BEIJING, Aug. 28 (Xinhua) -- China has revised its rules governing the management of museum collections, with the new measures set to take effect on Nov. 1, 2026.
"The measures for the management of museum collections," unveiled by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism on Friday, require museums to set criteria for accepting collections based on their nature and functions, and to arrange for professionals to assess the authenticity and value of items before they are acquired.
State-owned museums must strictly follow prescribed procedures when removing items from their collections, according to the measures.
The rules revise regulations issued in 1986 by the former Ministry of Culture, in line with the latest requirements of China's Law on the Protection of Cultural Relics and the needs of high-quality development in the museum sector.
These measures contain 63 articles in six chapters covering general provisions, basic collection management, collection storage management, collection protection and use, legal liability and supplementary provisions.
They strengthen requirements for removing items from collections, managing donated items and conducting inventory checks, in response to problems including irregular management of donated collections and inadequate inventory mechanisms at some museums in recent years.
The rules strictly limit the circumstances under which items can be removed from collections and specify how they should be handled afterward, as well as relevant procedures for expert assessment and approval by cultural relics authorities.
They also clarify procedures for accepting donations and the basic contents of donation agreements, while regulating the handling of donated collections to protect donors' lawful rights and interests.
For collection inventories, the measures specify methods and requirements for inventory checks and strengthen the responsibilities of museum legal representatives and custodians when they leave their posts and hand over their duties.
The rules cover the full life cycle of museum collections, from acquisition, authentication, grading, registration and documentation to storage, check-in and check-out, inventory, withdrawal, preservation and use.
They also require standardized record-keeping, signatures and confirmations, and timely updates of collection information throughout the management process, with the aim of ensuring traceable procedures and clear records.
The new rules follow a high-profile incident involving Nanjing Museum in east China, where an investigation earlier this year found irregularities in the transfer and handling of five donated paintings, prompting calls for tighter management of museum collections. Enditem
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