International Perspectives on Museum Management: Looking Towards Desirable Futures

International Perspectives on Museum Management is the first volume of the ICOM Museum Practice series. Exploring contemporary practices in the field of museum management, the book demonstrates how strategic vision and effective leadership can enable museums to fulfil their varied roles and empower staff to achieve their individual and collective objectives.

Gathering together contributions that shed light on key aspects of running a museum in different parts of the world, the volume examines a wide range of topical issues from a management perspective. Chapters within the volume focus on governance and operations, communication and marketing, accessibility and community engagement, the decline in public funding, sustainability and risk management and planning a new museum or a renewal. As a whole, the book demonstrates that competent and creative museum management is vital to museums’ ability to survive and thrive in the face of decreased investment in culture and shifting expectations on the roles that museums should play within society.

Containing insights from respected museum professionals around the world and focusing on topical issues, International Perspectives on Museum Management will be essential reading for museum practitioners working in all types and sizes of museum. The book will also be of great interest to students and academics who have an interest in museum management.

Darko Babic (Associate Professor; PhD in Museum and Heritage Studies) is Chair of the Sub-Department of Museology at the Faculty of Humanities & Social Sciences of the University of Zagreb (Croatia). After earning his MA in Ethnology and Information Sciences, he gained experience working as project manager on international projects, as an organiser of museum and heritage conferences, as an archivist and as an assistant on national TV. He is active in contributing to the advancement of the museum and heritage profession serving as Board member and Chair of ICOM Croatia, as Board member and Chair of ICOM-ICTOP and as a member of the Supervisory Committee to the European Association for Heritage Interpretation. His research interests include topics related to museums, heritage and their development, management and interpretation. He also has working experience on EU projects and as a free-lance consultant in the museum and heritage sectors, including in non-governmental organisations.