Collectivité

International Museums Office (IMO)

• Office international des musées (OIM)

1926-1946

The International Museums Office (IMO) was created by a decision of the International Commission for Intellectual Cooperation (CICI), League of Nations, in July 1926. Its secretariat was based at the International Institute for Intellectual Cooperation (IICI) in Paris. It was governed by a Commission de direction composed of five members, including: a delegate from the CICI; a delegate from the Sub-commission of arts and letters; the Secretary of the CICI; and, the Director of the IICI. The Commission de direction was further guided by a Management Committee and a Committee of friends of museums. The Office published the journal Mouseion as well as the monograph series Museographie, and organized international conferences on matters of importance for the international museum community. In 1936, it carried out a study which would result in a draft Convention for the Protection of Historic Buildings and Works of Art in Times of War presented to the League of Nations’ Council and General Assembly in 1938. The International Museums Office ceased its functions in 1946 with the creation of the United Nations system, UNESCO and International Council of Museums (ICOM).

Paris

Created by the League of Nations July 1926.

Governing body: Commission de direction with five members.
Consultative bodies: Comité de gestion, Comité des amis des Musées.

Dupierreux, Richard (1891-1957)

Focillon, Henri (1881-1943)

Destrée, Jules (1863–1936)

AWT 24 March 2011.

Daifuku, Hiroshi. (1998). “Museums and monuments: UNESCO’s pioneering role.” Museum International: fiftieth anniversary issue. L(1). P.5-50. Retrieved from: http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0011/001105/110513e.pdf#xml=http://www.unesco.org/ulis/cgi-bin/ulis.pl?database=&set=4D8B70AE_1_450&hits_rec=14&hits_lng=eng Accessed 24 March 2011.
International Museums Office. (2011). In Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved from http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/291128/International-Museums-Office Accessed 24 March 2011.
UNESCO Archives, Archive Group 1 – International Institute for Intellectual Cooperation (IICI), AG 1/1 IICI Inventaire 1925-1946.