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2022 Applications are closed. The 2023 applications forms will open in October 2022.

Discover how joining ICOM can boost your career and support the international museum community

What are the benefits of being an ICOM Member? From training opportunities to grants, being an ICOM Member provides you with countless opportunities to further your career in the museum field. With its dynamic network of thousands of museum professionals worldwide, joining ICOM broadens your horizons and unlocks new opportunities for you professional and personal development. But that’s not all – by being an ICOM Member, you take a stance for museums and cultural heritage worldwide.

Membership Benefits

Be part of the international museum community

Opportunities to contribute through ICOM-US in the development of a new museum definition. The new museum definition forum, available on the ICOM-US members only page, is dedicated to discussing and sharing concepts that define museums.
Connect with over 50,000 world-class museum experts and build a strong international professional network in every museum-related speciality
Explore opportunities for international collaboration for your projects and exhibitions
Commit to the fight against illicit traffic in cultural goods
Cooperate in emergency preparedness and response actions in museums worldwide

Get involved in international events

Attend ICOM-US's Annual Meeting
Broaden your horizons and train staff with over 250 conferences organized yearly around the globe
Participate in the extensive program at the Triennial General Conference

Benefit from ICOM services

Access to live events and recordings including ICOM and ICOM-US Webinars
ICOM Solidarity Projects
Get insight on trends and innovation in museums thanks to ICOM News, the magazine for museum professionals, and monthly electronic newsletter
Credentials for ICOM’s Members Dashboard with the latest ICOM information on international events, publications, training, job offers, grants, international committees, ICOM’s governance and meetings
Search ICOM publications: monthly electronic newsletter; Museum International, ICOM’s peer reviewed journal, each issue devoted to specific contemporary museum theme and aims to provoke debate.
ICOM Voices: editorial space for ICOM members’ articles on museum related themes such as sustainability, local community, heritage protection, intangible heritage and museum professionals’ working conditions
Join any of ICOM’s 32 International Committees and make your voice heard
Settle your art and cultural heritage disputes through the ICOM-WIPO mediation procedure

And many other benefits with your ICOM membership

Training and professional development opportunities
ICOM Card: your international entry pass to museums worldwide
Enjoy free or discounted registration fees to all ICOM events, those organized by some partner organizations and some of the most famous international art fairs
Benefit from preferential rates to museum shops and publications
Receive (as an institution) several ICOM membership cards for your staff members, your international entry pass to museums worldwide
Shape the future of the museum profession and support museums in fulfilling their missions
Advocate museum standards of excellence and museum ethics

Individual Membership Application

Individual Membership Renewal

Institutional Membership Application

Institutional Membership Renewal

Replacement Card/Sticker Request

Membership is annual and runs from January 1 to December 31 of every year in which dues are paid. New memberships received after September 30 will become effective as of January 1 of the following year unless otherwise indicated.

“ICOM is an international organization of museums and museum professionals”

Criteria for membership

Membership in ICOM is open to museums, institutions recognized by ICOM* and museum professionals, according to the criteria laid out in the association’s Statutes:

“ A museum is a non-profit, permanent institution in the service of society and its development, open to the public, which acquires, conserves, researches, communicates and exhibits the tangible and intangible heritage of humanity and its environment for the purposes of education, study and enjoyment.”

“ Museum professionals include all staff of the museums and institutions [recognized by ICOM], and persons who, in a professional capacity, have as their main activity to provide services, knowledge and expertise for museums and the museum community.”

All persons and institutions applying for ICOM membership shall agree

‣ Not to trade in cultural property, works of art or natural and scientific specimens.

‣ To adhere to the ICOM Code of Ethics for Museums.

‣ To send their written application form to the National Committee of their country of residence.

‣ To pay an annual membership fee at a rate determined by ICOM.

ICOM Statutes

ICOM Privacy Policy

ICOM Website

ICOM-US Membership services are coordinated by:

Molly Shevlin and Morgan Denault, Hauck and Associates
4301 50th Street NW

Suite 300 PMB 1042

Washington, DC 20016