Copyright in terms of museum management and legal issues in practice

Modern museum management approach is aware of the necessity of taking a scientific and sound action to many different fields such as administrative organization, collection management and visitor relations. These fields in which the museum shows activity to be able to function are all concerns of a special sub-discipline of law. The regulations in each sub-discipline, by definition, might decree to act in a specific manner or avoid doing it. As ethical establishments, their obligations to abide by the law are the most important factor for museums to be trustworthy cultural establishments in the eyes of the public. One of the most widespread problems of legality that museums face are related to the copyright of the works in their collections. Particularly having regard to the current technological means resulting the development of the exhibition methods and interaction variety between museum visitors and the works in the collection with the influence of the social media, necessitate an equitable approach on copyright both protecting the exclusive rights and visitors' freedom of expression. In the first part of the study, the principles which form ethical aspect of the museum are evaluated and in the second part, the basic concepts of copyright is examined. When explaining the basic concepts, monographical details on the subject has been avoided to focus on the main subject of the study. However, it's been paid attention to give the specific examples from the museum activities in each definition. In the last part of the study the practical issues which might be confronted in the museums are evaluated legally. While making this evaluation, both museum management practice and also recent developments in artistic creation have been concerned. By doing that, the opportunity to evaluate the issue over national and international legislation, case law and the most recent developments on museum management has been obtained. Keywords: Museum, museum management, law, copyright, intellectual property, work