Austrian Museum Quality Seal
The Austrian Museum Quality Seal is a quality award granted since 2002 to Austrian museums that demonstrate exceptional museum work beyond the required minimum standards. The two sponsoring associations, ICOM Austria and the Austrian Museum Association, present this award annually during the Austrian Museum Day to museums that are managed to a high standard.
The awarding of the Austrian Museum Quality Seal serves as public proof that a museum takes responsibility for preserving cultural heritage, acknowledges and acts in accordance with the "ICOM Code of Ethics for Museums" of the International Council of Museums (ICOM), and is committed to providing an outstanding visitor experience.
The goal of the quality seal is to introduce a tool for quality control and improvement based on international museum standards. To this end, an evaluation procedure and a catalog of criteria were developed, aligned with national and international museum guidelines. This aims to promote harmonization and raise overall standards within Austria's museum landscape. The criteria are based on the "ICOM Code of Ethics for Museums" (collection, preservation, research, exhibition, and education) and have been adapted to Austrian conditions.[1]
Museums in Austria may apply for the seal three years after their founding, provided they can prove completed museum registration. Since 2020, the quality seal has been coordinated by an office based at ICOM Austria in Vienna.[2]
Benefits
With the quality seal, the museum guarantees visitors a special museum experience through:
- assuming responsibility for the preservation of cultural heritage,
- high-quality presentation and a high level of service,
- basic facilities that are as accessible as possible,
- scientifically sound and clearly prepared communication of exhibition content,
- recognition of the "ICOM Code of Ethics for Museums" from ICOM – International Council of Museums.
Benefits for museums from the award:
- Recognition for high-quality museum work
- Easier access to public funding
- Increased interest from sponsors and advertisers
- Greater trust regarding loans or potential donations to museum collections
- Being part of a nationwide Austrian museum network
Overview
| Federal state | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Burgenland | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 11 |
| Carinthia | 24 | 22 | 22 | 21 | 20 | 17 | 13 |
| Lower Austria | 39 | 33 | 33 | 33 | 32 | 28 | 26 |
| Upper Austria | 42 | 42 | 42 | 40 | 39 | 40 | 39 |
| Salzburg | 33 | 31 | 30 | 30 | 29 | 26 | 25 |
| Styria | 45 | 44 | 43 | 39 | 39 | 37 | 37 |
| Tyrol | 30 | 29 | 30 | 29 | 28 | 28 | 28 |
| Vorarlberg | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 13 | 12 |
| Vienna | 43 | 41 | 38 | 35 | 34 | 34 | 32 |
| Total | 283 | 269 | 265 | 254 | 248 | 235 | 223 |
By October 2014, 223 museums in Austria had received the Austrian Museum Quality Seal. In October 2015, 17 Austrian museums were newly awarded the seal, 27 seals were renewed for five years, and nine applications were rejected. In October 2016, 16 Austrian museums were newly awarded the seal, 17 seals were renewed for five years, eight applications were rejected due to not meeting the criteria, and the seal was suspended for two institutions. As of 2015, the list comprised 235 institutions, and in 2016, 248.[3][4] In 2018, the seal was awarded to 13 Austrian museums until 2023, bringing the total number of seal holders to 266 as of October 2018.[5]
In 2019, 12 museums were awarded the seal for the first time. In 2020, 21 museums applied for the first time, 18 of which received the seal.[6][7] As of 2020, over 280 of the approximately 778 museums in Austria (as of March 2021) held the seal.[8]
In 2022, 39 museums received the seal, including 8 new awards and 31 renewals. This brought the total number of certified museums to 303.[9]
Jury
The evaluation process for museums in Austria is conducted by an expert panel composed of representatives from ICOM Austria (International Council of Museums, National Committee Austria), the Museumsbund Österreich, and the ARGE Bundesländerplattform. The evaluation of the applicant museums is carried out by the independent jury of the Austrian Museum Quality Seal. The jury consists of three museum experts from each of the two supporting organizations: ICOM Austria and Museumsbund Österreich. As of 2021, the jury members were:[10]
- for ICOM Austria:
- Heimo Kaindl, Director of Diocesan Museum Graz
- Lisa Noggler-Gürtler, Director of Museum der Völker (Schwaz)
- Carl Aigner, former Director of the Museum of Lower Austria
- for Museumsbund Österreich:
- Evelyn Kaindl-Ranzinger, CEO of MUSIS – Styrian Museum Association
- Ruth Swoboda, Director of inatura, Dornbirn
- Michael Weese, Director of the Salzburg Open-Air Museum
References
- ↑ "Mission Statement". museumsguetesiegel.at. Retrieved 2021-05-23.
- ↑ Austrian Museum Quality Seal (2015). Criteria Catalogue. Salzburg: Austrian Museum Quality Seal. p. 2. Search this book on
- ↑ orf.at – 17 Austrian museums newly awarded the quality seal, article from 12 October 2015, retrieved 12 October 2015.
- ↑ orf.at – 16 Austrian museums newly awarded the quality seal, article from 7 October 2016, retrieved 7 October 2016.
- ↑ Awarding of the Austrian Museum Quality Seal, Hall in Tirol, 2018, OTS release from 16 October 2018, retrieved 16 October 2018.
- ↑ ICOM Austria. "ICOM Austria congratulates the awardees of the Austrian Museum Quality Seal 2019". Retrieved 26 March 2021.
- ↑ ICOM Austria. "Awarding of the Austrian Museum Quality Seal 2020". Retrieved 26 March 2021.
- ↑ Museumsbund Österreich. "Museums in Austria". Retrieved 26 March 2021.
- ↑ "20 Years Austrian Museum Quality Seal". ots.at. 13 October 2022. Retrieved 13 October 2022.
- ↑ "Jury as of 01 Jan 2021". museumsguetesiegel.at. Retrieved 26 March 2021.
External links
- https://www.museumsguetesiegel.at/ (in German)
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