Code of Ethics and Guidelines for Practice

Adhering to the Code of Ethics

Our Code of Ethics and Guidelines for Practice guides professionals in preserving cultural property like objects, structures, and collections with artistic, historical, scientific, religious, or social significance. It establishes obligations to the object, its owners, the profession, and society at large, emphasizing respect, honesty, competence, safety, and advocacy. Conservation professionals must follow laws, avoid conflicts of interest, consult with colleagues when necessary, and maintain confidentiality.

Its key principles include careful examination, responsible treatment, accurate documentation, open communication, and preventive care.

The code serves as a guiding document for all conservation and preservation activities, and every member pledges to uphold the code of ethics.

Code

I

Maintain High Standards

The conservation professional shall strive to attain the highest possible standards in all aspects of conservation, including, but not limited to, preventive conservation, examination, documentation, treatment, research, and education.

II

Respect Cultural Property

All actions of the conservation professional must be governed by an informed respect for the cultural property, its unique character and significance, and the people or person who created it.

III

Advocate for Preservation

While recognizing the right of society to make appropriate and respectful use of cultural property, the conservation professional shall serve as an advocate for the preservation of cultural property.

IV

Practice Within Limits

The conservation professional shall practice within the limits of personal competence and education as well as within the limits of the available facilities.

V

Deliver Quality Work

While circumstances may limit the resources allocated to a particular situation, the quality of work that the conservation professional performs shall not be compromised.

VI

Mitigate Adverse Effects

The conservation professional must strive to select methods and materials that, to the best of current knowledge, do not adversely affect cultural property or its future examination, scientific investigation, treatment, or function.

VII

Document Work

The conservation professional shall document examination, scientific investigation, and treatment by creating permanent records and reports.

VIII

Consider Preventive Conservation

The conservation professional shall recognize a responsibility for preventive conservation by endeavoring to limit damage or deterioration to cultural property, providing guidelines for continuing use and care, recommending appropriate environmental conditions for storage and exhibition, and encouraging proper procedures for handling, packing, and transport.

IX

Act With Integrity

The conservation professional shall act with honesty and respect in all professional relationships, seek to ensure the rights and opportunities of all individuals in the profession, and recognize the specialized knowledge of others.

X

Continue Professional Development

The conservation professional shall contribute to the evolution and growth of the profession, a field of study that encompasses the liberal arts and the natural sciences. This contribution may be made by such means as continuing development of personal skills and knowledge, sharing of information and experience with colleagues, adding to the profession’s written body of knowledge, and providing and promoting educational opportunities in the field.

XI

Conduct Outreach and Advocacy

The conservation professional shall promote an awareness and understanding of conservation through open communication with allied professionals and the public.

XII

Address Health and Safety Concerns

The conservation professional shall practice in a manner that minimizes personal risks and hazards to co-workers, the public, and the environment.

XIII

Promote the Code

Each conservation professional has an obligation to promote understanding of and adherence to this Code of Ethics.

Guidelines for Practice

The conservation professional should use the following guidelines and supplemental commentaries together with the code in the pursuit of ethical practice. The commentaries are separate documents that amplify the code and accommodate growth and change in the field.

Professional Conduct

1.

Conduct

Adherence to the Code of Ethics and Guidelines for Practice is a matter of personal responsibility. The conservation professional should always be guided by the intent of this document, recognizing that specific circumstances may legitimately affect professional decisions.

2.

Disclosure

In professional relationships, the conservation professional should share complete and accurate information relating to the efficacy and value of materials and procedures. In seeking and disclosing such information, and that relating to analysis and research, the conservation professional should recognize the importance of published information that has undergone formal peer review.

3.

Laws and Regulations

The conservation professional should be cognizant of laws and regulations that may have a bearing on professional activity. Among these laws and regulations are those concerning the rights of artists and their estates, occupational health and safety, sacred and religious material, excavated objects, endangered species, human remains, and stolen property.

4.

Practice

Regardless of the nature of employment, the conservation professional should follow appropriate standards for safety, security, contracts, fees, and advertising.

5.

Communication

Communication between the conservation professional and the owner, custodian, or authorized agent of the cultural property is essential to ensure an agreement that reflects shared decisions and realistic expectations.

6.

Consent

The conservation professional should act only with the consent of the owner, custodian, or authorized agent. The owner, custodian, or agent should be informed of any circumstances that necessitate significant deviations from the agreement. When possible, notification should be made before such changes are made.

7.

Confidentiality

Except as provided in the Code of Ethics and Guidelines for Practice, the conservation professional should consider relationships with an owner, custodian, or authorized agent as confidential. Information derived from examination, scientific investigation, or treatment of the cultural property should not be published or otherwise made public without written permission.

8.

Supervision

The conservation professional is responsible for work delegated to other professionals, students, interns, volunteers, subordinates, or agents and assignees. Work should not be delegated or subcontracted unless the conservation professional can supervise the work directly, can ensure proper supervision, or has sufficient knowledge of the practitioner to be confident of the quality of the work. When appropriate, the owner, custodian, or agent should be informed if such delegation is to occur.

9.

Education

Within the limits of knowledge, ability, time, and facilities, the conservation professional is encouraged to become involved in the education of conservation personnel. The objectives and obligations of the parties shall be agreed upon mutually.

10.

Consultation

Since no individual can be expert in every aspect of conservation, it may be appropriate to consult with colleagues or, in some instances, to refer the owner, custodian, or authorized agent to a professional who is more experienced or better equipped to accomplish the required work. If the owner requests a second opinion, this request must be respected.

11.

Recommendations and References

The conservation professional should not provide recommendations without direct knowledge of a colleague’s competence and experience. Any reference to the work of others must be based on facts and personal knowledge rather than on hearsay.

12.

Adverse Commentary

A conservation professional may be required to testify in legal, regulatory, or administrative proceedings concerning allegations of unethical conduct. Testimony concerning such matters should be given at these proceedings or in connection with paragraph 13 of these Guidelines.

13.

Misconduct

Allegations of unethical conduct should be reported in writing to the AIC president as described in the AIC Bylaws, section II, 12. As stated in the bylaws, all correspondence regarding alleged unethical conduct shall be held in the strictest confidence. Violations of the Code and Guidelines that constitute unethical conduct may result in disciplinary action.

14.

Conflict of Interest

The conservation professional should avoid situations in which there is a potential for a conflict of interest that may affect the quality of work, lead to the dissemination of false information, or give the appearance of impropriety.

15.

Related Professional Activities

The conservation professional should be especially mindful of the considerable potential for conflict of interest in activities such as authentication, appraisal, or art dealing.

Examination and Scientific Investigation

16.

Justification

Careful examination of cultural property forms the basis for all future action by the conservation professional. Before undertaking any examination or tests that may cause change to cultural property, the conservation professional should establish the necessity for such procedures.

17.

Sampling and Testing

Prior consent must be obtained from the owner, custodian, or agent before any material is removed from a cultural property. Only the minimum required should be removed, and a record of removal must be made. When appropriate, the material removed should be retained.

18.

Interpretation

Declarations of age, origin, or authenticity should be made only when based on sound evidence.

19.

Scientific Investigation

The conservation professional should follow accepted scientific standards and research protocols.

Preventive Conservation

20.

Preventive Conservation

The conservation professional should recognize the critical importance of preventive conservation as the most effective means of promoting the long-term preservation of cultural property. The conservation professional should provide guidelines for continuing use and care, recommend appropriate environmental conditions for storage and exhibition, and encourage proper procedures for handling, packing, and transport.

Treatment

21.

Suitability

The conservation professional performs within a continuum of care and will rarely be the last entrusted with the conservation of a cultural property. The conservation professional should only recommend or undertake treatment that is judged suitable to the preservation of the aesthetic, conceptual, and physical characteristics of the cultural property. When nonintervention best serves to promote the preservation of the cultural property, it may be appropriate to recommend that no treatment be performed.

22.

Materials and Methods

The conservation professional is responsible for choosing materials and methods appropriate to the objectives of each specific treatment and consistent with currently accepted practice. The advantages of the materials and methods chosen must be balanced against their potential adverse effects on future examination, scientific investigation, treatment, and function.

23.

Compensation for Loss

Any intervention to compensate for loss should be documented in treatment records and reports and should be detectable by common examination methods. Such compensation should be reversible and should not falsely modify the known aesthetic, conceptual, and physical characteristics of the cultural property, especially by removing or obscuring original material.

Documentation

24.

Documentation

The conservation professional has an obligation to produce and maintain accurate, complete, and permanent records of examination, sampling, scientific investigation, and treatment. When appropriate, the records should be both written and pictorial. The kind and extent of documentation may vary according to the circumstances, the nature of the object, or whether an individual object or a collection is to be documented.

The purposes of such documentation are:

25.

Documentation of Examination

Before any intervention, the conservation professional should make a thorough examination of the cultural property and create appropriate records. These records and the reports derived from them must identify the cultural property and include the date of examination and the name of the examiner. They also should include, as appropriate, a description of structure, materials, condition, and pertinent history.

26.

Treatment Plan

Following examination and before treatment, the conservation professional should prepare a plan describing the course of treatment. This plan should also include the justification for and the objectives of treatment, alternative approaches, if feasible, and the potential risks. When appropriate, this plan should be submitted as a proposal to the owner, custodian, or authorized agent.

27.

Documentation of Treatment

During treatment, the conservation professional should maintain dated documentation that includes a record or description of techniques or procedures involved, materials used and their composition, the nature and extent of all alterations, and any additional information revealed or otherwise ascertained. A report prepared from these records should summarize this information and provide, as necessary, recommendations for subsequent care.

28.

Preservation of Documentation

Documentation is an invaluable part of the history of cultural property and should be produced and maintained in as permanent a manner as practicable. Copies of reports of examination and treatment must be given to the owner, custodian, or authorized agent, who should be advised of the importance of maintaining these materials with the cultural property. Documentation is also an important part of the profession’s body of knowledge. The conservation professional should strive to preserve these records and give other professionals appropriate access to them, when access does not contravene agreements regarding confidentiality.

Emergency Situations

29.

Emergency Situations

Emergency situations can pose serious risks of damage to or loss of cultural property that may warrant immediate intervention on the part of the conservation professional. In an emergency that threatens cultural property, the conservation professional should take all reasonable action to preserve the cultural property, recognizing that strict adherence to the Guidelines for Practice may not be possible.

Amendments

Amendments: Proposed amendments to the Code of Ethics and Guidelines for Practice must be initiated by petition to the AIC Board of Directors from at least five members who are Fellows or Professional Members of AIC. The board will direct the appropriate committee to prepare the amendments for vote in accordance with procedures described in Section VII of the Bylaws. Acceptance of amendments or changes must be affirmed by at least two-thirds of all AIC Fellows and Professional Members voting.

Commentaries

Commentaries are prepared or amended by specialty groups, task forces, and appropriate committees of AIC. A review process shall be undergone before final approval by the AIC Board of Directors.

*Revised August 1994

Download the Code

Code of Ethics and Guidelines for Practice (1994)

Commentaries to the Guidelines for Practice (2008)

Code of Ethics in Simplified Chinese

Code of Ethics in Traditional Chinese

Código Ética en Español (1994)

Normas Para El Ejercicio Profesional (1994)

Ethics and Standards Committee

We hear and assess issues of alleged misconduct and clarify proper adherence to the Code of Ethics, Guidelines for Practice, and Commentaries to the Guidelines for members and the public.

Suzanne Siano

Chair (2021-2027)

Suzanne Siano is the Chief Conservator and Director of Modern Art Conservation, a large private conservation practice located in Chelsea. Beginning as an apprentice in Florence, Italy, in 1989, Suzanne went on to earn a certificate in art conservation from the Institute of Fine Arts, NYU. For 13 years Suzanne was part of the Paintings Conservation team at The Museum of Modern Art, developing an expertise in the conservation of modern and contemporary paintings and mixed media works.

In addition to museum conservation, Suzanne was Associate Conservator in two private New York conservation studios before starting her own practice, Modern Art Conservation, in 2007. Today, her team includes seven paintings conservators, a sculpture conservator and a support staff of technicians, a photographer, and a registrar. Artworks from the late 19th century to the present are examined and treated and clients include museums, private and corporate collections, galleries, auction houses, insurance companies, art advisors and artists. Suzanne lectures extensively on topics such as damage and loss, authentication, disaster planning, collections care, collaborations with artists, modern materials, and conservation of non-traditional materials. Since 2006, she has been an Adjunct Professor at the Conservation Center of the Institute of Fine Arts, training future conservators the specialized area of modern and contemporary paintings conservation.

Dana Moffett

Member (2021-2027)

Dana Moffett was formerly Head of Collections and Conservation at the thirty years. She holds a BSc (Hons) in Archaeological Conservation from the Institute of Archaeology, University College, London, and a Master’s degree in Anthropology from the University of Denver.

Noah Smutz

Member (2023-2026)

Noah Smutz is a book conservator and the owner of NS Conservation LLC in St. Louis, founded in 2019. He has worked with institutions such as the St. Louis Art Museum, the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, the Missouri State Archives, the Missouri History Museum, The Mercantile Library, the Linda Hall Library, and many others in private practice. He has been a member of the American Institute for Conservation since 2010 and a Professional Member since 2019. Noah enjoys the happiness conserving a family heirloom brings to his individual clients. He holds a Master’s Degree in Book Conservation from West Dean College.

Katherine Rideway

Member (2023-2026)

After graduating from William and Mary, Katherine attended Durham University in northern England and received her master’s degree in the Conservation of Historic Objects. For five years she was an Assistant Conservator at the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago, Illinois where she was responsible for the conservation of artifacts going on loan to other institutions and couriered them around the country and the world. Next, she moved back to her home state of Virginia to take a position as the Fine and Decorative Arts Conservator for George Washington’s Mount Vernon. She spent six and a half years there and then made the move to the Virginia Department of Historic Resources in Richmond, Virginia to be their conservator. She has served there since early 2013, becoming a Fellow in the AIC and the State Archaeological Conservator; working with professionals and the public around the Commonwealth to promote the preservation of the State’s rich cultural heritage and working to conserve the roughly 7 million artifacts that belong to Virginia. She led the team that opened the containers found under the Robert E. Lee Monument on Monument Avenue and is senior editor for the book The Buried Cause: Unearthing hidden history in the Lee Monument cornerstone available through UVA Press.

Jennifer McGlinchey Sexton

Board Liaison (2020-2026)

Jennifer McGlinchey Sexton is the owner and conservator at MS Art Conservation in Colorado Springs, CO. Jennifer holds a BFA in Photography from Massachusetts College of Art and Design. In 2010, she earned an MA in Art Conservation from Buffalo State College with a concentration in paper and photograph conservation. Jennifer has held positions at Paul Messier LLC, Williamstown Art Conservation Center, The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, the J. Paul Getty Museum, the Menil Collection, the Detroit Institute of Arts, the Buffalo Bill Center of the West, and the Alaska State Libraries, Archives and Museums.

Lissa Rosenthal-Yoffe

Staff Liaison

Lissa Rosenthal-Yoffe joined us in 2022. As Executive Director, she brings extensive nonprofit leadership in arts, culture, and social impact. Her career spans national advocacy, coalition building, fundraising, and strategic communications-- focused on advancing equitable access to the arts and humanities.

She previously served as Executive Director of the DC Arts and Humanities Education Collaborative and the Future of Music Coalition. Past roles also include Development Director at the Pittsburgh Glass Center and MoMA PS1, and Programs Director at the American Council for the Arts (now Americans for the Arts), where she led national Arts Advocacy Day during the “culture wars” of the 1990s.

Incorporating her passion for arts and culture with broader social change, Lissa also served as National Program Director at PAX: Real Solutions to Gun Violence (now part of the Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence), and as National Corporate Sponsorship Officer and National Senior Team Director at MZA Events, where she helped produce AIDS Walks and Dance-a-thons, raising awareness and millions for AIDS service organizations across the country.

Her background also includes leading public relations and program development for major cultural, food, and community events in Pittsburgh and New York City. She holds degrees and advanced study in Art History, Fine Arts, and Museum Studies, and currently serves on the boards of the National Cherry Blossom Festival and Arts Lab of South County.

Lissa lives on the Western Chesapeake, where most evenings are spent listening to music and making sculpture. Personal interests include anything square, plastic, and pickled. She likes to wear black.

Unethical Conduct Reporting Process

Anyone can report a suspected violation of our Code of Ethics. Start by contacting us by phone or email. If you call, we will ask you to submit a written report with details. We treat all material received confidentially, unless disclosure is required by law. We do not consider anonymous reports.

Download the document below for full details on the process.

Process for Reporting Unethical Conduct