International Museum Standards and Global Governance

This article explores the role of international museum standards — particularly those developed by the International Council of Museums (ICOM) — within the broader framework of global administrative law. It examines the nature, objectives and regulatory effectiveness of voluntary instruments such as the ICOM Code of Ethics and the 2022 definition of “museum”, highlighting their normative influence despite their non-binding character. Through a comparative analysis of different experiences in several European countries — France, Italy, the United Kingdom, Spain and Germany — this article traces how these standards are received in national legal and administrative systems, with particular focus on accreditation schemes, institutional reforms, and museum organization. The article argues that such standards function as enabling tools of cultural heritage governance at the global level, fostering convergence, legitimacy, and the dissemination of shared regulatory practices.