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The 2025 application forms are now open! Join/ renew with ICOM-US today! 

 

Discover how joining ICOM can boost your career and support the international museum community

 

What are the benefits of being an ICOM Member? From training opportunities to grants, being an ICOM Member provides you with countless opportunities to further your career in the museum field. With its dynamic network of thousands of museum professionals worldwide, joining ICOM broadens your horizons and unlocks new opportunities for you professional and personal development. But that’s not all – by being an ICOM Member, you take a stance for museums and cultural heritage worldwide. 

Membership Benefits    

Be part of the international museum community   

Get involved in international events

Benefit from ICOM services

  • Access to live events and recordings including ICOM and ICOM-US Webinars
  • ICOM Solidarity Projects
  • Get insight on trends and innovation in museums thanks to ICOM News, the magazine for museum professionals, and monthly electronic newsletter
  • Credentials for ICOM’s Members Dashboard with the latest ICOM information on international events, publications, training, job offers, grants, international committees, ICOM’s governance and meetings
  • Search ICOM publications: monthly electronic newsletter; Museum International, ICOM’s peer reviewed journal, each issue devoted to specific contemporary museum theme and aims to provoke debate. 
  • ICOM Voices: editorial space for ICOM members’ articles on museum related themes such as sustainability, local community, heritage protection, intangible heritage and museum professionals’ working conditions
  • Join any of ICOM’s 32 International Committees and make your voice heard
  • Settle your art and cultural heritage disputes through the ICOM-WIPO mediation procedure

And many other benefits with your ICOM membership

  • Training and professional development opportunities
  • ICOM Card: your international entry pass to museums worldwide
  • Enjoy free or discounted registration fees to all ICOM events, those organized by some partner organizations and some of the most famous international art fairs
  • Benefit from preferential rates to museum shops and publications
  • Receive (as an institution) several ICOM membership cards for your staff members, your international entry pass to museums worldwide
  • Shape the future of the museum profession and support museums in fulfilling their missions
  • Advocate museum standards of excellence and museum ethics 
   

 

Membership is annual and runs from January 1 to December 31 of every year in which dues are paid. New memberships received after September 30 will become effective as of January 1 of the following year unless otherwise indicated.

Transfer to ICOM-US

Transferring from another National Committee? Use our Application Form here to be added to the ICOM-US database. 

“ICOM is an international organization of museums and museum professionals”

Criteria for membership

Membership in ICOM is open to museums, institutions recognized by ICOM* and museum professionals, according to the criteria laid out in the association’s Statutes:

“A museum is a not-for-profit, permanent institution in the service of society that researches, collects, conserves, interprets and exhibits tangible and intangible heritage. Open to the public, accessible and inclusive, museums foster diversity and sustainability. They operate and communicate ethically, professionally and with the participation of communities, offering varied experiences for education, enjoyment, reflection and knowledge sharing.”
(ICOM Statutes, Article 3, Section 1).

"After seeking the advice of the Advisory Council, the Executive Board, may recognise other institutions as having some or all of the characteristics of a Museum."
(ICOM Statutes, Article 3, Section 2).

"Museum professionals include all staff of the museums and institutions qualifying as museums in accordance with the definition stated within the scope of Article 3, Section 1 and 2 and persons who, in a professional capacity, have as their main activity to provide services, knowledge and expertise for museums and the museum community"
(ICOM Statutes, Article 3, Section 3).

All persons and institutions applying for ICOM membership shall agree to

‣ Not be available to any person or institution (including its employees) that trades (i.e. buys or sells for profit) cultural property - including works of art and natural and scientific specimens;
‣ Accept and adhere to the ICOM Code of Ethics for Museums;
‣ Complete the application form to the National Committee of their country of residence; and 
‣ Pay an annual membership fee at a rate determined by ICOM.

ICOM Statutes
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ICOM Website

ICOM-US Membership Headquarters:
3305 Steck Ave
Suite 200
Austin, TX 78757
Email: [email protected]