Towards the Ethical Art Museum

Towards the Ethical Art Museum

By Gareth Harris, 18th August 2025

CIMAM members can now enjoy an exclusive discount on Towards the Ethical Art Museum, the forthcoming book by Gareth Harris, published by Lund Humphries in association with Sotheby’s Institute of Art. The title will be available from 18 August 2025 and forms part of the Hot Topics in the Art World series.

Towards the Ethical Art Museum is a pithy, up-to-date analysis of the ethical dilemmas facing art museums in the post-Covid age and in the wake of anti-discrimination protests, offering examples of best practice.

Museums are under fire currently from all quarters on account of a wide range of ethical issues, from their association with morally dubious regimes to the questionable provenance of objects in their collections and the perceived lack of inclusivity of their exhibitions. This book examines why the art museum has become a focus for society’s ethical concerns in the 21st century, whether it is ever possible for a museum to be a neutral space, and what a policy framework for a more ethical museum could look like.

Gareth Harris's compelling and balanced analysis draws on interviews with museum leaders and a wide range of visual-arts professionals in the UK, Europe and the US. It considers examples of best practice in a sector which is struggling to balance increased ethical demands with an often perilous financial situation in the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic.

CIMAM members can access this special discount, and read an exclusive excerpt from the book, by visiting the Members Only section of the CIMAM website, under the dedicated Lund Humphries Bookstore page.

Take advantage of this offer and discover more titles curated especially for CIMAM members by Lund Humphries.