Legal Information

Introduction

A large and growing body of federal, state, and foreign laws designed to protect cultural property and biological specimens can affect museums seeking to transfer title to objects in their collections. This section provides links to resources on selected laws and regulations governing the ownership of materials commonly held in museums. These links are provided as a starting point for investigations only. AAM does not warranty the accuracy or completeness of the information provided.

Materials of Biological Origin

If you are considering transfer of materials of biological origin, consult the following links:

African Elephants (ivory):
http://international.fws.gov/laws/aeca_fv.html

Birds (Migratory Bird Treaty Act):
http://www.fws.gov/laws/laws_digest/MIGTREA.HTML
http://permits.fws.gov/mbpermits/birdbasics.html

Endangered species (Endangered Species Act):
http://www.fws.gov/laws/laws_digest/ESACT.HTML

Bald or Golden Eagles or parts thereof (Bald Eagle Protection Act):
http://www.fws.gov/laws/laws_digest/BALDEGL.HTML
http://permits.fws.gov/mbpermits/birdbasics.html

Biological material imported from outside the U.S. (various USFW and USDA regulations):
http://permits.fws.gov/
http://www.aphis.usda.gov/import.html

Biological material in general (Lacey Act):
http://www.fws.gov/laws/laws_digest/LACEY.HTML

Import to or export from the U.S. of biological material (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species):
http://www.cites.org

Marine mammals:
http://www.fws.gov/laws/laws_digest/MARMAM.HTML
http://www.eh.doe.gov/oepa/laws/mmpa.html
http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/permits/mmpa_permits.htm

See Also:

National Park Service Links to Laws and Regulations
http://www.cr.nps.gov/linklaws.htm

Materials associated with a Particular Culture

If you are considering transfer of materials associated with a particular culture, consult the following links:

Archaeological material collected from public lands (Antiquities Act, Archaeological Resources Protection Act):
http://archnet.asu.edu/topical/crm/crmusdoc.html

Native American remains or cultural artifacts (Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act):
http://www.fws.gov/laws/laws_digest/NATAMER.HTML
http://www.cast.uark.edu/other/nps/nagpra/

Pre-Columbian artifacts (Treaty of Cooperation between the United States and Mexico for the Recovery and Return of Stolen Cultural Properties):
http://exchanges.state.gov/culprop/treaty01.html

Archaeological or ethnographic materials from countries covered by Article 9 of the 1970 UNESCO Convention under the Convention on Cultural Property Implementation Act (1983):

1970 UNESCO Convention
http://exchanges.state.gov/culprop/unesco01.html
Convention on Cultural Property Implementation Act (1983)
http://exchanges.state.gov/culprop/97-446.html