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Against Deaccessioning Rules, Brian L. Frye
Against Deaccessioning Rules, Brian L. Frye
Law Faculty Scholarly Articles
Art museums are the aristocrats of the charitable sector, with all
the virtues and vices of the aristocracy. In their prime, they are glorious
exemplars of the finest in cultural expression. But in their dotage,
they are weak and vulnerable, constitutionally incapable of avoiding
financial ruin. Some art museums have even gone bankrupt and dissolved,
despite owning large collections of extremely valuable objects.
What explains this paradox? Deaccessioning rules: professional
rules governing art museums and art museum directors that prohibit
the sale of works of art for the purpose of generating capital. When
art museums find themselves in financial distress, …