Commentaries to the Guidelines for Practice of the AIC

Commentary 3: Laws and Regulations

A. RATIONALE

• To avoid the unknowing violation of local, state and federal laws and regulations, and to avoid lawsuits and litigation.
• To help the conservation professional develop conservation procedures that are appropriate to the legal and regulatory status of certain cultural property.
• To avoid damaging or discrediting the reputation of the conservation profession.

• Conservation professionals must abide by the laws and regulations applicable to their particular practices.

• The conservation professional should stay informed of applicable laws and regulations, especially as presented in conservation and allied professional literature.
• The conservation professional should seek advice from an attorney or relevant authority regarding applicable laws and regulations.
• It is recommended that conservation professionals report suspected violations of applicable laws to the proper authorities.
• Conservation professionals should be aware of and adhere to non-governmental charters and other recognized documents that have a bearing on professional activities (e.g. Venice Charter, New Orleans Charter, Secretary of the Interior's Guidelines for the Preservation of Historic Buildings, ICCROM's Site Management Guidelines for World Heritage Sites) and Codes of Ethics of allied professional organizations (e.g. American Association of Museums, American Association for State and Local History, Society of American Archivists, Society for American Archaeology, Association of Art Museum Directors).

Approved by the AIC Board May 30, 2001.