Prof. dr hab.
Jan Pruszyński
Santander Art and Culture Law Review, 1/2015 (1), 2015, s. 9 - 40
https://doi.org/10.4467/2450050XSR.15.001.3767Abstract
Museums. Museum Law
The paper presents the author’s critical views on museums as public institutions in relation to their organisation, management and legal foundations. In particular, it draws attention to the limitations of the law in regulating matters such as: cultural heritage and cultural awareness and their significance in cherishing memory, tradition and a sense of community, as well as issues related to museum ethics and the education of museum staff. While discussing the evolution of museums over the centuries, the paper provides a broad comparative legal analysis. Then, it focuses on the particularities of the Polish case. It explains that the first Polish museum institutions were established in the nineteenth century under foreign (Austrian, Prussian and Russian) rule. Thus, their creation was essentially linked to the process of national self-determination. In fact, they were founded in the wake of civic initiatives and movements, often against organized state cultural policies. The paper also recalls the work of museums during the short period of Poland’s independence, in 1918-1939, followed by the devastating experiences of the Second World War and subsequent ideological policies adopted by the communist regime towards public cultural institutions and private collectors. The final part of this paper discusses critically the reform of museum legislation and management during the period of political and economic transition in Poland after 18. It concludes with a practical assessment of the existing regulations in force, indicating their shortcomings in respect of the responsibility of museums to a broader society and its individual members