM as a global organisation.

　　However, the points of intersection between museums and communities are continuously shifting. Following the recommendation of the standing committee on Museum Definition, Prospects and Potentials and having carefully weighed the pros and cons, the ICOM Executive Board has decided, that it is time to rethink and revise the existing museum definition.

　　The current definition, which has only seen minor adjustments over the past few decades, does not reflect and express adequately the complexities of the 21st century and the current responsibilities and commitments of museums, nor their challenges and visions for the future.

　　In the coming months, the Museum Definition, Prospects and Potentials committee will invite ICOM members, committees, partners and other interested stakeholders to participate in the development of potential alternatives for the museum definition in time for the 25th ICOM General Conference, which will take place in Kyoto, 1-7 September 2019.

　　Museum Definition

　　Since ICOM’s creation in 1946, the ICOM definition played a central role for museums and museum professionals and became a reference in the international museum community.

　　According to the ICOM Statutes, adopted by the 22nd General Assembly in Vienna, Austria, on 24 August, 2007:

　　“A museum is a non-profit, permanent institution in the service of society and its development, open to the public, which acquires, conserves, researches, communicates and exhibits the tangible and intangible heritage of humanity and its environment for the purposes of education, study and enjoyment.”

　　In the aftermath of the 2016 ICOM General Conference in Milan, a new Standing Committee has been appointed to study the current definition. The Committee on Museum Definition, Prospects and Potentials (MDPP, 2017-2019) explores the shared but also the profoundly dissimilar conditions, values and practices of museums in diverse and rapidly changing societies. Combining broad dialogue across the membership with dedicated expert fora, the committee is addressing the ambiguous and often contradictory trends in society, and the subsequent new conditions, obligations and possibilities for museums.

　　Approaching the ICOM Kyoto General Conference in 2019 (1-7 September 2019), on the background of information gathered, new trends observed and documented, and discussions conducted through its various working groups, the committee will advise the Executive Board and the Advisory Council on museological and epistemological problem areas in the existing museum definition. It will make recommendations regarding the potential gains as well as the complication in revising the definition, as a shared, international framework, to reflect and include more current conditions, potentials and priorities for museums.

　　To consult the MDPP Report and recommendations approved by ICOM’s Executive Board meeting in December 2018, click on the button below.

　　资料：国际博协（ICOM）关于“博物馆”的定义（1946-2007）

　　1946年

　　“博物馆”这个词包括藏品对公众开放的所有艺术的、技术的、科学的、历史的或考古的（机构），包括动物园和植物园，但是图书馆除外，仅包括保持永久展厅的图书馆。

　　The word“museums”includes all collections open to the public，of artistic，technical，scientific，historical or archaeological material，including zoos and botanical gardens，but excluding libraries，except in so far as they maintain permanent exhibition rooms.

　　1956年

　　“博物馆”这个词在此是特指任何永久性（固定性）机构，普遍意义地讲，以各种形式的保存、研究、提高为目的，特别是以接待和展示向公众展出具有文化价值的艺术的、历史的、科学和技术的藏品和标本的机构、植物园、动物园和水族馆。隶属公共图书馆和公共档案馆的常设性展馆可被认为是博物馆。

　　The word of museum here denotes any permanent establishment，administered in the general interest，for the purpose of preserving，studying，enhancing by various means and，in particular，of exhibiting to the public for its delectation and instruction groups of objects and specimens of cultural value：artistic，historical，scientific and technological collections，botanical and zoological gardens and aquariums.Public libraries and public archival institutions maintaining permanent exhibition rooms shall be considered to be museums.

　　1961年

　　国际博物馆协会将承认以研究、教育、欣赏为目的而保护和展出具有文化和科学重要性的藏品的任何永久性（固定性）机构为博物馆。

　　定义中包括：a.公共图书馆和档案馆的常设性展出馆；b.正式向公众开放的历史古迹和部分历史古迹或它们的从属物，例如教堂珍宝、历史遗址、考古遗址和自然遗址；c.植物园、动物园、水族馆、生态园和展出动物、植物活标本的其他机构；d.自然保护区。

　　ICOM shall recognise as a museum any permanent institution which conserves and displays，for purposes of a study，education and enjoyment，collections of objects of cultural or scientific significance.

　　Within this definition fall:

　　a. exhibition galleries permanently maintained by public libraries and collections of archives,

　　b. historical monuments and parts of historical monuments or their dependencies, such as cathedral treasuries, historical, archaeological and natural sites, which are officially open to the public,

　　c. botanical and zoological gardens, aquaria, vivaria, and other institutions which display living specimens,

　　d. natural reserves.

　　1974年

　　博物馆是一个以研究、教育、欣赏为目的而征集、保护、研究、传播和展出人及人的环境的物证的、为社会及其发展服务的、向大众开放的、非营利的永久性（固定性）机构。

　　除被指定为“博物馆”外，国际博协承认下列符合博物馆定义机构：a.图书馆和档案中心的常设性保护研究机构和展出馆；b.从事征集、保护和传播活动的，具有博物馆性质的自然、考古及人类学的历史古迹和遗址；c.展出动物、植物活标本的机构，如植物园、动物园、水族馆和生态园等；d.自然保护区；e.科学中心及天文馆。

　　A museum is a non-profit making， permanent institution in the service of the society and its development，and open to the public，which acquires，conserves，researches，communicates，and exhibits， for purposes of study，education and enjoyment， material evidence of man and his environment.

　　In addition to museums designated as such, ICOM recognizes that the following comply with the above definition:

　　a. conservation institutes and exhibition galleries permanently maintained by libraries and archive centres.

　　b. natural, archaeological, and ethnographic monuments and sites and historical monuments and sites of a museum nature, for their acquisition, conservation and communication activities.

　　c. institutions displaying live specimens, such as botanical and zoological gardens, aquaria, vivaria, etc.

　　d. nature reserves.

　　e. science centres and planetariums.

　　1989年

　　博物馆是一个以研究、教育、欣赏为目的而征集、保护、研究、传播和展出人类及人类环境的物证的、为社会及其发展服务的、向大众开放的、非营利的永久性（固定性）机构。

　　（1）博物馆上述定义不受任何政体性质、地域特征、职能机构或相关机构收藏藏品的定位等因素的限制而予以适用。

　　（2）除被指定为“博物馆”的机构外，以下机构具有博物馆资格：i.从事征集、保护和传播人类及人类环境物证的，具有博物馆性质的自然、考古及人类学的历史古迹和遗址；ii.拥有并展出动物、植物活标本的机构，如植物园、动物园、水族馆和生态园；iii.科学中心及天文馆；iv.图书馆和档案中心的常设性保护研究机构和展出馆；v.自然保护区；vi.执行委员会经征求咨询委员会意见后认为其具有博物馆的部分或全部特征，支持博物馆及博物馆专业工作人员从事博物馆学研究、教育或培训的其他机构。

　　A museum is a non-profit making，permanent institution in the service of society and its development，and open to the public which acquires，conserves，researches，communicates and exhibits，for purposes of study，education and enjoyment，material evidence of people and their environment.

　　The above definition of a museum shall be applied without any limitation arising from the nature of the governing body, the territorial character, the functional structure or the orientation of the collections of the institution concerned.

　　In addition to institutions designated as "museums" the following qualify as museums for the purposes of this definition:

　　i. natural, archaeological and ethnographic monuments and sites and historical monuments and sites of a museum nature that acquire, conserve and communicate material evidence of people and their environment;

　　ii. institutions holding collections of and displaying live specimens of plants and animals, such as botanical and zoological gardens, aquaria and vivaria;

　　iii. science centres and planetaria;

　　iv. conservation institutes and exhibition galleries permanently maintained by libraries and archive centres;

　　v. nature reserves;

　　vi. such other institutions as the Executive Council, after seeking the advice of the Advisory Committee, considers as having some or all the characteristics of a museum, or as supporting museums and professional museum workers through museological research, education or training.

　　1995年

　　博物馆是一个以研究、教育、欣赏为目的而征集、保护、研究、传播和展出人类及人类环境的物证的、为社会及其发展服务的、向大众开放的、非营利的永久性（固定性）机构。

　　（1）博物馆上述定义不受任何政体性质、地域特征、职能机构或相关机构收藏藏品的定位等因素的限制而予以适用。

　　（2）除被指定为“博物馆”的机构外，以下机构具有博物馆资格：i.从事征集、保护和传播人类及人类环境物证的，具有博物馆性质的自然、考古及人类学的历史古迹和遗址；ii.拥有并展出动物、植物活标本的机构，如植物园、动物园、水族馆和人工动植物生态园；iii.科学中心及天文馆；iv.图书馆和档案中心的常设性保护研究机构和展出馆；v.自然保护区；vi.符合前述定义的国际、国家、区域性或地方性博物馆组织、负责博物馆管理的政府部门或公共机构；vii.从事与博物馆和博物馆学相关的研究、教育、培训、记录和其他事务的非营利机构或组织；viii.执行委员会经征求咨询委员会意见后认为其具有博物馆的部分或全部特征，支持博物馆及博物馆专业工作人员从事博物馆学研究、教育或培训的其他机构。

　　A museum is a non-profit making permanent institution in the service of society and of its development，and open to the public which acquires，conserves，researches，communicates and exhibits，for purposes of study，education and enjoyment，material evidence of people and their environment.

　　The above definition of a museum shall be applied without any limitation arising from the nature of the governing body, the territorial character, the functional structure or the orientation of the collections of the institution concerned.

　　In addition to institutions designated as "museums" the following qualify as museums for the purposes of this definition:

　　i. natural, archaeological and ethnographic monuments and sites and historical monuments and sites of a museum nature that acquire, conserve and communicate material evidence of people and their environment;

　　ii. institutions holding collections of and displaying live specimens and plants and animals, such as botanical and zoological gardens, aquaria and vivaria;

　　iii. science centres and planetaria;

　　iv. conservation institutes and exhibition galleries permanently maintained by libraries and archive centres;

　　v. nature reserves;

　　vi. international or national or regional or local museum organisations, ministries or departments or public agencies responsible for museums as per the definition given under this article;

　　vii. non-profit institutions or organisations undertaking research, education, training, documentation and other activities relating to museums and museology;

　　viii. such other institutions as the Executive Council, after seeking the advice of the Advisory Commitee, considers as having some or all of the characteristics of a museum, or as supporting museums and professional museum workers through museological research, educaton or training.

　　2001年

　　博物馆是一个以研究、教育、欣赏为目的而征集、保护、研究、传播和展出人类及人类环境的物证的、为社会及其发展服务的、向大众开放的、非营利的永久性（固定性）机构。

　　（1）博物馆上述定义不受任何政体性质、地域特征、职能机构或相关机构收藏藏品的定位等因素的限制而予以适用。

　　（2）除被指定为“博物馆”的机构外，以下机构具有博物馆资格：i.从事征集、保护和传播人类及人类环境物证的，具有博物馆性质的自然、考古及人类学的历史古迹和遗址；ii.拥有并展出动物、植物活标本的机构，如植物园、动物园、水族馆和人工生态园；iii.科学中心和天文馆；iv.非营利的艺术展出馆；v.自然保护区；vi.符合前述定义的国际、国家、区域或地方性博物馆组织、负责博物馆管理的政府部门或公共机构；vii.从事与博物馆和博物馆学相关的文物保护、研究、教育、培训、记录和其他事务的非营利机构或组织；viii.从事保护、传承和管理有形和无形遗产（活的遗产和数字创造性活动）的文化中心和其他实体；ix.执行委员会经征求咨询委员会意见后认为其具有博物馆的部分或全部特征，支持博物馆及博物馆专业职员从事博物馆学研究、教育或培训的其他机构。

　　A museum is a non-profit making，permanent institution in the service of society and of its development，and open to the public，which acquires，conserves，researches,communicates and exhibits，for purposes of study，education and enjoyment，material evidence of people and their environment.

　　a. The above definition of a museum shall be applied without any limitation arising from the nature of the governing body, the territorial character, the functional structure or the orientation of the collections of the institution concerned.

　　b. In addition to institutions designated as "museums" the following qualify as museums for the purposes of this definition:

　　i. natural, archaeological and ethnographic monuments and sites and historical monuments and sites of a museum nature that acquire, conserve and communicate material evidence of people and their environment;

　　ii. institutions holding collections of and displaying live specimens of plants and animals, such as botanical and zoological gardens, aquaria and vivaria;

　　iii. science centres and planetaria;

　　iv. non-profit art exhibition galleries;

　　v. nature reserves;

　　vi. international or national or regional or local museum organisations, ministries or departments or public agencies responsible for museums as per the definition given under this article;

　　vii. non-profit institutions or organisations undertaking conservation, research, education, training, documentation and other activities relating to museums and museology;

　　viii. cultural centres and other entities that facilitate the preservation, continuation and management of tangible or intangible heritage resources (living heritage and digital creative activity);

　　ix. such other institutions as the Executive Council, after seeking the advice of the Advisory Committee, considers as having some or all of the characteristics of a museum, or as supporting museums and professional museum personnel through museological research, education or training.

　　2007年

　　博物馆是一个为社会及其发展服务的、向公众开放的非营利性常设机构，为教育、研究、欣赏的目的征集、保护、研究、传播并展出人类及人类环境的物质及非物质遗产。

　　A museum is a non-profit，permanent institution in the service of society and its development，open to the public，which acquires，conserves，researches，communicates and exhibits the tangible and intangible heritage of humanity and its environment for the purposes of education，study and enjoyment.